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

From: Gaucho ; Year: 1980; Genre: Jazz Rock/Jazz Fusion At 5900 songs picked now; I wanted to choose something apropos, but I had Steely Dan on my mind for the last little bit, so I figured it'd work anyway. This is, (of course), the title track from essentially the "swansong" of the classic era of the dynamic duo Fagen and Becker plus some amazing guest musicians. They wouldn't release another official studio record for 20 years, so it's kind of a big one, this album.   Hear Gaucho on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Doc Oliver - Soul Popcorn   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Romantics - Talking In Your Sleep   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Kinks - Picture Book   My song pick 4 years ago today: Golden Earring - Radar Love My song pick 5 years ago today: Martha and the Vandellas - Nowhere to Run My song pick 6 years ago today: Blood, Sweat & Tears - Smiling Phases My song pick 7 years ago today: Rage Against the Machi...

From: Pretzel Logic ; Year: 1974; Genre: Rock/Jazz/Jazz Fusion It has been an overly busy last couple of days, but whilst getting things done I've been enjoying this record in particular from Steely Dan. This one has a great funky rhythm in the back while more jazzy/rock oriented vocals and guitar present themselves up front; such a great example of their signature sound that we all enjoy.   Hear Night By Night on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Coven - One Tin Soldier   My song pick 2 years ago today: Information Society - What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)   My song pick 3 years ago today: Stone Temple Pilots - Fare Thee Well   My song pick 4 years ago today: Yes - Changes My song pick 5 years ago today: Santana - Evil Ways My song pick 6 years ago today: Gerry Rafferty - The Tourist My song pick 7 years ago today: Loudness - Let It Go My song pick 8 years ago today: Carmen - She Flew Across the Room My song pick 9 years ago...

From: Pretzel Logic ; Year: 1974; Genre: Blues Rock/Jazz Rock Been meaning to choose another one from Steely Dan lately, and am finally getting around to it. This is slowly becoming my favourite album from the band, even though I like every one of their releases; this is also the album that contains my favourite song of their as well. Anyway, this is, of course, the title-track and one of the singles off of it and has a heavy blues rock sound throughout, which makes it quite fun and easy to listen to.   Hear Pretzel Logic on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Beatles - And Your Bird Can Sing   My song pick 2 years ago today: King Crimson - Industry   My song pick 3 years ago today: Parliament - (Gloryhallastoopid) Pin The Tail On The Funky My song pick 4 years ago today: Marillion - That Time of the Night (The Short Straw) My song pick 5 years ago today: The J. Geils Band - Love Stinks My song pick 6 years ago today: Savatage - Of Rag...

From: Katy Lied ; Year: 1975; Genre: Rock/Jazz Fusion I had Steely Dan on my mind ever since hearing them while driving around the other day; this album in particular seemed especially in my brain. This is one of the lead singles off their Katy Lied record, which has a nice, laid-back sound and feel to it.   Hear Bad Sneakers on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Fates Warning - Seven Stars   My song pick 2 years ago today: Grand Funk Railroad - Sin's a Good Man's Brother   My song pick 3 years ago today: Jimi Hendrix Experience - Burning of the Midnight Lamp My song pick 4 years ago today: ABBA - Dance (While the Music Still Goes On) My song pick 5 years ago today: Santo & Johnny - Moonlight Serenade My song pick 6 years ago today: Ian Anderson - Old Black Cat My song pick 7 years ago today: Parliament - Dr. Funkenstein My song pick 8 years ago today: Pat Benatar - Rated X My song pick 9 years ago today: Cab Calloway - Learnin...

From: Aja ; Year: 1977; Genre: Jazz Fusion/Rock This is another album in which there are really no weak songs on it; it almost could be viewed as a "greatest hits" album I suppose. I originally got Aja on an old 8-Track cassette and this was the first song in the "path" through the tracks I would listen to. It was fun listening to this whilst playing video games and such; definitely an album I've always loved. Hear Black Cow on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: The Moody Blues - Stop! My song pick 2 years ago today: The New Riders of the Purple Sage - Panama Red My song pick 3 years ago today: Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same My song pick 4 years ago today: Argent - Trapeze My song pick 5 years ago today: Stanley Clarke - Play the Bass My song pick 6 years ago today: Weather Report - Orange Lady My song pick 7 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Wild Spirit My song pick 8 years ago today: Wings - Jet My so...

From: Gaucho ; Year: 1980; Genre: Jazz/Rock It's a February 29th pick! They only come once every four years, so it's a bit of an occasion. What a better band than Steely Dan for today's pick? This one's got everything you'd expect from them and their great music. Hear Time Out of Mind on YouTube. Picks for previous February 29ths (Leap Years): My leap year pick on 2.29.16: Van Halen - Jump My leap year pick on 2.29.12: Cheech & Chong - Cheborneck My leap year pick on 2.29.08: ABBA - The Visitors

From: Aja ; Year: 1977; Genre: Rock/Jazz Fusion This is a lesser-known track off the Aja album, but still one I like a lot. Hear I Got the News on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Tarja Turunen - Undertaker My song pick 2 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Happy Feelin' My song pick 3 years ago today: The Fabulous Flee-Rakkers - Green Jeans My song pick 4 years ago today: Aerosmith - F.I.N.E. My song pick 5 years ago today: Coven - Lost Without a Trace My song pick 6 years ago today: Fairport Convention - Autopsy My song pick 7 years ago today: The Police - Every Breath You Take My song pick 8 years ago today: Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone My song pick 9 years ago today: The Moontrekkers - Night of the Vampire My song pick 10 years ago today: Maddy Prior - Cold Flame My song pick 11 years ago today: Savatage - Follow Me My song pick 12 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Sledgehammer

From: Can't Buy a Thrill ; Year: 1972; Genre: Rock Hearing one of their songs off the first album in the car the other day got me wanting to revisit Can't Buy a Thrill once again. I love the Bossa Nova beat and the jazz/rock styling they're known for. Hear Only a Fool Would Say That on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Primus - The Storm My song pick 2 years ago today: Return to Forever - Earth Juice My song pick 3 years ago today: Psychotic Waltz - Strange My song pick 4 years ago today: Queen - Great King Rat My song pick 5 years ago today: Karussell - Wintermärchen My song pick 6 years ago today: Ian Anderson - Old School Song My song pick 7 years ago today: Alice in Chains - Them Bones My song pick 8 years ago today: America - Lonely People My song pick 9 years ago today: Rammstein - Weißes Fleisch My song pick 10 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Space Into/Fly Like An Eagle My song pick 11 years ago today: The Delgados -...

From: Can't Buy a Thrill ; Year: 1972; Genre: Jazz Rock This is one of my absolute favourites from Steely Dan; it's just so exquisitely written musically. I absolutely love the piano and steel guitar solos played in the song. Hear Fire In The Hole on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: The Police - Can't Stand Losing You My song pick 2 years ago today: Benny Carter - Pick Yourself Up My song pick 3 years ago today: Rush - Best I Can My song pick 4 years ago today: Waylon Jennings - I'm a Ramblin' Man My song pick 5 years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - Bulls on Parade My song pick 6 years ago today: Gentle Giant - The House, The Street, The Room My song pick 7 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Something to Believe In My song pick 8 years ago today: Dizzy Gillespie - One Note Samba My song pick 9 years ago today: Steely Dan - Josie My song pick 10 years ago today: Joni Mitchell - Goodbye Pork Pie Hat My song pick 11 y...

From: Countdown to Ecstasy ; Year: 1973; Genre: Rock/Jazz Fusion I'm properly surprised that I haven't picked this track yet; it's one of my many favourites from Steely Dan and I thought for sure I'd chosen it a while ago, so I'm remedying that right here and now. My Old School is one of those songs that excels in two areas that I like in songs: great music played at a high level of mastery and a story in the lyrics. Hear My Old School on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Savatage - Jesus Saves My song pick two years ago today: England Dan & John Ford Coley - The Prisoner My song pick three years ago today: Wilson Pickett - Funky Way My song pick four years ago today: Louis and Bebe Barron - Main Titles (Overture) from Forbidden Planet My song pick five years ago today: Rush - Anagram (for Mongo) My song pick six years ago today: Sky - Troika My song pick seven years ago today: Mason Williams - Classical Gas My song pick eig...

From: Aja ; Year: 1977; Genre: Jazz Fusion/Rock Yesterday I got the sad news that Walter Becker , (one of the two geniuses behind Steely Dan), has passed away at the early age of 67 ; he will definitely be missed. Steely Dan has always been one of the bands I hold in high regard and have been a big influence on me. I thought it best to pick one of my favourites off of most likely their biggest hit album. Like the rest of their body of work, this song was recorded and arranged to a fine perfection as to the sound they wanted to get. Hear Aja on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: The Coasters - Three Cool Cats My song pick two years ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - Crazy Chicken My song pick three years ago today: The Beatles - All You Need is Love My song pick four years ago today: The Offspring - Gotta Get Away My song pick five years ago today: Band of Horses - Knock, Knock My song pick six years ago today: Three Dog Night - Heaven ...

From: The Royal Scam ; Year: 1976; Genre: Rock/Jazz Fusion/Funk Been having songs from The Royal Scam on my mind today; so I'm picking another from it. I love the funky beat and bass line throughout this song. Hear The Fez on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: The Nice - Diary of an Empty Day My song pick two years ago today: Foreigner - Spell Binder My song pick three years ago today: Al Di Meola - Spanish Eyes My song pick four years ago today: Of Monsters and Men - Dirty Paws My song pick five years ago today: Three Dog Night - It's For You My song pick six years ago today: Warrant - Uncle Tom's Cabin My song pick seven years ago today: Bon Jovi - Keep The Faith My song pick eight years ago today: Neil Young - Rockin' in the Free World My song pick nine years ago today: Savatage - Skull Session

From: The Royal Scam ; Year: 1976; Genre: Rock/Jazz Fusion Today is one of those days that seem to be happening a lot lately where I binge on an album and pick a song from it. Don't Take Me Alive is not one of my biggest favourites from the record, but still one I like a lot. I really love the guitar throughout in particular. Hear Don't Take Me Alive on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Jethro Tull - Black Mamba My song pick two years ago today: Michael Martin Murphey - Medicine Man My song pick three years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - It's Just Begun My song pick four years ago today: Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear My song pick five years ago today: Carmen - Purple Flowers My song pick six years ago today: Rammstein - Keine Lust My song pick seven years ago today: Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin) - Piece Of My Heart My song pick eight years ago today: Nightwish - The Kinslayer My song pick nine y...

From: Can't Buy a Thrill ; Year: 1972; Genre: Rock/Pop Got in the mood for some Steely Dan today; thought I'd pick this deeper cut from their debut album for this, my first pick of 2017. Hear Midnight Cruiser on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: James Brown - Get Up Offa That Thing/Release the Pressure My song pick two years ago today: Primus with the Fungi Ensemble - Pure Imagination My song pick three years ago today: The Moody Blues - The Day Begins/Morning Glory My song pick four years ago today: Rush - Here Again My song pick five years ago today: Jethro Tull - Last Man at the Party My song pick six years ago today: Dan Fogelberg - Same Old Lang Syne My song pick seven years ago today: ABBA - Happy New Year My song pick eight years ago today: U2 - New Year's Day My song pick nine years ago today: Kiss - Shout It Out Loud

From: Can't Buy a Thrill ; Year: 197 2; Genre: Rock I had some songs from Can't Buy a Thrill running through my mind this morning, so I took it as a sign I should pick one off the album. This is one of the biggest hits from the record and while not my absolute favourite from the band, it's still one I like quite a bit. Their jazz/rock stylings is a perfect fit for an otherwise laid-back workday. Hear Reelin' in the Years on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Led Zeppelin - All of My Love My song pick two years ago today: Shocking Blue - Never Marry a Railroad Man My song pick three years ago today: Hawkwind - Mirror of Illusion My song pick four years ago today: Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven - Melancholy Blues My song pick five years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - That Smell My song pick six years ago today: Pink Floyd - Brain Damage/Eclipse

From: The Royal Scam ; Year: 1976; Genre: Rock/Jazz Fusion I'm having quite a busy day, so I am making a brief pick. I have been meaning to pick another one from Steely Dan for a bit now, so now's as a good time as ever. I've always liked this track, and I thought it would make an excellent pick. Hear Kid Charlemagne on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Steppenwolf - Monster/Suicide/America My song pick two years ago today: Max Roach - Valse Hot My song pick three years ago today: Nightwish - Amaranth My song pick four years ago today: The Grateful Dead - Alabama Getway My song pick five years ago today: Bob Seger - Night Moves

1554 Steely Dan - Bodhisattva From: Countdown to Ecstasy , Year: 1973 Genre: Rock/Jazz I had a couple of songs in mind for my pick, but after I heard this song on the radio this morning I figured I would choose it instead. I've often wondered who the enlightened being was that they were singing this song to, or maybe the word 'Bodhisattva' just fit their lyrical scheme the way they wanted, who knows. Anyway, the band is as excellent as ever in their musicianship and arrangement on this track. Hear Bodhisattva on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: UFO - Rock Bottom My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - Baker St. Muse My song pick three years ago today: Toto - Hold the Line My song pick four years ago today: Jethro Tull - Kissing Willie +

1516 Steely Dan - Peg From: Aja , Year: 1977 Genre: Rock/Jazz Fusion I've been meaning to pick a track from Steely Dan for about a week now, but every time another song happened to get in the way. This song happens to be, I believe, the eleventh Steely Dan song I have chosen thus far. I have always loved this band ever since I can remember. I guess for me they are what Max refers to as "Dad Music;" my father listened to them a lot whilst I was young and I came to love their music as well. Anyway, this is one of their quintessential songs off of one of their best albums; it was also the first of their albums that I owned. You've got to love all of the musical styles and genres they used in this song. Hear Peg on YouTube. Watch a live performance circa '03 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: What Made Milwaukee Famous - Selling Yourself Short My song pick two years ago today: Jethro Tull - Left Right My song pick three years ago today: Mo...

861 ( Steely Dan - Josie ) Last night I was playing this one along with a bunch of other Steely Dan music; it seemed like an excellent song for today, so I am adding it. A nice piece of Fusion Jazz with mindblowing musicianship all around. Hear Josie on YouTube. Watch a live performance circa '06 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Joni Mitchell - Goodbye Pork Pie Hat My song pick two years ago today: Big Country - In A Big Country +

828 ( Steely Dan - Black Friday ) It seems as if I am choosing quite a bit of Steely Dan as of late, it has just seemed right. They are one of my older favorite bands; I have been listening to their music for most of my life. I could not let today go without choosing this one concerning economic disaster for the occasion with it being Black Friday and all. This is the day, (the Friday after Thanksgiving), which most retail businesses are supposed to actually start to turn a profit for the fiscal year and go out of the "red" and into the "black," hence "Black Friday." Hear Black Friday on YouTube. Here is a live performance on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - I Just Want You My song pick two years ago today: Quiet Riot - Cum On Feel The Noize +