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

From: Shout! (Shout It Out) ; Year: 1978; Genre: Funk Some B.T. Express for this first Funky Friday in October. A fun, funky track to dance to with just a smidge of disco for a great sound and groove blend.   Hear Shake It Off on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Ultravox! - ROckWrok     My song pick 2 years ago today: Foreigner - Headknocker     My song pick 3 years ago today: Badfinger - Timeless   My song pick 4 years ago today: Toad The Wet Sprocket - Come Back Down   My song pick 5 years ago today: Ambrosia - Holdin' On To Yesterday   My song pick 6 years ago today: Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash   My song pick 7 years ago today: Billy Joel - I Go To Extremes   My song pick 8 years ago today: Sky - My Giselle My song pick 9 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - From the End of the World My song pick 10 years ago today: The Midnight - Days of Thunder My song pick 11 years ag...

From: Sweet Soul Music ; Year: 1967; Genre: Soul/Funk I just love it when a great track just starts playing in my head like this one. Cannot count the times I've heard it and/or when it has started spontaneously in my mind, but for wotever reason I never have looked up the details. Whilst essentially a "shout-out"/ode to the soul/R&B/funk greats of the era, the amazing high-energy groove upbeat sound make it so much more.    Hear Sweet Soul Music on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Charlie Daniels Band - Midnight Wind     My song pick 2 years ago today: Luther Davis Group - You     My song pick 3 years ago today: Steve Vai - The X-Equilibrium Dance   My song pick 4 years ago today: Willie Nelson & Ray Price - Crazy Arms   My song pick 5 years ago today: Marvin Gaye - What's Going On   My song pick 6 years ago today: Funkadelic - Some Fresh Delic   My song pick 7 years ago today: ...

From: In Square Circle ; Year: 1985; Genre: Soul Was getting ready to choose another song and kept having this amazing album keep playing through my mind. You can tell when a song is well-written/arranged/produced when it can take you back to when you first heard it complete with wot was happening at the time, but also you can just put it one and it blends with the current time and environment. Although, I have to say that if you play this one next to current top 40 fare you'll find a track such as this to be way overshadowing it.   Hear Go Home on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Joseph Haydn - Trumpet Concerto in E-Flat Major     My song pick 2 years ago today: Gloryhammer - Legendary Enchanted Jetpack     My song pick 3 years ago today: Pearl Jam - Animal   My song pick 4 years ago today: Parliament - [You're a Fish & I'm a] Water Sign   My song pick 5 years ago today: Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like ...

From: Outrageous ; Year: 1984; Genre: Funk I absolutely love Lakeside; always puts a big smile on my face and a bounce in my step.     Hear Make My Day on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Deep Purple - Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming     My song pick 2 years ago today: Audren - The Darkstone Will Shine     My song pick 3 years ago today: David Bowie - Soul Love   My song pick 4 years ago today: Band of Horses - Lights   My song pick 5 years ago today: Phil Collins - You Can't Hurry Love   My song pick 6 years ago today: Funkadelic - Connections & Disconnections My song pick 7 years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Ashes in the Fall My song pick 8 years ago today: The Thermals - Power Doesn't Run on Nothing My song pick 9 years ago today: Sandy Denny - Solo My song pick 10 years ago today: Blondie - Call Me My song pick 11 years ago today: Carl Douglas - Kung Fu Fighting My...

From: Movements Vol.11 ; Year: 2022; Genre: Bossa Nova Jazz/Soul/Funk As with a great deal of the artists featured on this compilation series, there is not a lot I know of this band other than I love that funky flavoured Latin Bossa Nova jazz. Certainly a bouncy tune with an infectious groove.   Hear Sidewinder on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Be Ever Wonderful     My song pick 2 years ago today: Cyndi Lauper - Money Changes Everything     My song pick 3 years ago today: Jimmy Buffett - Come Monday   My song pick 4 years ago today: Cab Calloway and His Orchestra - Minnie the Moocher   My song pick 5 years ago today: G.C. Cameron - It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday   My song pick 6 years ago today: Funkadelic - Cosmic Slop My song pick 7 years ago today: The Psychedelic Furs - The Ghost in You My song pick 8 years ago today: Bon Jovi - If I Was Your Mother My song p...

From: Higher and Higher ; Year: 1967; Genre: Soul This rather positive and "uplifting" song just kept playing in my brain since yesterday evening; actually surprised I have not picked it yet. Higher and Higher is one of those big hit standards from the last century you just immediately recognize and will at least have you tapping your foot; putting you in a good mood to boot. If the music sounds familiar, that is because some of the Funk Brothers from Motown Records were moonlighting on the weekends as session musicians in Chicago to make extra money. Both Richard "Pistol" Allen's drumming and James Jamerson's bass are really the driving force to lay such a perfect groove for the rest of the band and Jackie Wilson to have an amazing platform for such a memorable song.   Hear (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Glass Hammer - Roll For Initiative     My song pick 2 years ago today: Creedenc...

From: Movements Vol.10 ; Year: 2020 (1976); Genre: Funk/Rock I could not remember if I had chosen a song from Volume 10 of the Movements compilation album series, but even if I already have, this is another great song from it. I have to say, ever since I discovered Tobias Kirmayer's compilations it has been a deep and seemingly endless well of some amazing music that I normally would not have been introduced to! This one is/was the final song on the album that was written and recorded by a funk rock band from Atlanta, Georgia by the name of Starfoxx. They apparently scored a couple of hits in the mid-late 1970s. Honestly, I have never heard of them prior, but, as I've said: better late than never; and glad I did.   Hear Oh Linda on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Rolling Stones - Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)     My song pick 2 years ago today: Eric Clapton featuring Tina Turner - Tearing Us Apart   My song pick 3 years a...

From: Your Wish is my Command ; Year: 1981; Genre: Funk/Soul Cannot help but have a huge grin across my face when boogieing down to Lakeside; just excellent sounds.     Hear Magic Moments on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: The Turtles - It Ain't Me Babe   My song pick 2 years ago today: Automat - The Genus     My song pick 3 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Mrs. Tibbets   My song pick 4 years ago today: Savatage - Awaken   My song pick 5 years ago today: Rush - Cut to the Chase   My song pick 6 years ago today: Funkadelic - Tales of Kidd Funkadelic (Opusdelite Years)   My song pick 7 years ago today: The Moody Blues - No More Lies My song pick 8 years ago today: 3 Inches of Blood - Wykydtron My song pick 9 years ago today: Deep Purple - Call of the Wild My song pick 10 years ago today: The Lively Ones - Surf Rider My song pick 11 years ago today: The Rhythm Machine - You Got Action, You Got Me ...

From: Opportunity/Lost Love (single); Year: 1967; Genre: Soul/Rock I absolutely love discovering bands such as Mandala . You know, bands that really didn't break in or get big, but contained members who would go on to bigger careers; more or less the reverse of a " supergroup ." Whilst they had a couple of minor hits, it really didn't work out and Mandala morphed into a band Bush , (not to be confused with the British band who later used the same name), but did not last very long either. Members would go on to play with acts such as The James Gang, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed and The Guess Who. Anyway, this rock/soul track is basically their main hit song that charted in their native Canada.    Hear Opportunity on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Sam Cooke - Summertime     My song pick 2 years ago today: Cab Calloway & His Orchestra - Geechy Joe     My song pick 3 years ago today: Stevie Wonder - Maybe Your Baby   ...

From: Movements 2 ; Year: 2006 (1978); Genre: Funk/Soul Here is another deep cut from Tobias Kirmayer's awesome compilation series of funk and soul music. Even though The Arabian Funk was from the late 1970s it has aspects, sounds, beats and rhythm that was more mainstream a half a decade or more later; kind of a little ahead of its time.   Hear The Arabian Funk on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Bloodrock - Melvin Laid An Egg     My song pick 2 years ago today: The Moody Blues - My Song     My song pick 3 years ago today: Wolfmother - Remove Your Mask   My song pick 4 years ago today: UB40 - Dance With The Devil   My song pick 5 years ago today: Van Halen - 5150   My song pick 6 years ago today: Funkadelic - If You Got Funk, You Got Style   My song pick 7 years ago today: Billy Squier - Lonely Is The Night My song pick 8 years ago today: Hawkwind - The Secret Agent My song pick 9 years ago today: Th...

From: Movin' On ; Year: 1975; Genre: Funk No idea why, but had Lionel Ritchie on my brain for this final pick of July; why not something downright funky from the band he made his name with?     Hear Gimme My Mule on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Iain Matthews - Slip Away     My song pick 2 years ago today: Stormwarrior - Freeborn     My song pick 3 years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - I'm So Afraid   My song pick 4 years ago today: Frank Zappa - He Used to Cut the Grass   My song pick 5 years ago today: England Dan & John Ford Coley - The Prisoner   My song pick 6 years ago today: Firehouse - All She Wrote   My song pick 7 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Motoreyes My song pick 8 years ago today: Ween - The Mollusk My song pick 9 years ago today: Simon & Garfunkle - At the Zoo My song pick 10 years ago today: Rush - Prime Mover My song pick 11 years ago today: Dazz Band - Swoop "I'm ...

From: Road Runner ; Year: 1966; Genre: Soul/R&B/Motown Was thinking about the landmark film Cooley High last night, which is one I want to watch again, (I'm a) Road Runner was of course included in its amazing soundtrack. There's so much to love about this one; no detractors in the slightest in my biased opinion.   Hear (I'm a) Road Runner on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Supertramp - Brother Where You Bound     My song pick 2 years ago today: Fairport Convention - Book Song     My song pick 3 years ago today: Heart - Without You   My song pick 4 years ago today: Stanley Clarke - We Supply   My song pick 5 years ago today: ZZ Top - Stages   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Strip Cartoon   My song pick 7 years ago today: Steve Vai - The Animal My song pick 8 years ago today: Savatage - Strange Wings My song pick 9 years ago today: Bay City Rollers - Saturday Night My song pick 10...

From: Soul Street ; Year: 1974; Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Still have a great deal of Stax Record's music on my mind, so I'm picking one from an artist that I like from their roster. Eddie Floyd is probably most known for his monumental hit Knock on Wood, but had many other great hit tracks, like this one.   Hear Soul Street on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Black Sabbath - Changes     My song pick 2 years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Susie Q     My song pick 3 years ago today: Lakeside - U Got It Goin' On   My song pick 4 years ago today: Genesis - Counting Out Time   My song pick 5 years ago today: Asia - Never Again   My song pick 6 years ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Go Robot   My song pick 7 years ago today: What Made Milwaukee Famous - Trying to Never Catch Up My song pick 8 years ago today: Van der Graaf Generator - Pilgrims My song pick 9 years ago today: Pink Floyd - I...

From: Who's Making Love... ; Year: 1968; Genre: Soul In my spare time over the last week I've been watching a documentary series about the soul hit factory that was Stax Records out of Memphis, Tennessee. I have to say that it is very enlightening to hear about the inner workings of Stax from the people who were there, wrote and made music, as well as the other people who ran it. I've always absolutely loved the music that came out of there, so it is not surprising that I thoroughly enjoy it. Anyway, this is one of the songs that was featured and one that I've always liked. I never knew that Johnny Taylor's Who's Making Love was kind of rebirth of the label after the tragic death of Otis Redding and members of his touring band the Bar-Kays, the loss of their back catalogue to Atlantic Records, as well as the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and all the Civil Rights Movement of which Memphis was one of the major battlefields of it. This track really breathed...

From: Back Stabbers ; Year: 1972; Genre: Soul Early this morning I was enjoying the songs from this album. I find the O'Jays' ability to take a negative subject matter and with their delivery and, of course, one of the best songwriting duos, Gamble & Huff make it feel uplifting and, dare I say, make it positive somehow. Although blending Philadelphia soul with a Bossa Nova beat, the chemistry will most always be awesome.    Hear 992 Arguments on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Rare Earth - Stop/Where Did Our Love Go     My song pick 2 years ago today: Azteca - Peace Everybody     My song pick 3 years ago today: Midnight Oil - Too Much Sunshine   My song pick 4 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Nothing Lasts   My song pick 5 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Box in my Head   My song pick 6 years ago today: King Harvest - A Little Bit Like Magic   My song pick 7 years ago today: The Tempt...

From: Car Wash (soundtrack) ; Year: 1976; Genre: Funk/Soul Ultra busy couple of days, but definitely wanted to make a good pick for Friday. For wotever reason I just had Rose Royce on the brain, especially from their debut album and soundtrack for the classic Norman Whitfield film Car Wash . Lequeint "Duke" Jobe's bass playing really drives this one and just shows how much of an amazing player his is.   Hear Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Incredible Bongo Band - Let There Be Drums     My song pick 2 years ago today: Buster Poindexter - Hot Hot Hot     My song pick 3 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Awake, Awake   My song pick 4 years ago today: Zakk Wylde - Throwin' It All Away   My song pick 5 years ago today: The (Detroit) Spinners - I've Got To Make It On My Own   My song pick 6 years ago today: Bootsy Collins - Bass-Rigged-System   My song pick 7 years ago today:...

From: A Man of Value ; Year: 1972; Genre: Soul Had this rather profound song come on whilst driving the other day; it has been on my mind ever since. The Politician is one written by the ever-eloquent and productive songwriter/musician/singer Mac Davis, who I have come to admire the more I have delved into the breadth of his work. Mac never recorded this one as far I know, but really, I do not think you could get any better of a delivery and performance than that of the legendary Lou Rawls; this one just makes the hairs on your arms stand up and gives goose bumps/chills as the song progresses.   Hear The Politician on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: James Brown - Living in America     My song pick 2 years ago today: Pearls Before Swine - Ballad to an Amber Lady     My song pick 3 years ago today: Hawkwind - The Last Messiah   My song pick 4 years ago today: Traffic - Heaven is in Your Mind   My song pick 5 years a...

From: Street Player ; Year: 1978; Genre: Funk/Soul Wanted to choose another funky track from Rufus and Chaka Khan. Decided on the title track of this record; definitely a song that will get your blood pumping with that bumping rhythm.   Hear Street Player on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Stacy Q - The River     My song pick 2 years ago today: Mott the Hoople - One of the Boys     My song pick 3 years ago today: Parliament - Unfunky UFO   My song pick 4 years ago today: Bread - Let Your Love Go   My song pick 5 years ago today: Simple Minds - Love Song   My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Hard Liner   My song pick 7 years ago today: Traffic - Glad My song pick 8 years ago today: Megadeth - Rattlehead My song pick 9 years ago today: Parliament - Everything Is on the One My song pick 10 years ago today: Symphony X - Iconoclast My song pick 11 years ago today: John Fogerty - The Old Man D...