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

From: Who's Missing ; Year: 1985 (1971); Genre: Rock I love happening upon some of John Entwistle's somewhat rarer compositions; this one was originally a b-side to the Let's See Action single, but has been released on a few compilations since. I really love the horns in particular on this one, which I believe were also performed by Entwistle; he was the resident brass player in the band as far as I am aware.   Hear When I Was a Boy on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Big Country - Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys)   My song pick 2 years ago today: Pallas - Reds Under the Beds   My song pick 3 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Future Place   My song pick 4 years ago today: Paris - Janie   My song pick 5 years ago today: Rush - The Stars Look Down   My song pick 6 years ago today: Bob Welch - Outskirts My song pick 7 years ago today: Jerry Reed - Take It Easy (In Your Mind) My song pick 8 years ago today: Sammy Haga...

From: Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy ; Year: 1971 (1966); Genre: Rock This is one of those essential earlier songs from The Who, while it is technically a loud "mod" pop track, there is a lot of great blues influence.    Hear The Kid's Are Alright on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Circle of Love   My song pick 2 years ago today: Tesla - Heaven's Trail (No Way Out )   My song pick 3 years ago today: Ugly Kid Joe - Madman   My song pick 4 years ago today: Lakeside - Shine On (Lift Your Spirit Higher)   My song pick 5 years ago today: David Bowie - When the Wind Blows My song pick 6 years ago today: Rush - Bravado My song pick 7 years ago today: Paul Simon - Slip Slidin' Away My song pick 8 years ago today: Kiss - Strutter My song pick 9 years ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze My song pick 10 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Fan the Fire My song pick 11 years ago toda...

From: Who's Next ; Year: 1971; Genre: Hard Rock Was enjoying the Who's Next record yet again and was getting ready to choose a song from it for today's pick, but was flabbergasted to discover that I had not chosen their classic Baba O'Riley yet. I must've just assumed that I had already picked it, but never noticed that I had not. Anyway, what's been said about this monstrously famous song that has not already been said? Well... I guess many miss title it as "Teenage Wasteland" and that it was originally part of Pete Townshend's rock opera Lifehouse that did not initially happen. For me there's a lot I like about it across the board, but at the top has to be the entertaining and totally fun drum work by the late-great Keith Moon; in my head I can picture him furiously pounding away with a grin on his face.   Hear Baba O'Riley on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Isley Brothers - Shout (Parts I + II)   My song pick 2 yea...

From: Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy ; Year: 1971 (1966); Genre: Rock Thought I'd revisit some more good music from The Who today. My favourite part of this song has to be Keith Moon's drumming; he does such a great job pounding away on the drums. Hear Substitute on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: The Guess Who - Of a Dropping Pin My song pick 2 years ago today: Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show - Carry Me, Carrie   My song pick 3 years ago today: Hawkwind - Mutation Zone My song pick 4 years ago today: Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke My song pick 5 years ago today: Alestorm - Walk the Plank My song pick 6 years ago today: Sky - Sahara My song pick 7 years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Trouble No More My song pick 8 years ago today: Simon & Garfunkle - Mrs. Robinson My song pick 9 years ago today: Rare Earth - Get Ready My song pick 10 years ago today: Trio of Doom - Continuum My song pick 11 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Aqualung My song pick 12 y...

From: Quadrophenia ; Year: 1973; Genre: Hard Rock I thought for sure I had chosen this track already, but I guess I was wrong, so I'm picking it now. This is one of my favourites off the rock opera album Quadrophenia; it was really well written and produced and the musicianship is a marvel.   Hear 5.15 on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Delfonics - Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love) My song pick 2 years ago today: Foghat - Fool for the City My song pick 3 years ago today: Asia - Daylight My song pick 4 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Lowlands of Holland My song pick 5 years ago today: Mr. Bungle - Squeeze Me Macaroni My song pick 6 years ago today: The Delfonics - Funny Feeling My song pick 7 years ago today: Alice in Chains - Heaven Beside You My song pick 8 years ago today: Paris - Red Rain My song pick 9 years ago today: Nocturnal Rites - Destiny Calls My song pick 10 years ago today: The Who - Going Mobi...

From: The Who By Numbers ; Year: 1975; Genre: Hard Rock Been meaning to pick another song from The Who for a while now and today seemed like a perfect day to choose one.     Hear Success Story on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Booker T. & The MG's - My Sweet Potato   My song pick 2 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - When the War Comes Home My song pick 3 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Wintersmith My song pick 4 years ago today: Yes - Heart of the Sunrise My song pick 5 years ago today: The Grass Roots - Lady Pleasure My song pick 6 years ago today: Ohio Players - Jive Turkey My song pick 7 years ago today: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Weasel Stomping Day My song pick 8 years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Take a Pebble My song pick 9 years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Tarkus My song pick 10 years ago today: Supertramp - Just a Normal Day My song pick 11 years ago today: Northern Kings - Hello My son...

From: I Can't Explain (Single) ; Year:1965; Genre: Rock I love hearing early music from The Who, and this is one of their earliest songs that made it to single release. It's short and to the point but with a lot of interesting musical intricacies throughout. Hear I Can't Explain on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Journey - Kohoutek My song pick 2 years ago today: The Chakachas - Yo Soy Cubano My song pick 3 years ago today: George Gershwin - An American in Paris My song pick 4 years ago today: War - Summer My song pick 5 years ago today: The Mamas & the Papas - Go Where You Wanna Go My song pick 6 years ago today: Journey - Wheel in the Sky My song pick 7 years ago today: Santana - La Fuente del Ritmo My song pick 8 years ago today: King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King My song pick 9 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - Yours Truly, 2095 My song pick 10 years ago today: Stahlhammer - Herz Aus Stahl My song p...

From: Who ; Year: 2019; Genre: Hard Rock/Blues Rock Finally got around to check out The Who's newest album. Though it's still not the same without John Entwistle on bass, but I suppose it has been that way since Keith Moon died too. That being said, it's nice to hear new material from the band and it's pretty good to boot. Hear Ball and Chain on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: The Rolling Stones - Saint of Me My song pick 2 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Dodgy Bastards My song pick 3 years ago today: Nirvana - Blew My song pick 4 years ago today: Faith No More - I Started A Joke My song pick 5 years ago today: Bobby Lyle - Groove (Ain't No Doubt About It) My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Nursie My song pick 7 years ago today: Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb My song pick 8 years ago today: Steeleye Span - Sligo Maid My song pick 9 years ago today: Eddie Money - Gimme Me Some Water   My song pick 10 years ago today:...

From: Face Dances ; Year: 1981; Genre: Rock Felt like picking something from The Who today. This is a rather upbeat, more pop-oriented track on the surface, but is dark and heavy in other aspects. Of course the music is one of the main draws for me. Hear Don't Let Go The Coat on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Black Sabbath - Turn Up the Night My song pick 2 years ago today: Billy Joel - Big Shot My song pick 3 years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Statesboro Blues My song pick 4 years ago today: The Scorpions - The Zoo My song pick 5 years ago today: Hawkwind - Wraith My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Bends Like a Willow My song pick 7 years ago today: Rhapsody of Fire - The Mystic Prophecy of the Demonknight My song pick 8 years ago today: Led Zeppelin - Rock and Roll My song pick 9 years ago today: Rush - Xanadu My song pick 10 years ago today: Iron Maiden - Powerslave My song pick 11 years ago today: George Frideric Hand...

From: Who Are You ; Year: 1978; Genre: Hard Rock I had some music from The Who on the brain this morning and I decided I'd pick another one of their songs. Was quite surprised to see that I had yet to pick this one, which is one of their biggest hits. Hear Who Are You on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Gentle Giant - His Last Voyage My song pick 2 years ago today: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Waiting My song pick 3 years ago today: Rush - Marathon My song pick 4 years ago today: Devo - Beautiful World My song pick 5 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - E-Man Boogie My song pick 6 years ago today: Yes - The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be My song pick 7 years ago today: Soundgarden - Non-State Actor My song pick 8 years ago today: The Mushroom Tabernacle Choir - 12 Drugs of Christmas My song pick 9 years ago today: David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes My song pick 10 years ago today: Ian Anderson - In the Moneylender's Temple My song...

From: It's Hard ; Year: 1982; Genre: Rock One of the last hits for the band before breaking up, Athena has a very similar sound to a lot of their other popular material. Kind of a fitting sendoff until the band got back together later. Hear Athena on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Waylon Jennings - Do It Again My song pick 2 years ago today: Forest - The Midnight Hanging of a Runaway Serf My song pick 3 years ago today: Ellis Paul - 3,000 Miles My song pick 4 years ago today: Procol Harum - Homburg My song pick 5 years ago today: Faces - Stay With Me My song pick 6 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Oh Susannah My song pick 7 years ago today: Miles Davis - Freedom Jazz Dance My song pick 8 years ago today: Boston - More Than a Feeling My song pick 9 years ago today: David Bowie - Suffragette City My song pick 10 years ago today: Slade - Mama Weer All Crazee Now My song pick 11 years ago today: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) - ...

From: The Singles ; Year: 1984 (1972); Genre: Hard Rock Had The Who's Join Together incessantly running through my mind last night whilst trying to sleep. Since I do like the song I figured I should pick it today. Hear Join Together on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra My song pick two years ago today: Blood, Sweat & Tears - And When I Die My song pick three years ago today: Styx - Mademoiselle My song pick four years ago today: David Shire - Night on Disco Mountain My song pick five years ago today: King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man My song pick six years ago today: Rush - BU2B My song pick seven years ago today: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Born to Run My song pick eight years ago today: Jethro Tull - Moths My song pick nine years ago today: Steely Dan - Dirty Work My song pick ten years ago today: John Denver - Opposite Tables

From: Who Are You ; Year: 1978; Genre: Hard Rock Had The Who on the brain again; I've always kind of liked this song, but not a whole lot until more recent year when I gave it a close listening. Yeah, there's a lot of great music throughout this track. Hear Sister Disco on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Pallas - Shock Treatment My song pick two years ago today: Marillion - Hooks in You My song pick three years ago today: Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity My song pick four years ago today: Queensrÿche - Breaking the Silence My song pick five years ago today: Aerosmith - Jaded My song pick six years ago today: Blind Faith - Had to Cry Today My song pick seven years ago today: Jethro Tull - By Kind Permission Of My song pick eight years ago today: Peter Gabriel - Down To Earth My song pick nine years ago today: Edgar Winter Group - Free Ride My song pick ten years ago today: Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee

From: Who's Next ; Year: 1971; Genre: Rock Originally The Song Is Over would've been the final song for the abandoned Lifehouse rock opera, but ended up as one of the brighter gems from this album. Hear The Song Is Over on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Gloryhammer - Questlords of Inverness, Ride to the Galactic Fortress! My song pick two years ago today: Bob Welch - Hot Love, Cold World My song pick three years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears My song pick four years ago today: UFO - Too Hot To Handle My song pick five years ago today: Stratovarius - Chasing Shadows My song pick six years ago today: The Beatles - Back in the U.S.S.R. My song pick seven years ago today: Tarot - Pilot of All Dreams My song pick eight years ago today: Muse - Knights of Cydonia My song pick nine years ago today: Nightwish - 10th Man Down My song pick ten years ago today: Jaco Pastorius - Donna Lee

From: Face Dances ; Year: 1981; Genre: Rock Had this album on my mind this morning, so I thought I'd go ahead and pick a song from it. This is one of John Entwistle's songs and features him on vocals as well as his great bass playing. Hear The Quiet One on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: UPC All Stars - Don't Get Discouraged My song pick two years ago today: Stahlhammer - Messerschmied My song pick three years ago today: Chet Atkins and Merle Travis - I'll See You In My Dreams My song pick four years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - O.D.'d on Life Itself My song pick five years ago today: Hawkwind - We Took the Wrong Step Years Ago My song pick six years ago today: Oomph! - Das Weiße Licht My song pick seven years ago today: Trio of Doom - Dark Prince My song pick eight years ago today: Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun

From: Tommy ; Year: 1969; Genre: Hard Rock This morning whilst running some errands this final piece from The Who's epic rock opera Tommy kept on running through my mind. Even though it wasn't originally released as such, this final piece is actually two songs, but are always played together. This is very much one of The Who's signature songs that has all of sound and presence that the band is known for. Hear We're Not Gonna Take It/See Me Feel Me on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Chet Atkins - Funky Junk My song pick two years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - Overdrive My song pick three years ago today: The Doors - Light My Fire My song pick four years ago today: Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds My song pick five years ago today: Jethro Tull - Grace My song pick six years ago today: John Denver - Season Suite: Summer My song pick seven years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - The Window

From: Face Dances ; Year: 1981; Genre: Hard Rock Yeah, I'm picking two songs from The Who in a row, so sue me; I love this band and still felt like picking another one of their songs. Face Dances is of course their first album sans legendary drummer Keith Moon after his tragic death; Kenny Jones from The (Small) Faces took over as the heartbeat of the band. This song is one of their more popular tracks from the band's later period and was one of the lead singles off the album. It has a sound that is reminiscent of their earlier sound and their sound of the when it was recorded. Hear Another Tricky Day on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Rush - Beneath, Between & Behind My song pick two years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Last of a Dyin' Breed My song pick three years ago today: Rush - Subdivisions My song pick four years ago today: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - K. 525, Serenade No. 13 for Strings in G major " Eine Kleine Nachtmusik " My...

From: Who Are You ; Year: 1978; Genre: Hard Rock After listening to some stuff The Who last night I really got in the mood to listen a bunch more today, and of course, I decided that I would pick one of their songs too. 905 is one from the pen of John Entwistle and was originally supposed to be part of a rock opera based in a future setting he was composing, but sadly it apparently never came to fruition. This one is a very existential song sung from the point of view of a clone being forced, (albeit of his own will), to live a life predetermined in his make up. The music is a great mix of electronic and conventional music; it's done and arranged very well. John Entwistle's vocals and playing are really good as well; it's amazing that this wasn't promoted as a single, however I'm not a good judge of popular mainstream music. To me music should do more for someone than make them want to get drunk or shake their keister. :P Hear 905 on YouTube. My song pi...

From: Call Me Lightning (single) ; Year: 1969; Genre: Hard Rock I had no real song in mind for today, but this track happened to come to mind. I'm often one that likes songs written by John Entwistle; this one is no different. From what I understand this one was written about drummer Keith Moon's odd and erratic behaviour. The use of the tri-meter in the vocals really sells the feeling of insanity in the song as well as John Entwistle's vocals; it's definitely a gem for a b-side track. Hear Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along the Watchtower My song pick two years ago today: Billie Holiday - Summertime My song pick three years ago today: David Bowie - Young Americans My song pick four years ago today: Eric Robertson - "Spooked" on Classics My song pick five years ago today: Antonio Salieri - Requiem in C-Minor ( Piccolo Requiem ) My song pick six years ago today: Ma...

From: Who's Next ; Year: 1971; Genre: Hard Rock Yesterday I happened to catch a classic live performance by The Who on the television; this song, written by bassist John Entwistle was among the songs performed. Hear My Wife on YouTube. Here is a live performance of the song circa '00 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge My song pick two years ago today: Queen - These Are The Days Of Our Lives My song pick three years ago today: Megadeth - À Tout le Monde My song pick four years ago today: Booker T & The MGs - Green Onions +