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

From: A Day At The Races ; Year: 1976; Genre: Progressive Rock This track, which closes out this classic record, is from the pen of Brian May is another one of Queen's songs that is a little bit out of the ordinary. Quite operatic with a lot going on throughout, plus you get to hear Freddy sing two of the choruses in Japanese. It was actually released as a single in Japan and did pretty well.   Hear Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Snakecharmer   My song pick 2 years ago today: Billy Joel - She's Right On Time     My song pick 3 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Say Leroy (The Creature From The Black Lagoon Is Your Father)   My song pick 4 years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - You Got That Right   My song pick 5 years ago today: Iron Maiden - Running Free   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jon Oliva's Pain - Festival My song pick 7 yea...

From: A Kind of Magic ; Year: 1986; Genre: Rock There are times, like today, that I keep on coming back to this record, and, of course, the soundtrack for the film Highlander , of which essentially most of the song on the album comprised it. This has always been among my favourites if for no other reason than Freddy's vocals delivery as well as the saxophone, especially the solo played by Steve Gregory , who has played on other hits of the time.    Hear One Year of Love on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rose Royce - Bad Mother Funker     My song pick 2 years ago today: R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts     My song pick 3 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Wolf Unchained   My song pick 4 years ago today: Hawkwind - We Like To Be Frightened   My song pick 5 years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Maggie's Farm   My song pick 6 years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Infinite Space (Conclusion)   My song ...

From: The Works ; Year: 1984; Genre: Rock/Synthpop For my fourth pick in this theme I am going with a one of the most popular bands of all time, which used to get vilified by overtly self-righteous people. This was mostly due for people looking for and finding something to get offended about and those who just don't understand humour from another place. A few times back in Sunday school they would put in one VHS tape or another to show "proof" that some popular music was indoctrinating children by putting in back masked messages, i.e. supposed lyrics if you played them backwards would say some satanic or some other bad message. Of course, this idea goes way back further than the "Satanic Panic" with some claiming there is/was hidden messages by The Beatles in their music about dead band members being replaced and such. Other ones I do remember was Led Zeppelin doing it as well as Electric Light Orchestra. Jeff Lynne actually did respond in kind on the epic track...

From: The Game ; Year: 1980; Genre: Pop/Rock I normally do not choose songs that I really don't care for, but for Queen and Freddy Mercury I make an exception. I am really surprised that this one came from Freddy's pen, but I guess you cannot always hit a home run. The music and vocals are as great as always, but the lyrics is where this one just falls flat. I haven't the foggiest as to wot his intentions were with this one, but out of almost all songs dealing with this subject are trying to commiserate and talk someone out of it, this track in particular would be more likely to make someone follow through with it. As I have said many time, just not on here of course, the lyrics fall into cliche-laced preaching and patronizing; the stuff that would do great on a bumper sticker or one of those crappy self-help posters one would find on a low energy counselor/psychiatrist's office wall. I only hope that he did not write it as a joke or something similar. Anyway, be as it ...

From: Queen II ; Year: 1974; Genre: Hard Rock One of my favourite things I love about Queen, other than the pure, in-your-face musical virtuosity, is that aural wall of sound that comes at you like a giant wave. This track is one that exemplifies it more than a bit.   Hear Seven Seas of Rhye on YouTube.   Hear the original instrumental version on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Al Di Meola - Broken Heart     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Searchers - Needles & Pins   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Offspring - I Choose   My song pick 4 years ago today: Wolfmother - The Simple Life   My song pick 5 years ago today: Quincy Jones - I'm Gonna Miss You In the Morning   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jim Croce - Thursday My song pick 7 years ago today: Soundgarden - Overfloater My song pick 8 years ago today: Alice Cooper - Hey Stoopid My song pick 9 years ago today: Eurythmics - Here Comes the R...

From: Jazz ; Year: 1978; Genre: Progressive Rock Had this record both on my mind and playing a lot the last couple of days; wot better song to pick than the opening track? Anyone that follows or has read some of this blog probably already knows how I like blends of different forms, schools of thought, or just flat-out weird music; this track somewhat fits that category. These four legendary musicians never cease to amaze, I love the way they mixed their own form of hard rock with Arabic/Middle Eastern music. At times, especially earlier in the song, reminds me heavily of the Flamenco sub-genre of Flamenco Arabe .   Hear Mustapha on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - Everything In Our Lives   My song pick 2 years ago today: Lakeside - Party Patrol   My song pick 3 years ago today: Nocturnal Rites - Never Trust   My song pick 4 years ago today: Quiet Riot - Metal Health (Bang Your Head)   My song pick 5 years ago today: T...

From: News of the World ; Year: 1977; Genre: Hard Rock Was thinking about this record again a lot recently and came to the realization that it is quite a bit better, especially the deeper cuts, than most critique it. From wot I've read this track was almost entirely done by just Roger Taylor, who wrote, sung, and played most of the instruments on the studio recording; it is quite the hard-hitting rocker.   Hear Fight from the Inside on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - The Sage   My song pick 2 years ago today: Ratt - Round and Round   My song pick 3 years ago today: Little River Band - The Night Owls   My song pick 4 years ago today: Three Dog Night - Night in the City   My song pick 5 years ago today: The Guess Who - Key My song pick 6 years ago today: Tears for Fears - Broken My song pick 7 years ago today: The Hollywood Argyles - Alley Oop My song pick 8 years ago today: Sweeney Todd - Roxy Rol...

From: Flash Gordon: Original Soundtrack by Queen ; Year: 1980; Genre: Rock This is one of only three songs from the soundtrack that featured vocals, and those were mostly the same as the main theme except for more samples from the film that came from the point of the film where our hero is on his way to save the day.     Hear Flash to the Rescue on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Ace - Rock & Roll Runaway   My song pick 2 years ago today: Imagination - Just an Illusion   My song pick 3 years ago today: Alestorm - Fannybaws   My song pick 4 years ago today: Marillion - Seasons End   My song pick 5 years ago today: Dick Dale - Esperanza My song pick 6 years ago today: Kansas - Questions of my Childhood My song pick 7 years ago today: Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - Quartet My song pick 8 years ago today: Mahavishnu Orchestra - Radio-Activity My song pick 9 years ago today: Toto - Stranger in Town My song pick 10 ...

From: A Night at the Opera ; Year: 1975; Genre: Progressive Rock/Hard Rock This is such an interesting track; the production and musicianship is, of course, through the roof and then some. However, what do you expect from one of the greatest bands of the last century riding their wave of success at its crest that continue through to this day; definitely one for the ages.    Hear The Prophet's Song on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Bee Gees - To Love Somebody   My song pick 2 years ago today: Marillion - Warm Wet Circles   My song pick 3 years ago today: Dire Straits - Tunnel of Love   My song pick 4 years ago today: Banchee - 3/4 Song My song pick 5 years ago today: Parliament - Gettin' to Know You My song pick 6 years ago today: Silver - Wham Bam My song pick 7 years ago today: Genesis - Supper's Ready My song pick 8 years ago today: Ian Anderson - Puer Ferox Adventus My song pick 9 years ago today: Jon Oliva's Pain - Af...

From: Queen II ; Year: 1974; Genre: Progressive Rock It's facile to say with the breadth and depth of the absolute greatness of Queen's music, but this track just blows me away every time I hear it; to think, this was only their second studio record and they were able pull aural mastery like this off? And then to look at what they would accomplish, it's no secret as to why they are, and will continue to increase in popularity. Anyway, this one's a tour de force by Brian May especially with his contrasting and complimenting electric and acoustic guitar sections throughout, but everybody does an outstanding job on this one; truly beautiful music.   Hear White Queen (As It Began) on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Tennessee Ernie Ford - Shot-Gun Boogie   My song pick 2 years ago today: Savatage - All That I Bleed   My song pick 3 years ago today: Yes - The Remembering/High the Memory   My song pick 4 years ago today: Alphaville - Sounds L...

From: Innuendo ; Year: 1991; Genre: Hard Rock The other day this song came on whilst driving about and knew it was one I would soon pick. This album in its entirety is a classic album for not just the band, but for the ages in my opinion; one of their best. It was totally awesome how they put Innuendo together and recorded it knowing how little time Freddy Mercury had left and poured every last bit of creative energy they had into it. For me, this track is a tour de force of vocals, both from Freddy Mercury and the harmonies as well as some great guitar work from Brian May.   Hear I Can't Live With You on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Deep Purple - Throw My Bones   My song pick 2 years ago today: Foghat - Night Shift My song pick 3 years ago today: Rammstein - Los My song pick 4 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Mirrors My song pick 5 years ago today: Jethro Tull - The Pine Martin's Jig My song pick 6 years ago today: Rush - Making Mem...

From: News of the World ; Year: 1977; Genre: Hard Rock I had this great album from Queen on my mind today; after going through the tracks I came upon this song and it was in my opinion a perfect pick for a day such as this. It starts out beautifully, but then goes harder into a riff-based hard rock sound and later into a more straight-up rock and then back again; definitely a very good track to listen to.   Hear It's Late on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Alan Parsons Project - Don't Let It Show   My song pick 2 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Commons Brawl My song pick 3 years ago today: Maddy Prior - Catseyes My song pick 4 years ago today: Megadeth - Conquer or Die! My song pick 5 years ago today: Steve Vai - You Didn't Break It My song pick 6 years ago today: UB40 - Kingston Town My song pick 7 years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - The Ghost My song pick 8 years ago today: Blondie - Dreaming My song pick 9 years ago today...

From: A Kind of Magic ; Year: 1986; Genre: Rock Been feeling like picking yet another one from Queen for a bit now, and so I am. This one is one of the more emotional songs that also appeared on the film Highlander , which serves as the love theme. In normal fashion, the band really makes the sound big with a lot of passion.   Hear Who Wants to Live Forever on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Mr. Big - Fragile My song pick 2 years ago today: Bob Seger - Travelin' Man My song pick 3 years ago today: Uriah Heep - That's the Way That It Is My song pick 4 years ago today: Midnight Oil - No Man's Land My song pick 5 years ago today: Soundgarden - Like Suicide My song pick 6 years ago today: D Train - You're the One for Me My song pick 7 years ago today: Deep Purple - Child in Time My song pick 8 years ago today: Peter Gabriel - Shock the Monkey My song pick 9 years ago today: Stormwarrior - Foreign Shores My song pick 10 years ago today: L...

From: From Flash Gordon Original Soundtrack ; Year: 1980; Genre: Soundtrack/Electronic Rock More of a menacing and sinister sounding soundscape than anything else I suppose, but it makes for a fun listen, especially when you play the soundtrack in its entirety.    Hear Ming's Theme on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: ABBA - Lay All Your Love On Me   My song pick 2 years ago today: Thin Lizzy - Cowboy Song My song pick 3 years ago today: Pallas - Ratracing My song pick 4 years ago today: The Miracles - Love Machine My song pick 5 years ago today: Mary Hopkin - Those Were the Days My song pick 6 years ago today: Azteca - Red Onions My song pick 7 years ago today: Dream Theater - The Looking Glass My song pick 8 years ago today: Deep Purple - Hush My song pick 9 years ago today: Paris - Big Towne, 2061 My song pick 10 years ago today: Band of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You My song pick 11 years ago today: Alan Menken and Ho...

From: Innuendo ; Year: 1991; Genre: Hard Rock This is such a great album in so many ways; there are no weak songs at all. You can tell the entire band was giving it their all and then some when recording, this song included without a doubt. Hear Don't Try So Hard on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Sky - Hotta My song pick 2 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Farm on the Freeway My song pick 3 years ago today: Quasar - The Loreli My song pick 4 years ago today: Def Leppard - Rock On My song pick 5 years ago today: The Cosmic Sound Orchestra - Fly Some Funk Up to the Moon My song pick 6 years ago today: Laura Branigan - Self Control My song pick 7 years ago today: Yes - Starship Trooper My song pick 8 years ago today: Buffalo Springfield - Mr. Soul My song pick 9 years ago today: Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode My song pick 10 years ago today: J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers - Last Kiss My song pick 11 years ago today: Queensrÿche - Anybody Liste...

From: Queen ; Year: 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock Had Queen's debut album on my mind today and this rather complex song just seemed to fit my mood the best; I love Freddy Mercury's vocals throughout. Hear My Fairy King on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Foo Fighters - Baker Street My song pick 2 years ago today: The Supremes (Diana Ross & the Supremes) - Back in My Arms Again My song pick 3 years ago today: Toto - Hydra My song pick 4 years ago today: Soundgarden - Hunted Down My song pick 5 years ago today: The (Detroit) Spinners - Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl My song pick 6 years ago today: John Fogerty - Rock and Roll Girls My song pick 7 years ago today: Dream Theater - On the Backs of Angels My song pick 8 years ago today: Hawkwind - Right to Decide My song pick 9 years ago today: Survivor - The Eye of the Tiger My song pick 10 years ago today: The Black Crowes - Remedy My song pick 11 years ago today: The Crazy Wo...

From: A Kind of Magic ; Year: 1986; Genre: Rock This one's got that classic Queen sound all over it; still surprises me that this track isn't as notable as others in their catalogue. Man, you gotta love Freddy Mercury in these ballads. Hear Friends Will Be Friends on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - K. 361/370a - Serenade no. 10 for winds in B-flat major, "Gran Partita" My song pick two years ago today: Pat Benatar - You Better Run My song pick three years ago today: Soundgarden - The Day I Tried to Live My song pick four years ago today: Rush - Halo Effect My song pick five years ago today: Clifford Brown and Max Roach - Stompin' at the Savoy My song pick six years ago today: Franz Liszt - S.244/2 - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 My song pick seven years ago today: Modest Petrovitch Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition My song pick eight years ago today: Unheilig - Schutzengel My song pick nine year ag...

From: Made in Heaven ; Year: 1995; Genre: Rock For my fourth pick on this " Winter Theme Week " I'm going with this beautiful number from Freddy Mercury and the guys from Queen. It was, of course, released posthumously to Freddy passing and recorded during the last months of his life. A Winter's Tale has been categorized as a Christmas song by some, but works year around as well in my opinion. Hear A Winter's Tale on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Gloryhammer - Rise of the Chaos Wizards My song pick two years ago today: Foghat - Third Time Lucky (First Time I Was a Fool) My song pick three years ago today: Béla Fleck & the Flecktones - Scratch & Sniff My song pick four years ago today: Triumph - A World of Fantasy My song pick five years ago today: Fats Waller - Jitterbug Waltz My song pick six years ago today: Jethro Tull - Pibroch (Cap in Hand) My song pick seven years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Civilize the Universe ...

From: Sheer Heart Attack ; Year: 1974; Genre: Rock One of Brian May's compositions, this one's very mellow and pretty, but deep as ever. I love Brian May's vocals backed by Freddy Mercury on this song. Hear She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilettos) on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: The Doors - The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) My song pick two years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Busy Bee My song pick three years ago today: The Ventures - Hawaií 5-0 My song pick four years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Third Stone From the Sun My song pick five years ago today: Black Sabbath - Fairies Wear Boots My song pick six years ago today: Tesla - Forever More My song pick seven years ago today: Led Zeppelin - Moby Dick My song pick eight years ago today: Bob Marley & The Wailers - Three Little Birds My song pick nine years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Bad Moon Rising

From: Sheer Heart Attack ; Year: 1974; Genre: Hard Rock Same story, different band, different day. Sheer Heart Attack is an album that doesn't get as much attention as it deserves. These three songs make a medley, so I thought it would be apropos to pick all three. It's an amazing piece in many ways; even the band Dream Theater thought so and covered it. If nothing else it's great to hear Roger Taylor sing lead on Tenement Funster . Hear Tenement Funster/Flick of the Wrist/Lily of the Valley on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Don Henley - Sunset Grill My song pick two years ago today: Bad Company - No Smoke Without a Fire My song pick three years ago today: Freddy Taylor and His Swing Men from Harlem - Viper's Dream My song pick four years ago today: Mr. Big - Tempermental My song pick five years ago today: Heart - Crazy on You My song pick six years ago today: Billy Thorpe - East of Eden's Gate My song pick seven years ago today:...