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

From: Terrapin Station ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock ¡Doh! I cannot believe that I missed my Memorial Day Grateful Dead pick; I guess better late than never. For some reason unbeknownst to me I just felt like putting on Terrapin Station again; immediately was welcomed by this rather strangely made track. I love the overall reggae feel, but that's kind of an illusion I suppose with Bill Kreutzmann's drumming in the modified 7/4 meter, (technically he's doing something like a 14/8), gives it a swinging reggae feel.  Anyway, it is definitely a great weird one, which I absolutely adore, that fits an overall tardy pick such as this.   Hear Estimated Prophet on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Blancmange - What's Your Problem?     My song pick 2 years ago today: Geddy Lee - I Am...You Are     My song pick 3 years ago today: Tina Turner - Private Dancer   My song pick 4 years ago today: Yes - Onward   My song...

From: Science Class: Heavy + Raw Disco Soul ; Year: 2007; Genre: Soul/Funk Ever have a song instantly make a connection to you in the first few seconds you initially hear it? Well, this is one for me, so many great musical idea combine with this track. Do not actually know much of Ernie and The Top Notes, but I found out about their existence from this cherished compilation album that contains many deep soul, funk, and other related genres cuts. Been trying to find the exact year of its release, which I believe I've narrowed down to early 1970s though not much else. However, I do know that I like it a lot. That groove that blends funk and reggae with odd meters at times combined with the exceptional musicianship and amazing vocals; something to be heard.   Hear Tweedie Pie on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: INXS - Listen Like Thieves     My song pick 2 years ago today: Diana Ross - Upside Down   My song pick 3 years ago today: Fl...

From: Labour of Love II ; Year: 1989; Genre: Reggae Boy, do I miss the 1980s... such a good time. UB40 was one of the bands that I associate a lot with that decade; particular the two Labour of Love albums. It seemed like for quite a long time, those I was around at least, had a cassette or compact disc of this album in particular playing. Anyhoo... yeah, to say the least, it's very upbeat and positive music that helps make memories as a soundtrack to your life.   Hear Groovin' on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Ronnie Milsap - Let's Take the Long Way Around the World     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Temptations - Smiling Faces Sometimes   My song pick 3 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Occasional Demons   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Dramatics - Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get   My song pick 5 years ago today: Porcupine Tree - Radioactive Toy   My song pick 6 years ago today: Dick Dale and The Del-Tones - ...

From: Intensified ; Year: 1970; Genre: Reggae/Ska Had them come on while driving this morning and thought it was about time I choose another one from Desmond Dekker and his band. As far as I can remember, they were the very first band I ever heard play reggae, ska, or any of the music from the vast Jamaican sound; definitely a legendary act to say the very least.   Hear It Mek on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Bob James - Nautilus   My song pick 2 years ago today: War - War Drums   My song pick 3 years ago today: Sam & Dave - You Don't Know Like I Know   My song pick 4 years ago today: Black 47 - Livin' in America   My song pick 5 years ago today: Lenny LeBlanc - Dance Around the Campfire   My song pick 6 years ago today: Georges Bizet - Carmen Overture My song pick 7 years ago today: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Helpless My song pick 8 years ago today: Rose Royce - Car Wash My song pick 9 years ago today: ...

From: Reggae Soul & Rock 'n' Roll ; Year: 1976; Genre: Reggae A couple of days ago I learned of the death of the outstanding boxer, philanthropist, businessman, preacher and human being George Foreman. I have not been into boxing since the '90s, but my favourite fighter was, without a doubt, George Foreman; there was just something about his amazing personality, overall humbleness and just positive aura about him that I loved about him. Anyway, I wanted to choose something that fit, and whilst pugilist Muhammad Ali was one of his arch rivals in the ring, it was " The Rumble in the Jungle " between the two that made both more than a household name and I am sure the two had respect for one another and in fact later became friends. Even though there are most likely more appropriate songs out there, this was the first that came into my head and since it is directly related to his bout with Ali, it is my pick for today.   Hear Black Superman (Muhammad Ali) on You...

From: Freedom Time (single); Year: 1967; Genre: Reggae For whatever reason Bob Marley's music is one my personal best remedies for depression; of course some songs are better than others, but this is one of the better ones. I just love the low fidelity sound and rawness of this song/recording; of course the bare soulfulness just makes it pure magic.   Hear Freedom Time on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Nothing Ever Happens   My song pick 2 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Living in These Hard Times   My song pick 3 years ago today: Parliament - Livin' the Life   My song pick 4 years ago today: Alice in Chains - Rainier Fog   My song pick 5 years ago today: Savatage - Skraggy's Tomb My song pick 6 years ago today: Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Countdown My song pick 7 years ago today: a-ha - The Blood that Moves the Body My song pick 8 years ago today: Mr. Bungle - Carousel My song pick 9 years ago...

From: Labour of Love ; Year: 1983; Genre: Reggae There is something that is just comforting for me hearing the music of UB40.    Hear Please Don't Make Me Cry on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Debbie Harry - Chrome   My song pick 2 years ago today: Funkadelic - Maggot Brain   My song pick 3 years ago today: Jim Steinman - Left in the Dark   My song pick 4 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Flat Broke Love   My song pick 5 years ago today: 4 Non Blondes - Spaceman My song pick 6 years ago today: Black 47 - I Got Laid On James Joyce's Grave My song pick 7 years ago today: Queen - Keep Yourself Alive My song pick 8 years ago today: Brass Construction - Changin' My song pick 9 years ago today: Stealers Wheel - Right or Wrong My song pick 10 years ago today: Rush - Before and After My song pick 11 years ago today: Stratovarius - Atlantis My song pick 12 years ago today: Alestorm - Pirate Song My so...

From: Open Road ; Year: 1970; Genre: Blues Rock/Psychedelic Rock Kinda hard to believe that it has been about 15 years since I chose my last track from Donovan apparently; that was a long while ago....  Anyway, this song, obviously, takes inspiration from Rudyard Kipling 's short story about the mongoose named Rikki Tikki Tavi from his epic collection of stories: The Jungle Book . In his blues rock piece inspired by the titular character, he uses Rikki symbolically to call individuals to action instead of waiting/expecting someone else to "slay the cobra" so to speak.   Hear Riki Tiki Tavi on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - Man of God   My song pick 2 years ago today: Bob Seger - Beautiful Loser   My song pick 3 years ago today: Wishbone Ash - No Easy Road   My song pick 4 years ago today: Redbone - Wovoka   My song pick 5 years ago today: Ultravox - Frozen Ones My song pick 6 years ago today: Savatage - Stay...

From: Catch a Fire ; Year: 1973; Genre: Reggae Strangely enough, (except for their great album Exodus ), I really was not exposed to Bob Marley and company's music until my adulthood. Sure, I definitely knew about the band, Peter Tosh, and of course Bob himself, but my reggae influence early on was Desmond Dekker & The Aces and later bands that came on the U.S. scene in the 1980s like UB40 that really got me into the genre. So, for me it's been like opening a treasure trove going back hearing all of the music from the greats, especially greats like The Wailers and others like Alton Ellis. Anyway, there's so much to like about this one, I really like the thumping rhythm laid down by that very prominent bass and drums/percussion.   Hear Midnight Ravers on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Earl Slick - Surfer Junkie Dude   My song pick 2 years ago today: Rush - Time and Motion   My song pick 3 years ago today: Alestorm - No Quarter   My ...

From: Labour of Love ; Year: 1983; Genre: Reggae Every time this song comes on it puts me in a great mood and even if I'm sitting down I am still moving to the infectious beat. Since this amazing reggae cover was first released it has seemingly always been around, at least around me. Without a doubt it is the default version that comes to mind if you think about the song.   Hear Red Red Wine on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - Do Your Thing   My song pick 2 years ago today: Steve Miller Band - Fandango   My song pick 3 years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Born on the Bayou   My song pick 4 years ago today: April Wine - Caught in the Crossfire My song pick 5 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Ears of Tin My song pick 6 years ago today: Melvins - With Teeth My song pick 7 years ago today: Queen - Fat Bottomed Girls My song pick 8 years ago today: Styx - Do Things My Way My song pic...

From: UB40 ; Year: 1988; Genre: Reggae I've been inordinately busy as of late, so I have chose songs that are on my mind a lot and/or ones that seemed to just hit me at some point during the day. I suppose this pick would fall into the latter of the two categories as I just so happened to hear music from UB40's eponymous release from 1988 and decided to go with this instrumental that starts the record off.   Hear Dance With The Devil on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Van Halen - 5150   My song pick 2 years ago today: Funkadelic - If You Got Funk, You Got Style   My song pick 3 years ago today: Billy Squier - Lonely Is The Night My song pick 4 years ago today: Hawkwind - The Secret Agent My song pick 5 years ago today: The Motels - Suddenly Last Summer My song pick 6 years ago today: Faith No More - Last Cup of Sorrow My song pick 7 years ago today: Stanley Clarke - The Dancer My song pick 8 years ago today: Bread - Down on my Knee...

From: Killer On The Rampage ; Year: 1982; Genre: Funk/Electronica/Reggae It would be a safe bet to say that almost everyone alive in the 1980s has heard this one, it was and still is quite popular. This protest song pushes its message forward, which was speaking out about the 1981 Brixton Riot , with some amazing hooks, great groove, and memorable melody; it worked great in painting the scene of the event.   Hear Electric Avenue on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Melvins - The Mechanical Bride   My song pick 2 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Little Gandy Dancer   My song pick 3 years ago today: Rush - War Paint My song pick 4 years ago today: Crispian St. Peters - The Pied Piper My song pick 5 years ago today: Dream Theater - When Your Time Has Come My song pick 6 years ago today: Zapp - A Touch of Jazz (Playing Kind of Ruff, Part 2) My song pick 7 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Livin' Thing My ...

From: Promises and Lies ; Year: 1993; Genre: Reggae/Pop A couple of days ago original band member Astro (Terrance Wilson) sadly passed away. I've always had a soft spot for UB40 and thought I would go ahead and choose one of their more famous songs for my blog today. I really like what they did with this song, which of course was originally recorded by the late-great Elvis Presley, in how the fused a bit of pop in with their signature brand of reggae.   Hear (I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Rush - High Water   My song pick 2 years ago today: Amnesty - Can I Help You?   My song pick 3 years ago today: Bad Company - Shake It Up My song pick 4 years ago today: Rush - Turn the Page My song pick 5 years ago today: The Nice - Azrial (Angel of Death) My song pick 6 years ago today: U2 featuring B.B. King - When Love Comes to Town My song pick 7 years ago today: Alice in Chains - I Stay Away My so...

From: The Electric Spanking of War Babies ; Year: 1981; Genre: Reggae/Funk Another Funky Friday has come about and so here we go. This is some very funky reggae to hear; I absolutely love this track a lot.   Hear Shockwaves on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Average Man My song pick 2 years ago today: Reverend Horton Heat - Psychobilly Freakout My song pick 3 years ago today: Fates Warning - Anarchy Divine My song pick 4 years ago today: Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal My song pick 5 years ago today: Triumph - A Minor Prelude/All The Way My song pick 6 years ago today: Collective Soul - December My song pick 7 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Hard Times of Old England My song pick 8 years ago today: The Kinks - This Time Tomorrow My song pick 9 years ago today: Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge My song pick 10 years ago today: Heart - How Deep It Goes My song pick 11 years ago today: Ozz...

From Why Can't We Be Friends? ; Year: 1975; Genre: Funk/Rock/Reggae For no reason known to me I was thinking about choosing one from War. I was shocked to see I had not chosen this song yet; it's one of my favourites and not just from the band. I absolutely love the upbeat and joyous feeling of this track, it's so positive and excellent.   Hear Why Can't We Be Friends? on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Sail Away   My song pick 2 years ago today: Soundgarden - Ty Cobb My song pick 3 years ago today: ZZ Top - Got Me Under Pressure My song pick 4 years ago today: Audioslave - Exploder My song pick 5 years ago today: Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band - Still the Same My song pick 6 years ago today: Alestorm - Magnetic North My song pick 7 years ago today: Grateful Dead - Hell in a Bucket My song pick 8 years ago today: The Police - Invisible Sun My song pick 9 years ago today: Screaming Trees - Shadow o...

From: Kissing to be Clever ; Year: 1982; Genre: New Wave/Pop/Reggae Out of nowhere this song popped into my head and wouldn't go away; whilst not a favourite of mine, it brings back a lot of memories hearing it again. Hear Do You Really Want To Hurt Me on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Caramba - Hubba Hubba Zoot Zoot My song pick 2 years ago today: Big Star - In The Street My song pick 3 years ago today: Bowling for Soup - 1985 My song pick 4 years ago today: Neil Young - Computer Age My song pick 5 years ago today: Johnny Cash - Thirteen My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Valley My song pick 7 years ago today: Ian Anderson - Photo Shop My song pick 8 years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - Over the Mountain My song pick 9 years ago today: Ome Henk - Neem Een Ander In De Maling ( Barbie Girl ) My song pick 10 years ago today: Weather Report - Cucumber Slumber My song pick 11 years ago today: ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin' My s...

From: It's a Jungle ; Year: 1983; Genre: Rock/Reggae I've been meaning to pick another one from Three Dog Night for a while now and am finally getting around to it. This song is quite different from the sound you'd expect from the band: a lot of synthesizer paired with a reggae beat and feel. This has to be at least the third version of It's a Jungle Out There I've heard. Watch a music video clip on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - Last Train My song pick 2 years ago today: Boston - Don't Be Afraid My song pick 3 years ago today: The Moody Blues - Blue World My song pick 4 years ago today: Queen - Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme) My song pick 5 years ago today: Pink Floyd - Empty Spaces/Young Lust My song pick 6 years ago today: Quasar - As You Fall Asleep My song pick 7 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Troglodyte (Cave Man) My song pick 8 years ago today: Stahlhammer - Eisb...

From: Labour of Love II ; Year: 1989; Genre: Reggae I've always loved the bottom-heavy mix with this song; especially that kick drum and the low toms, they really bring the bounce and make it so fun to dance to. Hear Here I Am (Come and Take Me) on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: The Charlie Daniels Band - Long Haired Country Boy My song pick two years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Lodi My song pick three years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - All I Can Do Is Write About It My song pick four years ago today: Frank Zappa - Montana My song pick five years ago today: Boston - Don't Look Back My song pick six years ago today: Beat Crusaders - Hit in the USA My song pick seven years ago today: ABBA - Thank You for the Music My song pick eight years ago today: Genesis - Home By The Sea My song pick nine years ago today: Alannah Myles - Black Velvet My song pick ten years ago today: Alice Cooper - Poison

From: Rat in the Kitchen ; Year: 1986; Genre: Reggae It's been one of those days... desperately in need of some reggae. Here's the title track off their '86 release, which features legendary trumpeter Herb Alpert. That bass... even the most rhythmically inept would have to get up and dance. Hear Rat in mi Kitchen on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Dust - Learning to Die My song pick two years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - When the Apple Blossoms Bloom in the Windmills of Your Mind, I'll Be Your Valentine My song pick three years ago today: Yello - Oh Yeah My song pick four years ago today: Wilson Pickett - Take That Pollution Out Your Throat My song pick five years ago today: Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody My song pick six years ago today: The Doobie Brothers - Listen to the Music My song pick seven years ago today: Queen - Bijou My song pick eight years ago today: Asia - Heat of the Moment My song pick nine years ago today: ...

From: Outlandos d'Amour ; Year: 1978; Genre: New Wave/Reggae Rock I heard this song the other day on the television; hadn't heard it in a while and still love that early sound of The Police. It's still amazing to think this was the sound that would take the early 80s by storm; they sure did make their mark. Hear Can't Stand Losing You on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Benny Carter - Pick Yourself Up My song pick two years ago today: Rush - Best I Can My song pick three years ago today: Waylon Jennings - I'm a Ramblin' Man My song pick four years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Bulls on Parade My song pick five years ago today: Gentle Giant - The House, The Street, The Room My song pick six years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Something to Believe In My song pick seven years ago today: Dizzy Gillespie - One Note Samba My song pick eight years ago today: Steely Dan - Josie My song pick nine years ago today: Joni Mi...