“I Guess It’s a Beautiful Day Today” (1973) – Coven * Written by Chris Neilsen * 45: “One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack)” / “I Guess It’s a Beautiful Day Today” * LP: Coven * Produced by Frank Laughlin * Label: MGMThe strident “One Tin Soldier,” from the sleeper hit Billy Jack, had a complicated history, with as many as three issues of the single, all by Coven (not including a previous version by a group called The Original Caste), charting in the wake of the movie’s success. Although their first album had been a macabre occult outing called Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls that the Mercury label withdrew after negative publicity, Coven would tone it down a bit for eponymous album number two (but not enough to refrain from flashing the horns on the cover). It would appear on conservative Mike Curb’s MGM imprint, making them label mates with the Osmonds. Side B of the MGM issue of the single contained a refreshing country-rock change-up called “I Guess It’s a Beautiful Day Today,” written and sung by guitarist Chris Nielsen. The production credit of Frank Laughlin was likely used by Tom Laughlin, the film’s director, as a rights ploy; Frank was actually Tom’s son, and he would not yet have been old enough to drive, let alone produce a hit record. But you never know.