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

From: Time and a Word ; Year: 1970; Genre: Progressive Rock Haven't really listened to or chosen one from Yes in a while, do not know why, but just not felt like it. So, I thought I would drop the needle down on one of their earlier records and choose one. Sweet Dreams closes out side one and does so quite well following up after all the energy released in the earlier tracks.    Hear Sweet Dreams  on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Bay City Rollers - Rock n' Roll Love Letter     My song pick 2 years ago today: Stevie Wonder - I Just Called To Say I Love You   My song pick 3 years ago today: Anita Ward - Ring My Bell   My song pick 4 years ago today: Tears for Fears - Elemental   My song pick 5 years ago today: ABBA - On And On And On   My song pick 6 years ago today: Rainbow - Stargazer My song pick 7 years ago today: Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy My song pick 8 years ago today: The Winery Dogs - ...

From: Yes ; Year: 1969; Genre: Progressive Rock/Psychedelic Rock Nothing like some early material from Yes for this very busy weekend.    Hear Survival on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Stand Back   My song pick 2 years ago today: Norman Greenbaum - I. J. Foxx   My song pick 3 years ago today: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - I Don't Blame You At All   My song pick 4 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - That Was Me My song pick 5 years ago today: Huey Lewis and the News - Doing It All For My Baby My song pick 6 years ago today: Lakeside - If You Like Our Music (Get Up And Move) My song pick 7 years ago today: Blancmange - Lose Your Love My song pick 8 years ago today: Curved Air - Metamorphosis My song pick 9 years ago today: Spencer Davis Group - I'm a Man My song pick 10 years ago today: Savatage - Streets My song pick 11 years ago today: Rammstein - Feuer und Wasser My song pick 12 ye...

From: Close to the Edge ; Year: 1972; Genre: Progressive Rock Been meaning to pick this "opus" off the Close to the Edge album for a bit now. As one of the three songs originally released on the record, even at over ten minutes in length, it is still not the longest. It is a-typical progressive rock from the time in every sense of the definition and is split into four parts: I. Chord of Life , II. Eclipse , III. The Preacher, The Teacher , and IV. Apocalypse .   Hear And You and I on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli (Quintette du Hot Club de France) - Blue Drag   My song pick 2 years ago today: Warren Zevon - Nighttime in the Switching Yard   My song pick 3 years ago today: April Wine - Silver Dollar   My song pick 4 years ago today: Smokehouse - Polar Funk My song pick 5 years ago today: Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall My song pick 6 years ago today: Audioslave - Like a Stone My son...

From: Heaven & Earth ; Year: 2014; Genre: Progressive Rock Not sure why exactly, but I had the band Yes on my mind somewhat lately, specifically some of their recent material. I guess saying that Heaven & Earth being "recent" is subjective, being that the record was released some 8 years ago, but still to me it is fairly recent. Anyway, enough of those semantics; this album will always hold a special place for me due to it being the final studio release by the band prior to the legend Chris Squire passing away. This 8-minute epic is the first song on the record and a very good, welcoming overture for the rest of the album.   Hear Believe Again on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Stanley Clarke - If This Bass Could Only Talk   My song pick 2 years ago today: Winery Dogs - Solid Ground   My song pick 3 years ago today: Alestorm - Alestorm   My song pick 4 years ago today: Osiris - War On The Bullshit My song pick 5 years ago tod...

From: Tormato ; Year: 1978; Genre: Progressive Rock/Symphonic Rock Had a live version of this track come on whilst driving, and with the recent passing of drummer extraordinaire Alan White I thought it'd be a great time to choose another one from Yes. This is quite a beautiful song in many ways; I really love how they blend the progressive sound of the band with symphonic elements.   Hear Onward on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Stevie Wonder - I Wish My song pick 2 years ago today: The Steve Miller Band - The Gangster is Back   My song pick 3 years ago today: Pearl Jam - Oceans My song pick 4 years ago today: The Grateful Dead - Mountains of the Moon My song pick 5 years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Not My Cross to Bear My song pick 6 years ago today: Savatage - Prelude to Madness My song pick 7 years ago today: Traffic - Rock 'n' Roll Stew Parts 1&2 My song pick 8 years ago today: Chris Squire - Lucky Seven...

From: Going for the One ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock I really like the slide guitar used on this one; gives it a very unique sound. It's quite a bit different than the normal Yes sound, not bad at all; I really like this track.   Hear Going for the One on YouTube.         My song pick 1 year ago today: Dayton Sidewinders - Phoenix   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Police - Synchronicity I My song pick 3 years ago today: Pink Floyd - Dogs My song pick 4 years ago today: Ozzy Osbourne - See You on the Other Side My song pick 5 years ago today: Queensrÿche - If I Could Change it All My song pick 6 years ago today: Kleeer - You Got Me Rockin' My song pick 7 years ago today: Nocturnal Rites - Test of Time My song pick 8 years ago today: Deborah Harry and Robin Zander - Send Love Through My song pick 9 years ago today: Megaherz - Jagdzeit My song pick 10 years ago today: Alabama - Mountain Music My song pick 11 years ago today:...

From: Time and a Word ; Year: 1970; Genre: Progressive Rock I had this song on my mind today and thought it would be an excellent pick. I love this early sound from Yes; it's got a real unique feel and sound to it.   Hear Then on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: Brave Belt - Goodbye, Soul Shy   My song pick 2 years ago today: Klaatu - Little Neutrino My song pick 3 years ago today: Pallas - Win or Lose My song pick 4 years ago today: AC/DC - Rock 'N' Roll Damnation My song pick 5 years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - One Way Out My song pick 6 years ago today: Dream Theater - The Ministry of Lost Souls My song pick 7 years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Give it Time My song pick 8 years ago today: Jethro Tull - The Waking Edge My song pick 9 years ago today: The Scorpions - The Good Die Young My song pick 10 years ago today: Megadeth - Elysian Fields My song pick 11 years ago today: Django Reinhardt & S...

From: Fragile ; Year: 1971; Genre: Progressive Rock This is a rather pretty classical sounding guitar piece played by Steve Howe. I like the choice of chords and time signatures throughout the song.   Hear Mood for a Day on YouTube.       My song pick 1 year ago today: The Beatles - Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite   My song pick 2 years ago today: The Who - Athena My song pick 3 years ago today: Waylon Jennings - Do It Again My song pick 4 years ago today: Forest - The Midnight Hanging of a Runaway Serf My song pick 5 years ago today: Ellis Paul - 3,000 Miles My song pick 6 years ago today: Procol Harum - Homburg My song pick 7 years ago today: Faces - Stay With Me My song pick 8 years ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Oh Susannah My song pick 9 years ago today: Miles Davis - Freedom Jazz Dance My song pick 10 years ago today: Boston - More Than a Feeling My song pick 11 years ago today: David Bowie - Suffragette City My song p...

From: Time and a Word ; Year: 1970; Genre: Progressive Rock This song seemed like an excellent song for today's pick. It has a bit of a psychedelic feel to it along with the usual prog/rock elements from the band. Hear Time and a Word on YouTube.   My song pick 1 year ago today: Jethro Tull - Commercial Traveler My song pick 2 years ago today: Jefferson Starship - No Way Out My song pick 3 years ago today: Cybotron - Parameters of Consciousness My song pick 4 years ago today: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - You Better Be Good (Or the Devil Gon' Getcha) My song pick 5 years ago today: Yes - No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed My song pick 6 years ago today: Weather Report - Havona My song pick 7 years ago today: Frank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention - Who Are the Brain Police? My song pick 8 years ago today: Johann Strauss II - Op. 314 - An Der Schönen Blauen Donau , or ( The Blue Danube Waltz ) My song pick 9 years ago today: The Walter Murphy Band - A Fift...

From: Going for the One ; Year: 1977; Genre: Progressive Rock Had Yes on my mind today; thought I'd go ahead and pick one as well. This song has a lot of great musicianship throughout, which makes it very fun to listen to. Hear Wonderous Stories on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Shots My song pick 2 years ago today: Pallas - New Life My song pick 3 years ago today: Ultravox - Hymn My song pick 4 years ago today: Screaming Trees - Nearly Lost You My song pick 5 years ago today: Leonard Nimoy - Highly Illogical My song pick 6 years ago today: The Headhunters - If You Got It, You'll Get It My song pick 7 years ago today: Billy Joel - Piano Man My song pick 8 years ago today: Pallas - Heart Attack My song pick 9 years ago today: Chet Atkins - Windy and Warm My song pick 10 years ago today: David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World My song pick 11 years ago today: Dire Straits - Industrial Disease My song pic...

From: Yes ; Year: 1969; Genre: Progressive Rock Time for some early Yes; picking one of my favourites from their debut album. It's amazing to hear how well-polished their sound is at this point in the band's existence. Hear Harold Land on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: The Charles Mingus Quintet + Max Roach - Drums My song pick 2 years ago today: Neil Young - Sugar Mountain My song pick 3 years ago today: Return to Forever - Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant (Parts 1+2) My song pick 4 years ago today: Ozric Tentacles - Plant Music My song pick 5 years ago today: Luther Vandross - Never Too Much My song pick 6 years ago today: Jethro Tull - Living in the Past My song pick 7 years ago today: Hawkwind - It Is the Business of the Future to Be Dangerous My song pick 8 years ago today: Earth, Wind & Fire - Fantasy My song pick 9 years ago today: Miles Davis - Freddie Freeloader My song pick 10 years ago today: Django Reinhardt & Stephan...

From: Tales From Topographic Oceans ; Year: 1973; Genre: Progressive Rock Time for an epic long piece from Yes: as it happens, there are only 4 songs on this record with each one clocking in at or near 20 minutes each. The Remembering is one that has more or less everything you'd expect from a mid 70s prog epic; it's a very well thought out and constructed song. Hear The Remembering/High the Memory on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Alphaville - Sounds Like a Melody My song pick 2 years ago today: The Spencer Davis Group - Keep On Running My song pick 3 years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - Searchin' for Celine My song pick 4 years ago today: Queen - Thank God It's Christmas My song pick 5 years ago today: Faster Pussycat - House of Pain My song pick 6 years ago today: Dire Straits - Skateaway My song pick 7 years ago today: Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie - Bloomdido My song pick 8 years ago today: Molly Hatchet - One Man's Ple...

From: The Ladder ; Year: 1999; Genre: Progressive Rock I like how they play around a bit with ska and reggae idea throughout this song; it works really well. Hear Lightning Strikes on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Queensrÿche - For What It's Worth My song pick 2 years ago today: Marillion - The New Kings My song pick 3 years ago today: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - K.619 - Die ihr des Unermeßlichen Weltalls My song pick 4 years ago today: Billy Joel - She's Got a Way My song pick 5 years ago today: Rick James - Cold Blooded My song pick 6 years ago today: Primus - Amos Moses My song pick 7 years ago today: Pink Floyd - Speak to Me/Breathe/On the Run My song pick 8 years ago today: Aerosmith - Rag Doll My song pick 9 years ago today: John Lennon - Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) My song pick 10 years ago today: Fuel - Million Miles My song pick 11 years ago today: Tom Petty - Runnin' Down A Dream

From: 90215 ; Year: 1983; Genre: Rock/Hard Rock Came into my mind this morning and thought it would be a good pick. It's one of the singles from 90215 that is fairly recognizable, but not quite as ubiquitous as others on the album. Whilst the overall sound is somewhat dated to the time of the recording it's still one that's very enjoyable. Hear Changes on YouTube. My song pick 1 year ago today: Santana - Evil Ways My song pick 2 years ago today: Gerry Rafferty - The Tourist My song pick 3 years ago today: Loudness - Let It Go My song pick 4 years ago today: Carmen - She Flew Across the Room My song pick 5 years ago today: California Guitar Trio - Ghost Riders on the Storm My song pick 6 years ago today: Al Di Meola and Steve Vai - Race with the Devil on Turkish Highway My song pick 7 years ago today: Nightwish - Beauty of the Beast My song pick 8 years ago today: L'Arc~en~Ciel - Spirit Dreams Inside My song pick 9 years ago today: Led Zeppel...

From: Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe ; Year: 1989; Genre: Progressive Rock Whilst getting some long overdue work completed, amongst other songs, I had some of Yes and ABWH music on my brain; decided to pick one from ABWH's only album. Hear Fist of Fire on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Jethro Tull - Rhythm In Gold My song pick two years ago today: The Eagles - Already Gone My song pick three years ago today: Cameo - Back and Forth My song pick four years ago today: Michael Kiwanuka - Tell Me a Tale My song pick five years ago today: The Rolling Stones - Monkey Man My song pick six years ago today: Boston - Peace of Mind My song pick seven years ago today: Weezer - Buddy Holly My song pick eight years ago today: Rammstein - Ich Will My song pick nine years ago today: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Mad Hatter My song pick ten years ago today: Ludwig van Beethoven - Op. 27, No.2 - Moonlight Sonata

From: Time and a Word ; Year: 1970; Genre: Progressive Rock Has this album and song on my mind for this Sunday pick; perfect to have on whilst getting work done. Hear The Prophet on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Genesis - The Cinema Show My song pick two years ago today: Skid Row - Monkey Business My song pick three years ago today: ZZ Top - Tush My song pick four years ago today: Blue Öyster Cult - In Thee My song pick five years ago today: Rush - La Villa Strangiato (An Exercise in Self-Indulgence) My song pick six years ago today: Cheap Trick - Don't Be Cruel My song pick seven years ago today: Rufus & Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good My song pick eight years ago today: Freddie Taylor and His Swing Men from Harlem - Viper's Dream My song pick nine years ago today: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - Pow My song pick ten years ago today - Ricky Nelson - Garden Party

From: Fish Out of Water ; Year: 1975; Genre: Progressive Rock Surprised I hadn't picked this one; it's probably my favourite song off of Chris Squire's Fish Out of Water album. This one that's deceptively difficult; on the surface it has a very listenable sound to those who just want a something to dance to, but when you listen past the surface there's a lot of amazing music going on. Hear Hold Out Your Hand on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Al Green - Back Up Train My song pick two years ago today: Karla DeVito - Bloody Bess My song pick three years ago today: Dream Theater - Breaking All Illusions My song pick four years ago today: Tom Petty - You Don't Know It Feels My song pick five years ago today: Booker T. & the MGs - Melting Pot My song pick six years ago today: Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) - Don't Get Yourself In Trouble My song pick seven years ago today: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Scar Tissue My song pick...

From: Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe ; Year: 1989; Genre: Progressive Rock Was thinking about ABWH only studio album today; I figured I'd pick one from it. Quartet has a '70s Yes feel to it; especially the more mellow selections, which doesn't surprise since this band is essentially Yes minus Chris Squire. Hear Quartet on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Mahavishnu Orchestra - Radio-Activity My song pick two years ago today: Toto - Stranger in Town My song pick three years ago today: Dream Theater - Hell's Kitchen My song pick four years ago today: Styx - Come Sail Away My song pick five years ago today: Alestorm - You Are a Pirate My song pick six years ago today: Bill Evans Trio - Waltz for Debbie My song pick seven years ago today: The Box Tops - The Letter My song pick eight years ago today: Azteca - Mazatlan My song pick nine years ago today: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) - Have You Ever Seen the Rain?

From: The Yes Album ; Year: 1971; Genre: Progressive Rock Was in the mood once again for some early Yes. I love this album and all the tracks therein; the whole band made magic with this one. Hear A Venture on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: Pearl Jam - Dissent My song pick two years ago today: Steeleye Span - Drink Down the Moon My song pick three years ago today: Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Still... You Turn Me On My song pick four years ago today: Melvins - Nude with Boots My song pick five years ago today: The Animals - House of the Rising Sun My song pick six years ago today: Wild Turkey - Sentinel My song pick seven years ago today: KISS - She My song pick eight years ago today: Hawkwind - Assault and Battery/The Golden Void My song pick nine years ago today: Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart

From: Drama ; Year: 1980; Genre: Progressive Rock/Hard Rock I heard this "magnum opus" yesterday and I definitely wanted to pick it. This one has everything you'd expect from the band and then some. I especially like the contrasting sounds that go from almost light classical at times all the way to "just dipping their proverbial toes" into metal; a great piece in many ways. Hear Machine Messiah on YouTube. My song pick one year ago today: The Offspring - The Meaning of Life My song pick two years ago today: Savatage - Degrees of Sanity My song pick three years ago today: Extreme - Get the Funk Out My song pick four years ago today: Bill Haley & His Comets - Rock Around the Clock My song pick five years ago today: Steve Vai - I'm the Hell Outta Here My song pick six years ago today: Fear Factory - Replica My song pick seven years ago today: David Bowie - Changes My song pick eight years ago today: Heart - Black On Black II M...