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

From: Santana IV ; Year: 2016; Genre: Chicano Rock/Latin Rock Discovered this one-off record that featured almost all of the surviving members from the early period of Santana: Santana III and prior. This includes Carlos Santana (of course), Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, Michael Shrieve, and Mike Carabello; the rest of the lineup was completed by current members of the band. I really like this classic sound all around, it really takes you back to those revered songs we all love from the band. The only niggling criticism that I personally have is that the sound is overproduced and too clean; it would've been better to reuse older studio equipment and recording techniques in my personal opinion.    Hear Leave Me Alone on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - Back to the Family     My song pick 2 years ago today: Klaatu - Hope   My song pick 3 years ago today: Midnight Oil - We Resist   My song pick 4 years ago today: T...

From: Caravanserai ; Year: 1972; Genre: Jazz Fusion Such a neat atmospheric intro/prelude instrumental that starts off this quite unique album from Santana. I really like the way the instruments work together in a very beautiful manner with none of them taking to outshine another; each is an integral piece keeping that ethereal groove going.   Hear Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Weather Report - River People   My song pick 2 years ago today: Audioslave - Until We Fall   My song pick 3 years ago today: Gloryhammer - Power of the Laser Dragon Fire   My song pick 4 years ago today: Ian Anderson - Cold Dead Reckoning (2044)   My song pick 5 years ago today: Molly Hatchet - Good Rockin' My song pick 6 years ago today: Carmen - Bullfight My song pick 7 years ago today: The Outfield - Say It Isn't So My song pick 8 years ago today: Quarterflash - Take Me To Heart My song pick 9 years ago today:...

From: Santana III ; Year: 1971; Genre: Latin Rock/Jazz Fusion Happened to hear some of Santana's music the other day; it also felt like a perfect day to choose another one of their songs. If you like hearing virtuosity across the board, then this song and album are right up your alley so to speak. No One to Depend On shows how Santana at this point in time was like a well-built machine with each part doing their own job to a high level of competence to make an amazing piece to music.   Hear No One to Depend On on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Tightrope   My song pick 2 years ago today: Carmen - Por Tarantos   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Guess Who - Runnin' Down the Street My song pick 4 years ago today: Parliament - Sir Nose d'Voidoffunk (Pay Attention – B3M) My song pick 5 years ago today: The Alan Parsons Project - Sirius/Eye in the Sky My song pick 6 years ago today: 30 Seconds to Mars - N...

From: Caravanserai ; Year: 1972; Genre: Jazz Fusion/Latin Rock Caravanserai is still one of my favourites from Santana. This song is a little bit more in the wheelhouse of the regular Santana sound compared to the other tracks on the album. I really like the use of the Hammond Organ as the second lead instrument; it makes the song sound quite excellent.   Hear Song of the Wind on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Elton John - Jamaica Jerk-Off   My song pick 2 years ago today: Jimmy Castor - Amazon My song pick 3 years ago today: April Wine - Enough is Enough My song pick 4 years ago today: Faith No More - Falling to Pieces My song pick 5 years ago today: The Presidents of the United States of America - Peaches My song pick 6 years ago today: The Rolling Stones - Midnight Rambler My song pick 7 years ago today: The Five Stairsteps - O-o-o Child My song pick 8 years ago today: The Delgados - Mr. Blue Sky My song pick 9 years ago tod...

From: Santana ; Year: 1969; Genre: Latin Rock/Jazz Fusion The other day I happened upon a Santana concert on the television; got the band back into my mind. This is, I believe, their biggest hit from their debut album and immediately noticeable to anyone who's listened to the radio in the last 45+ years. I absolutely love the incredible playing from all the band members throughout this one. Hear Evil Ways on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Gerry Rafferty - The Tourist My song pick two years ago today: Loudness - Let It Go My song pick three years ago today: Carmen - She Flew Across the Room My song pick four years ago today: California Guitar Trio - Ghost Riders on the Storm My song pick five years ago today: Al Di Meola and Steve Vai - Race with the Devil on Turkish Highway My song pick six years ago today: Nightwish - Beauty of the Beast My song pick seven years ago today: L'Arc~en~Ciel - Spirit Dreams Inside My song pick eight years ago to...

From: Pyramid of the Mood ; Year: 1973; Genre: Latin Rock/Jazz For the first time in a while I started out my day without having a song on my mind, so instead I decided on picking one from a favourite band of mine that I haven't apparently chosen one from in a few years: Azteca . This is one of the most upbeat tracks on the album with incredible horn and rhythm sections; of course Neal Schon's guitar playing is as good as always. Hear Red Onions on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Dream Theater - The Looking Glass My song pick two years ago today: Deep Purple - Hush My song pick three years ago today: Paris - Big Towne, 2061 My song pick four years ago today: Band of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You My song pick five years ago today: Alan Menken and Howard Ashman - Feed Me (Git It) (From: Little Shop of Horrors ) My song pick six years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Who'll Stop The Rain My song pick seven years ago today:...

From: Caravanserai ; Year: 1972; Genre: Jazz Fusion/Latin Rock After hearing a bit of Santana yesterday on the radio it got me in the mood to listen to some more; since apparently I haven't picked one from the band in quite some time I thought I would add one to the blog today. Of course I'm picking another one from Caravanserai ; it is and will always be my favourite album from Santana. This was the first song I ever tried to learn how to play a mambo; all I can say is, it was a deceptively difficult concept to get down, but very rewarding in the end. Hear La Fuente del Ritmo on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King My song pick two years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Yours Truly, 2095 My song pick three years ago today: Stahlhammer - Herz Aus Stahl My song pick four years ago today: America - Sister Golden Hair My song pick five years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Little Lies

805 ( Santana - Oye Como Va ) The last couple of weeks I have been deluged by Santana's music from almost all forms of media. I heard this classic Santana track this morning and I felt like some Latin Rock this morning anyway, so I am adding it to my list. Gregg Rolie's nice organ work is probably one of the most recognized aspects of this song other than Carlos' screaming guitar playing and the percussion; some beautiful music for this "humpday." Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is a classic live performance on YouTube. Here is a more recent live performance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: #433 Joe Walsh - Vote for Me My song pick two years ago today: #65 Jerry Reed - East Bound and Down +

744 ( Santana - Every Step of the Way ) For no particular reason I started listening to Santana this morning and I decided on choosing a track off of the Caravanserai album. The song is a musical roller coaster of sorts; the music from this band just takes you all over the place. This is the last Santana album that keyboardist Gregg Rolie and guitarist Neal Schon played on; Schon went on to the band Azteca and then on to form Journey with his former Santana bandmate. Here is the studio recording on YouTube. Here is a live performance of the song circa '73 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Megadeth - Washington is Next!   My song pick two years ago today: Rammstein - Stripped +

I am in the mood to celebrate this evening because I finished my Graduate Final Exam and it was a warm, sunny day after a hell of a winter. This song just seemed like a perfect fit for my day, so I had to choose it. There is too much that I like about this song; one of my favorite aspects is the twin bass lines and how the acoustic and electric bass switch off back and forth; it makes for a really interesting sound. Of course the guitar work by both Neal Schon and Carlos Santana is as incredible as ever. Here is the studio version on YouTube.

After hearing this song on radio this morning I decided that I should pick it. This song is actually a cover of a Fleetwood Mac song, written by founding member Peter Green. Santana's version is, of course, quite a bit more popular and they really made this song their own. Here is the studio version on YouTube. Here is a live performance on YouTube. +

I was listening to some Santana today and I realized that I had not chosen any from this great band yet. The album on which this song comes from, Caravanserai , which is not one of the band's most popular albums. However, it is viewed more as a musician's album because of the complexity of the music and the influences, such as different kinds Jazz that Carlos Santana was into at the time. Every musician on this song does an incredible job that make this a joy to listen to. Here is a fan video with the studio version on YouTube. +