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

From: Advance and Vanquish ; Year: 2004; Genre: Thrash Metal/Power Metal When I first heard this song I knew it had to be this pick number. The year in which the mechanical abomination, " The Wykydtron ," is created that leads to this horror story is 4055, so it was a perfect time to choose it I would think. Anyway, this is a good mix of metal styles and combined with the science fiction dystopian story it makes for a killer song. Hear Wykydtron on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Deep Purple - Call of the Wild My song pick two years ago today: The Lively Ones - Surf Rider My song pick three years ago today: The Rhythm Machine - You Got Action, You Got Me My song pick four years ago today: Megadeth - Liar My song pick five years ago today: Weather Report - Second Sunday in August My song pick six years ago today: AC/DC - Thunderstruck My song pick seven years ago today: Victor Wooten - Norwegian Wood My song pick eight years ago today: Haw...

From: 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) ; Year: 1969; Genre: Psychedelic Rock/Space Rock I'd be lying if I said I didn't have this song picked for this pick number a long time ago, because I did. This is such a classic space rock tune with an ominous, cautionary tale about mankind's seemingly dark future that awaits. As with some other space rock songs their use of acoustic instruments along with the progression between major and minor chords was almost perfect to build this great musical atmosphere. Hear In the Year 2525 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Homer & Jethro - The Battle of Camp Kookamonga My song pick two years ago today: Karussell - Entweder Oder My song pick three years ago today: Nightwish - Last of the Wilds (Erämaan viimeinen) My song pick four years ago today: Rush - Caravan My song pick five years ago today: John Denver - This Old Guitar My song pick six years ago today: Rammstein - Stirb Nicht Vor Mir (Don't Die Bef...

From: Forbidden Planet (Soundtrack) ; Year: 1956; Genre: Electronic Today's pick number (2257) was, I believe, also the year that the groundbreaking Science Fiction film Forbidden Planet was supposed to take place. This is a film that not only many remember, but was would also have a profound impact on most sci-fi to come out after. One of the more interesting parts of this film was that it is credited as being the first film with a totally electronic score. Inventors and composers Louis and Bebe Barron actually created the electronic devices, or instruments that made the sound. To get an idea of how big this was you have to remember, this was almost a decade before synthesizers were even invented. Hear Forbidden Planet Main Titles (Overture) on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Anagram (for Mongo) My song pick two years ago today: Sky - Troika My song pick three years ago today: Mason Williams - Classical Gas My song pick four years ago today: ...

From: 2112 ; Year: 1976; Genre: Progressive Rock/Hard Rock Yeah, anyone who has probably followed my blog for very long had to have seen this one coming: for my 2112th song picked I am of course choosing Rush's most famous epic, legendary masterpiece 2112 . As most who know of probably know of it, this piece is made up of seven individual sections, which make up the entire 20:34 song. The first two sections: I. Overture , and II. The Temples of Syrinx , which take up the first 6:45 of 2112 actually gets heavy radio play; it is one of their more popular tracks on the radio in fact. However, the other five sections sadly do not usually get heard that much if at all on the radio, but all the same are pretty good as well. The entire story behind the song is a science-fiction narrative set within a "Solar Federation" that is ruled by a totalitarian priesthood that controls all that the people see, hear, and even think; this is set up through the first two sections of ...

From: Target Earth ; Year: 2013; Genre: Thrash Metal/Progressive Metal Because my pick number has reached 2013 today will be the final time my song pick number will coincide with the year a song was released. Tomorrow I guess I can go back to picking random stuff, although I might have a theme week just around the corner. Anyway, I wasn't sure if I was going to find a song that I liked and wanted to pick that was released within the five or so weeks in this rather young year. However I came across this brand new album from the Canadian Progressive/Thrash Metal band Voivod . To be honest I hadn't heard about them before today, but I am glad I looked into their music; very much worth a listen and then some. Hear Mechanical Mind on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Quasar - Fanfare/Seeing Stars My song pick two years ago today: Waylander - A Hero's Lament My song pick three years ago today: Queen - Seaside Rendezvous My song pick four years ago toda...

From: Clockwork Angels ; Year: 2012; Genre: Hard Rock Well, this is my 2012th song picked, and, as I've been doing lately, I am picking a song from the year that coincides with my pick number. I'm still not too sure if I am picking one from this rather young year tomorrow; we'll have to see. Anyway, when I say there was a lot of good music released last year that is an understatement. It seemed as if half of my favourite bands and solo artists decided to put out new material; to say the least my library of music had expanded in the extreme. Because of this it made picking one song from last year a bit of a chore. After a bit of thought, for no reason whatsoever, I decided on one from Rush's newest one Clockwork Angels . While it's definitely not the best song on the disc, this was one of the first "deeper cuts" to catch my attention the first time I listened to it. Hear Wish Them Well on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Beatles - ...

From: Dedicated to Chaos ; Year: 2011; Genre: Progressive Metal I only have a couple of more days until my song pick number goes past coinciding with past years; I am unsure if I am going to be picking a song released in 2013 since the year is only just over a month in and thus not much music has been released. We'll have to see. Anyway, here's my pick for 2011 from Queensrÿche's most recent album: Dedicated to Chaos . I have to say I was definitely interested is hearing the album once I knew of its existence, but after hearing a bit of it I am unsure. To be frank, other than Geoff Tate's vocals, it really does not sound like the Queensrÿche I remember. Unless it grows on me this will remain my least favourite of their albums, but this is one of the better songs on the album, and a pretty good one. Hear At The Edge on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Rock Is My Life, and This Is My Song My song pick two years ago...

From: Infinite Arms ; Year: 2010; Genre: Rock/Indie Rock Again, I am picking songs that were released the year that coincides with my song pick number. Actually there were quite a few great albums released in 2010, but this one happened to be one that disappointed. After their first two great albums, ( Everything All The Time , and Cease to Begin ), I had high expectations, perhaps too high. However, in time I've grown to like some of the material on Infinite Arms , but in my opinion it's still my least favourite. Anyway, this song was, I believe, the first single off the album. Here Laredo on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Fairport Convention - Dawn My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - Alive and Well and Living In My song pick three years ago today: .38 Special - Chain Lightnin' My song pick four years ago today: Cream - Swlabr My song pick five years ago today: Three Dog Night - Celebrate

From: The Resistance ; Year: 2009; Genre: Progressive Rock For those unaware, I since my song pick numbers have coincided with years I have been picking song from the year that is the same as my song pick number. Anyway, here's one from my favourite Muse album, which was released in 2009. I have, of course, already picked many songs off of this album and am choosing some deeper cuts now. Not to say that this is a "lesser song" by any means; far from that, it is an excellent track. Hear Unnatural Selection on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Drifters - Under the Boardwalk My song pick two years ago today: Yoko Takahashi - Zankoku na Tenshi no These ( A Cruel Angel's Thesis ) My song pick three years ago today: Aphrodite's Child - Hic et Nunc My song pick four years ago today: Elton John - All The Girls Love Alice My song pick five years ago today: Rush - The Body Electric

From: Nude With Boots ; Year: 2008; Genre: Metal I had a few other songs from 2008, (also today's song pick number), I was wanting to pick today. However, I noticed that this rather fun track was also released that year and combine that with the fact that I have yet to pick a song from The Melvins this one got picked instead. To me there's really no other way to describe this track other than just pure fun. Hear Nude with Boots on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Animals - House of the Rising Sun My song pick two years ago today: Wild Turkey - Sentinel My song pick three years ago today: KISS - She My song pick four years ago today: Hawkwind - Assault and Battery/The Golden Void My song pick five years ago today: Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart

From: Black Rain ; Year: 2007; Genre: Metal I'm having another rather busy day, so I'm having to be a bit brief with this pick. Anyway, again I am picking a song where the release date coincides with the song pick number: today's is, of course, 2007. This is one of Ozzy's newest songs to still get regular rotation an play on the radio. Zakk Wylde is as excellent as always and his guitar is definitely my favourite part of this song. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Primus - Here Come the Bastards My song pick two years ago today: Ringo Starr - It Don't Come Easy My song pick three years ago today: Molly Hatchet - Fall of the Peacemakers My song pick four years ago today: Don Mclean - American Pie My song pick five years ago today: Jethro Tull - Later, That Same Evening

From: Triumph or Agony ; Year: 2006; Genre: Power Metal/Symphonic Metal 2006, (which is also today's pick number), was another year that contains a lot of good music; I had a real hard time picking just one song. However, I noticed that I have only picked one other song from this great Italian metal band, so I decided on picking one off of their '06 release Triumph or Agony . Some bands whose music is progressive in nature make concept albums, however, Rhapsody of Fire take it to levels well beyond that. Their narratives span multiple albums Triumph or Agony is part of the second of their epic tales called " The Dark Secret Saga ," which spans five albums. Their music throughout this song is all over the place, going from folkish metal to straight-up or progressive metal to even sections where there is no music and only character actors speaking lines. To say the least it's an interesting track. This song is broken up into five pieces: I. A New Saga Begi...

From: Take Me to Your Leader; Year: 2005; Genre: Space Rock/Progressive Rock Today is my 2005th song picked and I felt like listening to something odd from Hawkwind as well. Lo and behold to my luck they actually released an album in 2005, so I could stick with my theme of picking songs released the year that coincides with my song pick number. Anyway, I had a couple in mind off of this album to pick, but I couldn't find a video with the song on YouTube, but eventually I found one! This one, like with most of their work in the genre of space rock, is more than a bit off the wall. To put it bluntly it is about the melding of man and machine, if you get the drift. Even with the somewhat vulgar subject matter of a man's relationship his love android they actually pull it off quite well in about as classy of a way that you can get. For the most part it is more or less a straight-ahead song musically until about halfway through it starts getting quite a bit more interesti...

From: Leviathan ; Year: 2004; Genre: Progressive Metal 2004, (which is also today's song pick number), was a a very good year for music; I had somewhat of a hard time deciding which song to pick. Of course when I remembered that Mastodon released their metal concept album Leviathan , which was based on the classic novel Moby-Dick , I knew I had my pick. This entire album is truly awesome in so many ways; one of the band's best in my opinion. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - K.331 - Piano Sonata No. 11 My song pick two years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Little Martha My song pick three years ago today: Steve Vai - #?@! Yourself My song pick four years ago today: The Who - I'm Free My song pick five years ago today: The Yardbirds - Heart Full of Soul

From: Fallen ; Year: 2003; Genre: Alternative Metal I am still picking songs where the release date coincides with my song pick number, so here's one released in 2003. Back then and even to this day this one is still one of their more popular songs. I actually first heard it being paired to many fan-made animé music videos along with many of their other songs. It kind of got overplayed a lot and it has been a while since I've heard it, that is until today of course. Watch the music video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin - Symphony No.2 in B-Minor My song pick two years ago today: Jon Oliva's Pain - Winter Haven My song pick three years ago today: KoKo Taylor - That's Why I'm Crying My song pick four years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Veteran of the Psychic Wars My song pick five years ago today: Molly Hatchet - Bounty Hunter

From: Audioslave ; Year: 2002; Genre: Alternative Metal I'm still picking songs released in the year that coincides with my song pick number; today is my 2002nd song picked, so I am picking one released in 2002. Anyway, here is probably the biggest hit from the supergroup Audioslave's eponymous debut album. Hear Cochise on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos - Media Vita in Morte Sumus My song pick two years ago today: Stahlhammer - Der Zerbrochene Traum My song pick three years ago today: Charles Gounod - Funeral March of a Marionette My song pick four years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird My song pick five years ago today: Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind

From: Just Push Play ; Year: 2001; Genre: Rock Here's one that I remember really well from 2001, which is also today's song pick number. This song and album in particular have special meaning for me. Watch the music video clip to Jaded on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Blind Faith - Had to Cry Today My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - By Kind Permission Of My song pick three years ago today: Peter Gabriel - Down To Earth My song pick four years ago today: Edgar Winter Group - Free Ride My song pick five years ago today: Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee

From: Lightbulb Sun ; Year: 2000; Genre: Progressive Rock Well, here I am, at my 2000th song pick.... Back in September of 2007, when I started this little blog originally on MySpace, I honestly didn't know if I would take it this far. Heck, I didn't even know if I'd make it to 1000, but here I am. I guess it's now on to 3000! Anyway, as I've been doing lately, since my song pick numbers have matched dates in music, I've been picking songs released the year that coincides with my pick number. I didn't know if I was going to pick one like this today, being that this is such a milestone and all, but I really didn't have a more fitting one in mind, so I figured I would just go along with my loose theme as of late. When I discovered Porcupine Tree released an album in 2000 I knew I had to pick one off of it; you can't go wrong with the epicness of progressive rock, especially on the day I pick my 2000th song! However, with the ominous title you...

From: Californication ; Year: 1999; Genre: Alternative Rock It's hard to believe that not only that tomorrow I'll be picking my 2000th song but also that I have yet to miss a day. Oi, that also means that at least for a few minutes in the last 2000 or so days I've been on a computer with internet access. Okay then, on to my 1999th pick, and, as I've been doing lately, I am picking songs that were released the year that coincides with my song pick number, i.e. since this is my 1999th pick I am picking one from the year 1999. Back then I remember hanging out a lot at my sister's house; we would watch music videos on VH1 until the wee hours of the morning. I remember the music videos to both Californication and Otherside were played heavily in the rotation. Around that time was when I started to get serious about playing music; this was one of the earlier songs that I attempted to learn to play on the bass guitar. Watch the music video clip on YouTube. ...

From: The Wake of Magellan ; Year: 1998; Genre: Progressive Metal Here's one from the year 1998, (also today's song pick number), well, at least here in the U.S., other regions got it a little bit earlier than that. Anyway, this is a rather pretty instrumental, which appears towards the end of this 'concept album' just before the final 'epic' song The Hourglass ; it features some amazing guitar work and piano playing. Hear The Storm on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: John Dowland - In Darkness We Dwell My song pick two years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - I Love the Night My song pick three years ago today: The Byrds - Eight Miles High My song pick four years ago today: Wings - Band on the Run My song pick five years ago today: Faith No More - Woodpecker From Mars