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

From: Circling from Above ; Year: 2025; Genre: Progressive Rock Had this, the most recent album from Styx, on my mind for the last bit; certainly you know the rest.... Anyway, Forgive is one that Tommy Shaw and Lawrence Gowan share the lead vocals and perform some amazing harmonies; you can definitely hear some Beatles influence in those harmonies amongst others. The guitar work is, of course, amazing as always and lends itself to the original Styx sound we so love.   Watch the music video on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Bootsy's New Rubber Band - Funk Me Dirty     My song pick 2 years ago today: B.T. Express - Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Pegasus   My song pick 4 years ago today: Vixen - Cryin'   My song pick 5 years ago today: Weather Report - Surucucú   My song pick 6 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Summer Lady   My song pick 7 years ago toda...

From: Circling From Above ; Year: 2025; Genre: Hard Rock/Progressive Rock Finally had a chance to listen to Styx's new album. Again, it is nice to hear bands that try new things, but without a doubt immediately identified due to " that " sound. This track exemplifies it: the keyboards and guitars still have that unique quality that only comes from its members and at the same time the sound has progressed and is in the present-tense, if you will.   Watch the music video on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Power Underneath Despair     My song pick 2 years ago today: Dolly Parton - Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Zombies - Time Of The Season   My song pick 4 years ago today: Sweat Band - Freak to Freak   My song pick 5 years ago today: Van der Graaf Generator - Orthenthian St (Parts I & II)   My song pick 6 years ago today: Steve Vai - The Crying Machine...

From: Kilroy Was Here ; Year: 1983; Genre: Rock It's one of those days that I had nothing special in mind to pick for my song, however, I've had some of Styx's music playing in my mind, so I'll go with that. This track from the pen of Tommy Shaw comes in earlier on the second side of the noted concept album that is Kilroy Was Here . I really like how they set the mood in this one with the Eastern musical influences, and that steady, bluesy rhythm really sells the rest of the song.   Hear Just Get Through This Night on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Stevie Wonder - Someday At Christmas   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Moody Blues - Have You Heard (Part 1)/Voyage/Have You Heard (Part 2)   My song pick 3 years ago today: Fleetwood Mac - Dust   My song pick 4 years ago today: Savatage - Not What You See My song pick 5 years ago today: Winger - Without the Night My song pick 6 years ago today: Eurythmics - Winter Wonderland My so...

From: Pieces of Eight ; Year: 1978; Genre: Progressive Rock Revisiting this classic record from Styx once more with this rather interesting piece of progressive rock that happened to chart. Although I had already been acquainted with the main singles off of it through the radio, it was a real eye opener playing it after picking it up on vinyl for less than a dollar at a local second-hand store. It happens to be one of those albums where you just drop the needle on the first song and let it go; a very well arranged album, this one. Anyway, this one is right in the middle of side one on the LP, which really keeps the flow quite upbeat. The excellent harmonies in the chorus are a nice contrast to Tommy Shaw's vocals in the verses among other aspects I really like.   Hear Sing for the Day on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Porcupine Tree - What Happens Now?   My song pick 2 years ago today: Egg - Contrasong   My song pick 3 years ago today: Ian ...

From: Crash of the Crown ; Year: 2021; Genre: Progressive Rock This is a very interesting song from Styx's most recent record; it reminds me, (of course), a lot of the band's classic material, but in some areas in my opinion they have sounds similar to Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes with some harmony vocals reminiscent to Crosby, Stills & Nash to my ears.    Hear Common Ground on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie - Relaxin' With Lee   My song pick 2 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - I'm Alright   My song pick 3 years ago today: Hawkwind - Night of the Hawks My song pick 4 years ago today: Aretha Franklin - Freeway of Love My song pick 5 years ago today: Queen - She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stilettos) My song pick 6 years ago today: The Doors - The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) My song pick 7 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Busy Bee My song pick 8 years ago today: The Ventures - H...

From: Styx II ; Year: 1973: Genre: Hard Rock From what I understand, this song is autobiographical of JY Young's early years of growing up in the Roseland neighbourhood and playing music in a band with the Panozzo Brothers, who would of course later become Styx. This is a really good song that is atypical of the early Styx sound.   Hear Earl of Roseland on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Klaatu - A Routine Day   My song pick 2 years ago today: Motörhead - Iron Fist My song pick 3 years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Stand Back My song pick 4 years ago today: Mastodon - High Road My song pick 5 years ago today: A-Ha - Love is Reason My song pick 6 years ago today: Bob Seger - Turn the Page My song pick 7 years ago today: Rage Against the Machine - The Ghost of Tom Joad My song pick 8 years ago today: Dire Straits - Walk of Life My song pick 9 years ago today: The Foggy Mountain Boys (Flatt & Scruggs) - Cripple Cree...

From: The Grand Illusion ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock I love it every time I revisit Styx's Grand Illusion album, I always seem to notice something new on certain songs. This is one of their many "big" sounding songs from arguably is the band's best era of music. Hear Superstars on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Kajagoogoo - Too Shy My song pick 2 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Summer and Lightning My song pick 3 years ago today: Cheap Trick - Surrender My song pick 4 years ago today: The Kinks - Autumn Almanac My song pick 5 years ago today: Stevie Wonder - Skeletons My song pick 6 years ago today: The Grass Roots - Sooner or Later My song pick 7 years ago today: Felix Mendelssohn - Op. 56 - Symphony No. 3 (Scottish) My song pick 8 years ago today: Deep Purple - Pictures of Home My song pick 9 years ago today: Heart - If Looks Could Kill My song pick 10 years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man ...

From: Big Bang Theory ; Year: 2005; Genre: Blues Rock Heard this song for the first time today; it's of course, the track originally done by Blind Faith, which is a classic. I actually like this cover quite a bit, it does exactly wot is needed in my opinion for a cover song to be good: 1. Pay tribute to the original, and 2. Make the song their own at the same time. Hear Can't Find My Way Home on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Return to Forever - Theme to the Mothership My song pick 2 years ago today: Amnesty - Free Your Mind My song pick 3 years ago today: Ennio Morricone & Joan Baez - The Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti (Here's To You) My song pick 4 years ago today: Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Sky is Crying My song pick 5 years ago today: Maddy Prior - Gutter Geese My song pick 6 years ago today: Pink Floyd - Hey You My song pick 7 years ago today: Return to Forever - Dayride My song pick 8 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Hot Rails ...

From: Equinox ; Year: 1975; Genre: Hard Rock Have had Styx's Equinox album on my mind off and on for about week now; took it as a sign I should pick something from it. This is a hard rocker in the vein of early '70s proto metal; it's definitely one of my favourites from the album and band. Hear Born For Adventure on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Ian Anderson - Heavy Metals My song pick two years ago today: Yes - The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun) My song pick three years ago today: Yes - Perpetual Change My song pick four years ago today: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Mephistopheles My song pick five years ago today: The Gentrys - Keep On Dancing My song pick six years ago today: Azteca - A Night in Nazca My song pick seven years ago today: The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band/With a Little Help from My Friends My song pick eight years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Midnight Special My song pick ...

From: The Grand Illusion ; Year: 1977; Genre: Hard Rock/Progressive Rock I got in the mood for some more Styx today and was a bit surprised that I hadn't picked this song, which is among my favourites off of the album. Miss America has all of that legendary late '70s Styx sound. Hear Miss America on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - The House is a Rockin' My song pick two years ago today: Melvins - Honey Bucket My song pick three years ago today: Bing Crosby - Beautiful Dreamer My song pick four years ago today: Black 47 - Bankers and Gangsters My song pick five years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - House of the Rising Sun My song pick six years ago today: The Moody Blues - The Story in Your Eyes My song pick seven years ago today: Cheech & Chong feat. Alice Bowie - Earache My Eye My song pick eight years ago today: Weather Report - Birdland

From: Crystal Ball ; Year: 1976l Genre: Rock It's been a rather busy day and I really didn't have a song in mind, but eventually I got a song in mind. This one comes from Tommy Shaw's debut album with the band and was somewhat of hit and a bit lighter but has that nice signature Styx sound to it. Hear Mademoiselle on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: David Shire - Night on Disco Mountain My song pick two years ago today: King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man My song pick three years ago today: Rush - BU2B My song pick four years ago today: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Born to Run My song pick five years ago today: Jethro Tull - Moths My song pick six years ago today: Steely Dan - Dirty Work My song pick seven years ago today: John Denver - Opposite Tables

From: Cyclorama ; Year: 2003; Genre: Hard Rock I started to listen to this album the other day; it has some definite hits and misses, but overall it's a good record. This is the lead track and was a great way to be greeted as a listener with the hard rock sound; it is definitely one of the best songs on the record. Hear Do Things My Way on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Steeleye Span - The Black Freighter My song pick two years ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication My song pick three years ago today: Queensrÿche - Eyes of a Stranger My song pick four years ago today: Bad Company - Holy Water My song pick five years ago today: Azteca - Some Day We'll Get By My song pick six years ago today: Elmer Bernstein - The Magnificent Seven ( Theme ) My song pick seven years ago today: Rush - Jacob's Ladder

From: Pieces of Eight ; Year: 1978; Genre: Hard Rock/Progressive Rock After hearing this track the other day I knew it would be one I'd be picking soon; this is definitely Styx at their best. Hear Queen of Spades on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Nobody's Hero My song pick two years ago today: Waylander - Echoes of the Sidhe My song pick three years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Macho City My song pick four years ago today: Bad English - When I See You Smile My song pick five years ago today: The Beatles - Love Me Do My song pick six years ago today: Mr. Big - Green-Tinted Sixties Mind My song pick seven years ago today: ABBA - Our Last Summer

From: The Grand Illusion ; Year: 1977; Genre: Hard Rock I had another song in mind for today's pick, but for some reason I had a few of Styx's songs running through my mind, so I took it as a sign I should pick one of theirs instead. Anyway, as I've said in previous posts concerning Styx; The Grand Illusion is my absolute favourite of their records. Because of this it seems that I am running out of tracks from the album to pick, so I am forced to pick one of the lesser tracks today. I suppose I could've picked one from another album, but I felt like sticking with this one. Being that this one was written by Tommy Shaw means that, yes it is a bit more of a rocker. Hear Man in the Wilderness on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Curved Air - Vivaldi My song pick two years ago today: Megadeth - Endgame My song pick three years ago today: Sirenia - The Other Side My song pick four years ago today: Jethro Tull - Spiral My song pick five years...

From: The Grand Illusion ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock The other day I heard this song on the radio and it has been stuck in my mind off and on ever since. Come Sail Away is one of the main songs that Styx will probably be remembered for if for no other reason than its use in popular culture. However, in my opinion, this song's greatness by itself by far out weighs anything in pop culture; it's an excellent song with all of the trappings the band was noted for during this period in their music. Hear Come Sail Away on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Alestorm - You Are a Pirate My song pick two years ago today: Bill Evans Trio - Waltz for Debbie My song pick three years ago today: The Box Tops - The Letter My song pick four years ago today: Azteca - Mazatlan My song pick five years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Have You Ever Seen the Rain?  

From: Kilroy Was Here ; Year: 1983; Genre: Rock Again, I had another song in mind for today's pick, but then I discovered that it wasn't released in 1983, (today's pick number); after that I was back to going over the album's released in that year. Mr. Roboto , which, of course hails from Styx's landmark Kilroy Was Here album, is probably one of the band's biggest and most recognizable hits. However, for me personally it marked the downward trend for their music. Don't get me wrong, it's still okay, but nowhere near the caliber of their material that came before. Here is the video clip for Mr. Roboto on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Carmen - High Time My song pick two years ago today: Stahlhammer - Strom Der Zeit My song pick three years ago today: Ally Kerr - The Sore Feet Song My song pick four years ago today: Johnny Cash - Solitary Man My song pick five years ago today: Two-Mix - White Reflection

From: Paradise Theater ; Year: 1981; Genre: Progressive Rock This morning whilst I was running some errands there were about three or four songs from Styx that came on my iPod within a little bit of listening. Because of this I took it as a sign that I needed to pick another Styx track. To me Paradise Theater is kind of a dividing line for Styx's music that I like, which was released prior to it and the subsequent material that I didn't find as appealing, although there are a few songs they've released after this album that I still do like. Anyway, to me this one sounds a wee bit different from their normal sound, but is still a good track. This is one of the hits from the album that still gets a modicum of radioplay; as you might be able to tell by the song's title, it's about drug addiction; specifically to cocaine. Interestingly enough, Snowblind also happened to be one of the many songs tried by the PMRC and a few others during the witch hunts back i...

From: Pieces of Eight ; Year: 1978; Genre: Hard Rock This morning whilst I was out and about I heard this song come on the radio and it felt like an excellent song for a Wednesday. This one, for me, exemplifies the best 'era' if you will of the band; in my opinion after Pieces of Eight , with the exception of a few songs, the band's ever softening sound couldn't hold a candle to this material. Hear the studio version of Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) on YouTube. Here is a live performance video on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: April Wine - Sign of the Gypsy Queen My song pick two years ago today: Clifford Brown & Max Roach - Daahoud My song pick three years ago today: Rammstein - Engel My song pick four years ago today: Frank Sinatra - Fly Me to the Moon +

1301 Styx - Renegade From: Pieces of Eight, Year: 1978 On to day six of my theme week of picking songs from dormant or dead song a day blogs; this one comes off of Britt's Song of the Day blog . Britt was a reader of my blog that decided to start a song a day blog of her own; while this one didn't go past 36 song picks, it was still a pretty good one while up and running; this one was Britt's 8th overall pick. I've always been a fan of Styx's music, especially their material from this period. What I've found very interesting is that they are one of those bands that can be technical musically and for the most part still gain fanfare from the mainstream. Hear Renegade on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Jaggerz - The Rapper My song pick two years ago today: Sha Na Na - Blue Moon My song pick three years ago today: The Moody Blues - Your Wildest Dreams +

1188 Styx - Light Up Didn't really have a song in mind for today; usually I have an idea of what I am planning to pick even if I don't have a song in mind, but not today. However, most of the morning this track has been running through my mind and as fate had it, it was played on the radio this morning as well. I took it as a sign that I should choose it. This is a very upbeat track; a fitting song for ending a workweek and starting the weekend. While it is a song that has overt drug references, it is written quite well and doesn't detract at all. Hear Light Up on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Pink Floyd - Waiting for the Worms My song pick two years ago today: Rush - Roll the Bones My song pick three years ago today: Béla Fleck & The Flecktones - A Moment So Close +