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

From: Asia ; Year: 1982; Genre: Progressive Rock Another track from this great prog rock supergroup, which is the last track off of their first and probably best album. Hear Here Comes the Feeling on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Sol Ho'opi'i - St. Louis Blues My song pick two years ago today: The Allman Brothers Band - Les Brers in A Minor My song pick three years ago today: Puhdys - He John My song pick four years ago today: Styx - Too Much Time On My Hands My song pick five years ago today: The Amboy Dukes - Journey to the Center of the Mind My song pick six years ago today: The Who - Pinball Wizard

From: Black Bear Road ; Year: 1975; Genre: Country I had some of C.W. McCall's on my mind this morning whilst walking about and it got me in the mood to hear some more. When I was little I used to listen to C.W. McCall a lot; the albums my Dad has I would usually play all the way through without skipping a song, one I listened to a lot was Black Bear Road . Probably this song would be though of as a "filler track," but it has always been one that I liked. I have to say though this one would've been better in my opinion if it was an instrumental; not really that there's anything wrong with the song's lyrics or their delivery, but it kind of spoils the mood laid down by the rather beautiful music. Hear Ghost Town on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Stevie Nicks - Stand Back My song pick two years ago today: Jigsaw - Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind My song pick three years ago today: U2 - Mysterious Ways My song pick four years ago toda...

From: Unhalfbricking ; Year: 1969; Genre: Folk Rock/Progressive Rock I haven't picked one from Fairport in a while, and I felt like listening to some of their music today, so it only makes sense to pick one. This is a really pretty and interestingly constructed track from the pen of Sandy Denny. It starts out in a 5/4 time with an accent on the first three beats, which kind of gives it a bouncy waltz feel and then becomes a straight up blues rock in 4/4 with exquisite blues guitar playing that words cannot express and finishes the solo in a 6/8. The song then goes back to where it started with the 5/4, but retains the bluesy guitar. Even with these changes unless you are paying close attention like a casual listener you might not notice them; it goes along quite smoothly. Hear Autopsy on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Police - Every Breath You Take My song pick two years ago today: Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone My song pick three years ago today: The...

From: Vulgaris Magistralis (single); Year: 1990; Genre: Hard Rock I happened to hear this song the other day and it immediately brought a smile to my face; thought I would go ahead and pick it. You got to love a hard rock track about a wild man riding a wooly mammoth! Hear Vulgaris Magistralis on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Audioslave - Jewel of the Summertime My song pick two years ago today: Megaherz - Himmelfahrt My song pick three years ago today: Coleman Hawkins - Stardust My song pick four years ago today: Bon Jovi - Someday I'll Be Saturday Night My song pick five years ago today: Styx - The Grand Illusion My song pick six years ago today: Neil Young - After The Gold Rush

From: Fly Some Funk Up To The Moon ; Year: 1978; Genre: Funk/Soul I'm going for a third Funky Friday pick in a row with this funky and rare track from, as far as I know, the only album The Cosmic Sound Orchestra ever released. As you might surmise from the band's name and that of the album they have a "spacy" sound combined with their funky sound as well as a smattering of disco. Quite an excellent band and song most have never heard before. Hear Listen to the Beat on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Jethro Tull - Overhang My song pick two years ago today: Hawkwind - Uncle Sam's on Mars My song pick three years ago today: Al Di Meola - Suite – Golden Dawn My song pick four years ago today: Béla Fleck & the Flecktones - Sex in a Pan My song pick five years ago today: David Bowie - Space Oddity My song pick six years ago today: The Guess Who - No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature

From: Not Fragile ; Year: 1974; Genre: Hard Rock Out of all the songs off of their hit album Not Fragile , I have yet to pick what is one of their biggest hits for the band, not just from the album. Interestingly enough, this song was originally a joke of sorts used only in practice, but for some reason was added to the album and became a huge hit. Hear You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: The Moody Blues - Don't You Feel Small My song pick two years ago today: Depeche Mode - Stripped My song pick three years ago today: Sammy Davis Jr. - Mr. Bojangles My song pick four years ago today: John Denver - Blues My Naughty My song pick five years ago today: Rush - Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres My song pick six years ago today: Rush - YYZ

From: The Sentinel ; Year: 1984; Genre: Progressive Rock I was thinking of picking another track from Pallas today; this is yet another track from their epic The Sentinel album. After checking I noticed that after this choice only the song Atlantis is left from the album's original concept for me to pick; what can I say, it's a great album. It still amazes me about these "Neo-Progressive" bands from the late 70's into the 80's is how they were able to make it in a time musically where it seemed that essentially showed greater concept, virtuosity, or anything outside of the three-chord-trick was unfashionable. Sure, there are other times in musical history where it would've been worse for a progressive rock band to try and make it, but they had their work cut out for them. Hear March on Atlantis on YouTube. Blocked in the U.S., sorry. Watch a live performance of the Atlantis Suite circa 1986 on YouTube. My song pick a year ago today: Mas...