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

From: Human :II: Nature : Year: 2020; Genre: Progressive Metal/Folk Metal Yesterday I had a slew of Nighwish's music come on whilst driving around; I really have not paid that much attention to the band for the last few years, so I decided to look in and see wot they're up to. This one comes off their most recent album and has a noted prog/folk feel to it mix in with their normal style of music, whilst not my personal favourite song from them, it's definitely worth a listen.   Hear Harvest on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Kool and the Gang - Funky Granny   My song pick 2 years ago today: Soundgarden - Blood on the Valley Floor   My song pick 3 years ago today: Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Away From Home My song pick 4 years ago today: King Crimson - The Night Watch My song pick 5 years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Trains My song pick 6 years ago today: Three Dog Night - Feelin' Alright My song pick 7 years ago today: Bob Seger ...

From: Wishmaster ; Year: 2000; Genre: Power Metal/Symphonic Metal Over the last few years I lost some interest in Nightwish, I don't know why, just happened, but I decided to revisit them again today with a pick. This is a rather pretty one, which was a bonus track from the Japanese version of the album. Hear Sleepwalker on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Carmen - Tales of Spain My song pick 2 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Dragon Lady My song pick 3 years ago today: The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction My song pick 4 years ago today: The Sword - Apocryphon My song pick 5 years ago today: The Doors - Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar) My song pick 6 years ago today: Slade - Slam the Hammer Down My song pick 7 years ago today: Stahlhammer - Mensch My song pick 8 years ago today: Rush - Afterimage My song pick 9 years ago today: Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice - The Last Supper (From Jesus Christ Superstar ) My song pick 10 yea...

From: Angels Fall First ; Year: 1997; Genre: Symphonic Metal/Power Metal It's another busy day, so I'm making a quick pick. I had Nightwish on my mind this morning, so I'm picking one of their tracks. In my opinion this is one of the best songs off of their debut album; very beautiful and powerful. Hear Nymphomanic Fantasia on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter My song pick two years ago today: The Who - My Wife My song pick three years ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge My song pick four years ago today: Queen - These Are The Days Of Our Lives My song pick five years ago today: Megadeth - À Tout le Monde My song pick six years ago today: Booker T & The MGs - Green Onions

From: Imaginaerum ; Year: 2011; Genre: Symphonic Metal/Power Metal The other day whilst I was out and about this track on my iPod and I thought it would make an excellent pick. Anyway, this is the main 'epic' piece of music off of Nightwish's most recent release: Imaginaerum , and clocks in at just over 13 minutes. From what I understand it is based on one of bandleader Tuomas Holopainen's favourite poems: Walt Whitman's work of the same name . Hear Song of Myself on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Gustav Mahler - Symphony No.4 My song pick two years ago today: Saigon Kick - Chanel My song pick three years ago today: Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out My song pick four years ago today: Return to Forever - Vulcan Worlds My song pick five years ago today: Victor Wooten - Me and My Bass Guitar My song pick six years ago today: Pink Floyd - Welcome to the Machine

From: Imaginaerum ; Year: 2011; Genre: Symphonic Metal/Power Metal I have Nightwish on the brain today, so here's one of my favourites off of their most recent release: Imaginaerum . It's a nice blend of some heavier-edged metal and the more progressive symphonic elements from their music as well as some odd stuff. Hear Scaretale on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Beat Crusaders - Japanese Girl My song pick two years ago today: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Amish Paradise My song pick three years ago today: The Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls My song pick four years ago today: Band of Horses - Our Swords My song pick five years ago today: Murray Head - One Night In Bangkok

From: Century Child ; Year: 2002; Genre: Power Metal/Symphonic Metal The other day this track came on my iPod whilst I was driving and thought it would make an excellent pick. For me Century Child is one of Nightwish's better albums; there's a lot of good music to be heard throughout the entire record, plus it was the debut album with their current great bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala. On this song he lends his vocals as well, which really work quite nicely to both compliment and contrast with Tarja Turunen's amazing operatic vocals. That being said, my favourite aspect of this song is how well they blended the heavy, hard hitting metal with the softer symphonic aspects. Hear Feel for You on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Genesis - Keep It Dark My song pick two years ago today: Rush - Lessons My song pick three years ago today: Badfinger - Come and Get It My song pick four years ago today: Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends My song p...

From: Oceanborn ; Year: 1998; Genre: Power Metal/Symphonic Metal I'm bringing an extremely busy weekend close, which consisted of getting ready for the big move and attending a local animé/Japanese cultural festival; to say the least I'm tired and ready to go back to the work week. Anyway, whilst on the road my iPod was favouring Nightwish quite a bit; of course this was one of the songs that came up during our travels this weekend. This is quite an interesting song all of the way around; I suppose the best way to describe it would be to call it a fusion between metal and opera. Toward the end of the song Tarja Turunen really does an awesome job with her vocals; it reminds me somewhat of the Queen of the Night aria from Mozart's The Magic Flute in my opinion. Hear Passion and the Opera on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Seven Mary Three - Cumbersome My song pick two years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Let It Ride My song pick thr...

From: Imaginaerum ; Year: 2011; Genre: Symphonic Rock Ever since hearing this song at some point during the day I've had it running through my mind. This happens to be one of the band's softer and more poppy tracks, but is still an excellent one nevertheless. There are actually quite a few songs that I like from their newest album, Imaginaerum , which is another recently-released concept album, however this song in particular seems to stand out to me. Hear The Crow, the Owl and the Dove on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Wilson Pickett - Mr. Magic Man My song pick two years ago today: PAIN featuring Anette Olzon - Follow Me My song pick three years ago today: Nightwish - Phantom of the Opera My song pick four years ago today: Rush - Natural Science +

From: Angels Fall First ; Year: 1997; Genre: Symphonic Metal/Power Metal Another day, another song picked; I guess by the very nature of this blog that's the way it's supposed to be. Anyway, throughout most of the day I've heard a lot of Nightwish; this, of course, was one of the songs I listened to today. This is one of the rare songs where you can hear bandleader/mastermind Tuomas Holopainen lend his vocals. In this one, in fact, he does a duet with their lead singer Tarja Turunen; I will say he does an excellent job of it. The Carpenter they refer to in this rather interesting and dynamic song is Saviour Jesus Christ; it seems every time I listen to it I almost always hear something different that catches my attention. Hear The Carpenter on YouTube. Here is the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Return to Forever - Sofistifunk My song pick two years ago today: Savatage - 24 Hours Ago My song pick three years ago today: The (Detroit...

1692 Nightwish - Know Why the Nightingale Sings From: Angels Fall First , Year: 1997 Genre: Power Metal/Symphonic Metal Yesterday I finished my collection of Nightwish music when got their first album; I know, with how big of a fan I am of the band I should've picked it up already. It's amazing to think that, with the refined sound and quality of music on this album, Nightwish had only been in existence around a year when it was released and they didn't even have a full-time bassist with the band at the time of recording. While I'd heard some of the songs on the album before I picked it up, there were a few that I hadn't yet heard that stood out; this being one of them. Here is the studio version on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Stuart Hamm - Black Ice My song pick two years ago today: Waylander - Brú Na Bóinne My song pick three years ago today: Rammstein - Klavier My song pick four years ago today: Johnny Rivers - Summer Rain +

1671 Nightwish - Beauty of the Beast From: Century Child , Year: 2002 Genre: Power Metal/Symphonic Metal For day six of what I am now calling my 'beast theme week' I am choosing this rather epic piece from Nightwish. It's by far the longest track on the album clocking in at over 10 minutes in length and is segmented into three sections: I. ' Long Lost Love ', II: ' One More Night To Live ', and III: ' Christable '. This was also the debut album for Marco Hietala as Nightwish's bassist/male vocalist; he also wrote the music for the first section of this song. Hear Beauty of the Beast on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: L'Arc~en~Ciel - Spirit Dreams Inside My song pick two years ago today: Led Zeppelin - The Battle Of Evermore My song pick three years ago today: Jethro Tull - Black Satin Dancer My song pick four years ago today: Rush - Limelight +

1563 Nightwish - Storytime From: Imaginaerum , Year: 2011 Genre: Symphonic Metal A couple of years ago I was pretty heavy into Nightwish, but it seems as if that over the last little bit I've been listening to them less. I still love their music and all, but think I just burnt myself out a bit listening to them. Anyway, I discovered that their new album, Imaginaerum , is about to be released on the 30th of this month; this song is the first single to be released from it. It seems as if Tuomas Holopainen went all out with this one, it's a concept album; supposedly there is a film being made of the album's namesake that is based on its story. It's nice to have some new material to listen to; can't wait to hear the rest of the songs. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Kay Kyser and His Orchestra - Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition My song pick two years ago today: Nightwish feat. Tapio Wilska - The Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean My ...

1411 Nightwish - Last of the Wilds (Erämaan viimeinen) From: Dark Passion Play , Year: 2007 Genre: Symphonic Metal/Folk Metal Been meaning to pick another Nightwish track for a while now. This is quite a neat track, the Uilleann bagpipes really add a lot to the sound. The song actually has two versions: Last of the Wilds is an instrumental, which was released worldwide on their Dark Passion Play album. Erämaan viimeinen is essentially the same song with vocals sung in Finnish; this version apparently was only released in their native Finland. The vocals on Erämaan viimeinen were actually sung by Jonsu , who is the lead singer of the band Indica . Hear Last of the Wilds on YouTube. Hear Erämaan viimeinen on YouTube. Here is a live performance of Last of the Wilds on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Caravan My song pick two years ago today: John Denver - This Old Guitar My song pick three years ago today: Rammstein - Stirb Nicht Vor Mi...

1218 Nightwish - Wishmaster Finally, I'm getting around to today's pick. I heard this track at some point during my day; I thought that I might have already chosen it at some point in the past, but it appears I didn't. This song is the title track to their Wishmaster album circa '00-'01; it is one of the songs where Tuomas Holopainen referenced material from the Dragonlance and The Lord of the Rings series for subject material. I have always loved the music and arrangements in this song, especially Jukka Nevalainen's drumming. Hear Wishmaster on YouTube. Watch a live performance circa '05 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Violent Femmes - Color Me Once My song pick two years ago today: The Who - Eminence Front My song pick three years ago today: John Fogerty - Almost Saturday Night +

1009 Nightwish - Amaranth Amaranth is probably my favourite song off of Nightwish's Dark Passion Play album; it was actually their first album I purchased other than a Greatest Hits compilation prior. The song and album did take a little bit to grow on me; after putting it on shuffle a few times I came to like it. The music video to the song is one of their better ones in my opinion; from what I understand it was inspired by a painting called The Wounded Angel by artist Hugo Simberg. Here is the music video on YouTube. Here is a live performance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Grateful Dead - Alabama Getway My song pick two years ago today: Bob Seger - Night Moves +

989 ( Nightwish - She Is My Sin ) This is another one that I have been meaning to pick for about the last few months and finally got around to it. This track hails from their Wishmaster album released in 2000, which was their third release. It's straight-forward Metal that heavily features "Emppu" Vuorinen's guitar work. Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is a live performance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Pearl Jam - Black My song pick two years ago today: Kansas - Point of Know Return +

866 ( Nightwish - While Your Lips Are Still Red ) This song started running through my mind and it seemed perfect for this day. From what I understand this song is actually not an "official" Nightwish song, but it was included on Nightwish's Amaranth single as well as their Made in Hong Kong (And Various Other Places) CD/DVD. It was composed by Marco Hietala and Tuomas Holopainen for the Finnish film: " Lieksa! " and was performed by Nightwish members: Marco Hietala (bass, vocal), Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards, backing vocals), and Jukka Nevalainen (drums, percussion). It is quite a beautiful song that highlights the talents of these three excellent musicians. Here is the music video on YouTube. Here is a live performance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Rolling Stones - Mother's Little Helper My song pick two years ago today: Billy Joel - Two Thousand Years +

859 ( Nightwish - Wanderlust ) I felt like some Symphonic Rock from Nightwish today, this was one of the songs that came on my iPod's playlist whilst out and about today. From what I understand, this is one of their songs that was inspired from the fantasy book series Dragonlance . Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is an excellent live performance of the song on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Dizzy Gillespie - Salt Peanuts My song pick two years ago today: Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name +

826 ( Nightwish feat. Tapio Wilska - The Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean ) I have been listening to a lot of Progressive/Symphonic Metal as of late, Nightwish is one of the bands that keeps coming up. This is another one of their songs that features Tapio Wilska in a duet with Tarja Turunen; the contrasting vocals and styles complement each other extremely well. I really like the fusion of Metal and classical/Opera in this one. Jukka Nevalainen's drumming is one of my favorite aspects of this song; he is simply amazing with that double kick. Here is the studio version on YouTube. My song pick a year go today: Mason Proffit - Two Hangmen My song pick two years ago today: Frank Zappa - Don't Eat The Yellow Snow +

While doing some work yesterday I was listening to this track along with a bunch of other Nightwish music; I noticed that I had not added it yet, so I will today. This is, of course, a cover of the Andrew Lloyd Webber hit from the musical of the same name. They did an excellent job with the cover of this piece, but still put their own spin on it. The music and vocals are done quite well; of course Tarja Turunen sings the character Christine's part and bassist Marco Hietala sings the part of the Phantom in this duet. Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is a live performance on YouTube. +