William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

From: After Eight ; Year: 1982; Genre: Synthpop/New Wave The other day I discovered to my astonishment that I had not picked this cover of the popular piece from the pen of Irving Berlin. This piece has been recorded a multitude of times since the late 1920s, during and since the interwar period; in the last half century probably the two best known recordings are Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle's showstopper in Mel Brooks' 1974 Young Frankenstein , and of course, this synthpop version from Taco in 1982. I don't know if it is Taco's memorable performance, Berlin's genius writing, or both, but this is one recording that seemingly has not lost much steam over the years and can be played almost anywhere and people will react positively to it.   Watch the music video on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band - Old Time Rock and Roll     My song pick 2 years ago today: Jerry Reed - Sixteen Tons   My song pick...

From: Merry Christmas ; Year: 1945 (1942); Genre: Jazz/Pop Happy New Year! I thought it would be appropriate to kick off my first song of the New Year with this rather schmaltzy piece from good 'ol Bing Crosby from his hit film Holiday Inn .    Hear Let's Start The New Year Right on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Louis Armstrong - I Can't Afford To Miss This Dream   My song pick 2 years ago today: Parliament - Bop Gun (Endangered Species)   My song pick 3 years ago today: Peter Gabriel - A Wonderful Day In A One-Way World   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Zombies - This Will Be Our Year My song pick 5 years ago today: The Eagles - Funky New Year My song pick 6 years ago today: Steely Dan - Midnight Cruiser My song pick 7 years ago today: James Brown - Get Up Offa That Thing/Release the Pressure My song pick 8 years ago today: Primus with the Fungi Ensemble - Pure Imagination My song pick 9 years ago today: The Moody...

From: What a Wonderful Christmas ; Year: 1997 (1950s); Genre: Jazz/Christmas Music Here's one that everyone should play this time of year or anytime you're feeling down and pining for the Holidays. Really though, how do you make a legendary Irving Berlin hit even better; yep, have Mr. Louis Armstrong lend his voice to it, and boy does he ever do this song great. Not bagging on any other legendary vocalist whose done the song, but I'm admittedly quite partial to Pops and his unmistakable voice and music. Hear Pops' incredible version of White Christmas on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Bob Rivers & Twisted Radio - Jingle Hells Bells My song pick two years ago today: Stanley Clarke, George Duke, and Everette Harp - O Tannenbaum My song pick three years ago today: Louis Armstrong - Christmas Night in Harlem My song pick four years ago today: The Beatles - Please Please Me My song pick five years ago today: John Denver - Please Daddy (Don...

From: Merry Christmas ; Year: 1945; Genre: Christmas Music Well, it's Christmas Eve and all, thinking I should pick a real good one. This is without a doubt the definitive version of this very popular contemporary Christmas song from the pen of Irving Berlin. Hear White Christmas on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: B. Bumble and the Stingers - Nut Rocker My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen My song pick three years ago today: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Wizards in Winter My song pick four years ago today: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Christmas at Ground Zero My song pick five years ago today: Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) - I Believe in Father Christmas My song pick six years ago today: Louis Armstrong - 'Zat You Santa Claus? My song pick seven years ago today: Jethro Tull - A Christmas Song My song pick eight years ago today: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Ghost of Christmas Eve

From: Top Hat/Blue Skies Original Soundtracks ; Year: 2004 (1946); Genre: Pop/Musical/Jazz I'm again making another pick where a date concerning a song and the song pick number match. Irving Berlin composed this song for over a decade and a half prior to this recording as part of the music in the film of the song's namesake ; it was re-recorded and covered a few times as well before this rather famous version for another film was recorded. The earlier versions of the song had different lyrics; it was re-written by Irving Berlin to fit the new musical film: Blue Skies . Today most probably would recognize versions with the newer lyrics mostly because the original lyrical content was less racially sensitive. This is one of those songs that has never really gone away; it has been covered countless times, even in recent years. The unique and rather catchy, offbeat syncopated singing, especially in verses, is probably one of the main reasons this song has remained so popul...

Year: 1911; Genre: Pop In the year 1911, which is also today's song pick number, Irving Berlin published Alexander's Ragtime Band , a song that would not only become one of the more popular songs in American musical history, but also launched his career as one of the most popular songwriters of all time. The song's popularity was a surprise even to it's writer; from what I've read it would gain a resurgence every time an artist recorded it; overall it stayed in the charts for an amazing five decades. I remember a few years ago when I was doing some personal research on some of the older music I was surprised at how many immensely popular hit songs Irving Berlin wrote, most of which are still heard today; a century later. Hear an instrumental version of the song on YouTube. Countless versions of the song can be found here on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Queensrÿche - Della Brown My song pick two years ago today: Van Halen - Unchained ...