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

From: Hawaii ; Year: 1961; Genre: Instrumental Rock/Jazz/Hawaiian Music Just a pretty song that gives you the feeling of being in a far off exotic locale; a perfect tune to hear in the cold months of winter without a doubt.    Hear Sea Shells on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Nightwatchman - It Begins Tonight   My song pick 2 years ago today: Foghat - Drivin' Wheel   My song pick 3 years ago today: Rush (Neil Peart) - Der Trommler (Drum Solo)   My song pick 4 years ago today: Billy Joe Royal - Cherry Hill Park My song pick 5 years ago today: Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses My song pick 6 years ago today: Al Di Meola - Black Cat Shuffle My song pick 7 years ago today: David Bowie - Starman My song pick 8 years ago today: King Crimson - Starless My song pick 9 years ago today: Black 47 - Maria's Wedding My song pick 10 years ago today: Van Halen - 1984 My song pick 11 years ago today: Savatage - Holocaust My song pic...

From: Come On In... ; Year: 1962; Genre: Rock/Pop I have had a lot of Santo & Johnny's work on my brain thus far today and I figured I would be yet another one of their songs. This nice instrumental features some excellent steel guitar playing in the lead role all the supporting music, even though performed great, takes a back-seat in the mix, but is still integral.   Hear Love In Space on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Harlequin - Shine On   My song pick 2 years ago today: Tower of Power - It's Not The Crime   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Beatles - The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill My song pick 4 years ago today: Elvis Presley - You'll Never Walk Alone My song pick 5 years ago today: Carmen - Flamenco Fever My song pick 6 years ago today: Ian Anderson - A Change of Horses My song pick 7 years ago today: Wilson Pickett - Hey Joe My song pick 8 years ago today: The Cosmic Sound Orchestra - Listen to the Beat My s...

From: Tenderly ; Year: 1970; Genre: Swing Jazz/Pop With all the talk of the spectacular Supermoon happening tonight I thought I'd go ahead and pick one that was appropriate. This take on the popular standard swing ballad from the pen of Glenn Miller really is an interesting arrangement. Their infusion of Hawaiian music really gives it even more of an exotic feel than it had before; like sitting on a quiet tropical beach enjoying the scenery with your mate by the light of the moon. A very peaceful and lovely tune indeed. Hear Moonlight Serenade on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Ian Anderson - Old Black Cat My song pick two years ago today: Parliament - Dr. Funkenstein My song pick three years ago today: Pat Benatar - Rated X My song pick four years ago today: Cab Calloway - Learnin' the Blues My song pick five years ago today: Steve Vai - Bad Horsie My song pick six years ago today: Fats Domino - Ain't That a Shame My song pick seven year...

From: Encore ; Year: 1960; Genre: Pop/Rock/Instrumental I got in the mood for some steel guitar music this morning; Santo & Johnny are always one act I love to listen to just because their steel swings more Hawaiian and jazz rather than contemporary or country. They're in their usual form with this amazingly beautiful piece that wings you away to some far off exotic shore. Hear Deep Purple on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Dire Straits - Expresso Love My song pick two years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Power My song pick three years ago today: Pink Floyd - Astronomy Domine My song pick four years ago today: Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries My song pick five years ago today: Joachim Witt - Du Teufel My song pick six years ago today: Karussell - Nämlich Bin Ich Glücklich My song pick seven years ago today: Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams My song pick eight years ago today: The Delgados - All You Need Is Hate My song p...

From: Love is Blue ; Year: 1978; Genre: Jazz/Pop Busy with getting settled into our new house and have been tired, but as luck would have it I had Santo & Johnny's music on my mind to help me through the unpacking. Anyway, this is an amazing cover of André Charles Jean Popp and Pierre Cour's hit piece of music that has been made famous by a few acts, most notably Vicky Leandros and Paul Mauriat. I especially adore the expressiveness and emotion that Santo Farina puts into the playing of the Hawaiian steel guitar. Hear Love is Blue on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: B. B. King - Someday, Somewhere My song pick two years ago today: Rose Royce - Funkin' Around My song pick three years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Burnin' for You My song pick four years ago today: Styx - Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) My song pick five years ago today: April Wine - Sign of the Gypsy Queen My song pick six years ago today: Clifford Brown & Max Roach - ...

From: Santo & Johnny ; Year: 1959; Genre: Jazz/Blues/Rock This cover of the Gershwin hit song from the opera Porgy & Bess really epitomizes the feel of this time of year, especially with the massive heatwave we've been having the last couple of days. The way they arranged it with, of course, the steel guitar as the centrepiece really brings the emotions out. Hear Summertime on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Zager and Evans - In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) My song pick two years ago today: Homer & Jethro - The Battle of Camp Kookamonga My song pick three years ago today: Karussell - Entweder Oder My song pick four years ago today: Nightwish - Last of the Wilds (Erämaan viimeinen) My song pick five years ago today: Rush - Caravan My song pick six years ago today: John Denver - This Old Guitar My song pick seven years ago today: Rammstein - Stirb Nicht Vor Mir (Don't Die Before I Do)

From: Hawaii ; Year: 1961; Genre: Instrumental/Hawaiian For some reason I was thinking about this rather pretty song this morning and thought I should also pick it. It's a very fun to play a track that is so expressive on the steel guitar, which is one of the reasons I play the instrument. Hear Adventures in Paradise on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Megadeth - Blackmail the Universe My song pick two years ago today: Black 47 - Fire of Freedom My song pick three years ago today: Aerosmith - Amazing My song pick four years ago today: Banchee - Beautifully Day My song pick five years ago today: The Cure - Burn My song pick six years ago today: Fire Bomber (Hummingbird) - Dynamite Explosion

From: Santo & Johnny ; Year: 1959; Genre: Pop Instrumental I had Santo & Johnny's version of this rather pretty and often-recorded pop standard running through my mind as I was waking up this morning and thought I would go ahead and pick it. Recently I have been learning to play this song on my Hawaiian steel guitar; their '59 recording has been one of the main versions that I have been learning from. It's almost perfect for what I'm learning; Santo Farina's Hawaiian influenced playing style really fits well with what I've been trying to learn. Hear Harbour Lights on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Stone Temple Pilots - Plush My song pick two years ago today: Eddie Floyd - Knock on Wood My song pick three years ago today: Jethro Tull - Pussy Willow My song pick four years ago today: Bon Jovi featuring Big & Rich - We Got It Going On My song pick five years ago today: The Thermals - I Hold the Sound

1548 Santo & Johnny - Teardrop From: Sleepwalk , Year: 1959 Genre: Pop/Rock I had a few other songs in mind for today's pick, but this pretty track started running through my mind; as usual I took it as a sign that I should pick it. I love all of the emotion they put into this song, it's truly a beautiful song. The only thing I don't like about it was, like most songs of the late 50's/early 60's, it far too short at just 2 minutes in length. Hear Teardrop on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rammstein - Bück Dich My song pick two years ago today: Lulu - To Sir With Love My song pick three years ago today: Primus - Nature Boy My song pick four years ago today: Deep Purple - Space Truckin' +

Last night this song kept running through my mind, as usual I took it as a sign to add it today. It is a very beautiful instrumental, the steel guitar brings a lot of emotion into the song. Here is the '59 studio version on YouTube. Here is the '68 studio version on YouTube. Here is a live performance on YouTube. +