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

From: Glow ; Year: 1985; Genre: Funk For the first Friday of the year figured that I couldn't go wrong with some mid-80s funk from the one and only Rick James. Like him or not, he was one heck of a musician/songwriter/performer/artist and basically was one of the top recording artists of the time driving and growing funk as a music.   Hear Glow on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Sweet - Love Is Like Oxygen   My song pick 2 years ago today: Red Rider - Laughing Man   My song pick 3 years ago today: Heart - Straight On   My song pick 4 years ago today: Zones - Mourning Star   My song pick 5 years ago today: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Lenny My song pick 6 years ago today: The Alan Parsons Project - (The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether My song pick 7 years ago today: Golden Earring - Twilight Zone My song pick 8 years ago today: Benny Carter and Dizzy Gillespie - Broadway My song pick 9 years ago today: Mu...

From: Street Songs ; Year: 1981; Genre: Soul/Funk Haven't picked one from the late-great Rick James in a while, so I thought I would once more on this Friday. Probably the first thing that really grabs my attentions every time I hear this track is that bouncing beat/rhythm that urges to get up and dance, but immediately there is something else peculiar that draws attention: the odd meter. To me it sounds like a 5/4 followed by a 2/4, but could be something else 7 beat measure for sure. That aside, the heavy sociopolitical lyrics, which are sung amazingly along with the horn section really makes this one really, really stand out even amongst it's "hit" brethren from the record.   Hear Mr. Policeman on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Pendragon - Ghosts   My song pick 2 years ago today: Buffalo Springfield - Rock and Roll Woman   My song pick 3 years ago today: Hall & Oates - Head Above Water   My song pick 4 years ago today: Vince Gua...

From: Street Songs ; Year: 1981; Genre: Funk Noticed it was Friday again and it felt like a Funky one to boot. Here's a great piece of funk from the late-great Rick James; I love that bass line. Hear Call Me Up on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Chris Squire - Hold Out Your Hand My song pick two years ago today: Al Green - Back Up Train My song pick three years ago today: Karla DeVito - Bloody Bess My song pick four years ago today: Dream Theater - Breaking All Illusions My song pick five years ago today: Tom Petty - You Don't Know It Feels My song pick six years ago today: Booker T. & the MGs - Melting Pot My song pick seven years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Don't Get Yourself In Trouble My song pick eight years ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Scar Tissue My song pick nine years ago today: White Zombie - More Human Than Human My song pick ten years ago today: Marc Cohen - Walking In Memphis

From: Street Songs ; Year: 1981; Genre: Funk/Soul Funky Friday yet again... I happened to have Rick James on my mind, so yeah, I'm picking one of his. This one's got a nice infectious bass riff and an excellent beat that begs you to get out and dance. Hear Below the Funk (Pass the J) on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Black Sabbath - Symptom of the Universe My song pick two years ago today: Pallas - Just a Memory My song pick three years ago today: Steeleye Span - Orfeo/Nathan's Reel My song pick four years ago today: Alestorm - Flower of Scotland My song pick five years ago today: Cybotron - Colossus My song pick six years ago today: AC/DC - Let There Be Rock My song pick seven years ago today: Steeleye Span - Black Jack Davy My song pick eight years ago today: Heart - These Dreams My song pick nine years ago today: The Police - Message in a Bottle

From: Throwin' Down ; Year: 1982; Genre: Funk/Disco Today marks my 118th consecutive Funky Friday pick and today I thought I'd pick another one from the late, great Rick James with this very fun and danceable track. Hear Dance Wit' Me on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Miles Davis - Milestones My song pick two years ago today: Thin Lizzy - Warriors My song pick three years ago today: Soundgarden - Taree My song pick four years ago today: Lighthouse - Pretty Lady My song pick five years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Mr. Recordman My song pick six years ago today: Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed - Something My song pick seven years ago today: Buddy Holly & the Crickets - Well... All Right My song pick eight years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Dreams

From: Street Songs ; Year: 1981; Genre: Funk Another Friday has arrived and, as is blatantly obvious, I'm continuing my streak of Funky Friday picks. Anyway, this one comes from one of the masters of funk himself; Rick James, and is one of his bigger hits. A great thumping, funky beat to bring the workweek to an end. Hear Give it to Me Baby on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Weather Report - Medley: Vertical Invader; T.H.; Dr. Honoris Causa My song pick two years ago today: Band of Horses - Laredo My song pick three years ago today: Fairport Convention - Dawn My song pick four years ago today: Jethro Tull - Alive and Well and Living In My song pick five years ago today: .38 Special - Chain Lightnin' My song pick six years ago today: Cream - Swlabr My song pick seven years ago today: Three Dog Night - Celebrate

From: Throwin' Down ; Year: 1982; Genre: Funk/R&B It's another Funky Friday today; number 43 in fact and I felt like pickin' another from Rick James. This is kind of a riff heavy track on the bass the ever-kinkyness that permeates Rick James' music. Hear She Blew My Mind (69 Times) on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Genesis - Squonk My song pick two years ago today: Bob Dylan - Hurricane My song pick three years ago today: Bad Company - Silver, Blue & Gold My song pick four years ago today: Louis Armstrong - We Have All The Time In The World My song pick five years ago today: The Yardbirds - Smokestack Lightning My song pick six years ago today: Eric Clapton - Pretending

From: Cold Blooded ; Year: 1983; Genre: Funk Friday has come again and hence it's another Funky Friday . I had a couple of other tracks in mind, but for no reason whatsoever felt like picking something from Rick James, so here it is. Hear Cold Blooded on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Primus - Amos Moses My song pick two years ago today: Pink Floyd - Speak to Me/Breathe/On the Run My song pick three years ago today: Aerosmith - Rag Doll My song pick four years ago today: John Lennon - Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) My song pick five years ago today: Fuel - Million Miles My song pick six years ago today: Tom Petty - Runnin' Down A Dream

From: Street Songs ; Year: 1981; Genre: Funk/R&B I've made it to a full dozen Funky Friday's in a row! I was contemplating as to which funky song would be picked today and the signature bass line/hook started playing in my mind. Heck yeah! A perfect song for any day you feel funky, let alone on a Funky Friday. Watch the music video clip on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Three to Get Ready My song pick two years ago today: Rammstein - Rammstein My song pick three years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - You Send Me My song pick four years ago today: Frijid Pink - House of the Rising Sun My song pick five years ago today: Jaco Pastorius - Portrait of Tracy My song pick six years ago today: Rush - Time Stand Still