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The Story and Meaning Behind “Life Is a Highway,” a Road Trip Staple With a...
It’s one of the definitive heartland rock songs. Yet many people likely don’t realize the fellow who wrote and performed it is Canadian. We’re talking about Tom Cochrane’s massive 1991 hit “Life Is a...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “The Rose,” the Bette Midler Movie Ballad From...
If you hear “The Rose” on the radio today and don’t know the story behind it, you might just assume the touching ballad was a standalone-type thing written to capitalize on the vocal strengths of Bette...
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The Story Behind the Final Duet Between Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers,...
“I would always lighten up when that particular song was due in the setlist," said Dolly Parton of her 1983 hit with Kenny Rogers. The post The Story Behind the Final Duet Between Dolly Parton and...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Incense and Peppermints,” the Psychedelic...
A product of the psychedelic era, the 1967 single “Incense and Peppermints” by the Strawberry Alarm Clock has nonetheless earned a timeless spot in the pop pantheon. It’s a marvelous oddity that came...
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The Ballad Vince Gill and Amy Grant Wrote About Her Ex Father-in-Law Became a...
Years before they were a couple, Vince Gill and Amy Grant started collaborating shortly after appearing together on Gill’s TV holiday special, Christmas With Vince Gill in 1993. A year later, both...
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“Hearts,” the First Solo Smash by Former Jefferson Airplane/Starship Member...
Some artists just have a comfort zone with the types of softer material that tends to get classified as yacht rock. The late Marty Balin was one of those artists, even way back before those sounds...
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It Came from The British Invasion: “I’m Telling You Now,” the Biggest Hit...
Usually, when we here at American Songwriter include a video link to a song we’re profiling in an article like this, we tend to use the original studio recording wherever possible. The idea is to give...
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The Devil or the Lord: Behind Bob Dylan’s Merciless Biblical Folk-Rock...
“Gotta Serve Somebody” begins Bob Dylan’s first Christian album Slow Train Coming. And it shares the purposeful intent of his early period songs. An anthem for change and salvation. But it also...
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What was Linda Ronstadt’s First U.S. Top-40 Hit?
There was no bigger pop artist in the ‘70s than Linda Ronstadt. Possessed of a voice that was equally adept at tackling feisty rockers and heart-rending ballads, Ronstadt also thrived because of her...
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What was Kenny Loggins’ Last U.S. Top-40 Hit?
They say you can’t go home again. In the world of movies, that’s true sometimes since we know that sequels can get a bit dicey, often failing to capture the spirit of the originals and coming off like...
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“That One Was the Gift of God”: The Beatles Song John Lennon Credited to...
How did John Lennon come up with "Rain." According to him, this masterpiece was a gift from a higher power. The post “That One Was the Gift of God”: The Beatles Song John Lennon Credited to Divine...
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The Tear-Jerking Vince Gill Track Inspired by a Real-Life Nashville...
Take Vince Gill's "Pretty Little Adriana" for example. Though the story behind this track is heartbreaking, it remains a beloved track. The post The Tear-Jerking Vince Gill Track Inspired by a...
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What Was the Bee Gees’ First U.S. Top-40 Hit?
Although they suffered now and again from dips in popularity, the Bee Gees managed success on the pop charts throughout their career that was both sustained and impactful. They adjusted their style...
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The Women and the Witchcraft Behind Stevie Nicks’ Favorite Song by the Eagles
"I thought it was charming and seductive but I never took any of it seriously," said Don Henley of the white witchcraft "phase." The post The Women and the Witchcraft Behind Stevie Nicks’ Favorite Song...
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“The Lindsey Genius Came Into Play”: The Ironic Way Fleetwood Mac Turned...
Fleetwood Mac transformed Stevie Nicks' "Dreams" from a snoozer into a hit No. 1 single in an ironic, true-to-the-band style. The post “The Lindsey Genius Came Into Play”: The Ironic Way Fleetwood Mac...
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The Meaning Behind Neil Young’s “Pocahontas” and the Lyric About Marlon...
On Neil Young’s folk-rock classic “Pocahontas,” the singer travels at warp speed through history. His surreal tale addresses North American colonization and how its consequences lingered in...
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Before He Was the Dude, a Teenage Jeff Bridges Sold a Song to Quincy Jones...
A 17-year-old Jeff Bridges earned a songwriting and performance credit in a 1969 major motion picture thanks to Quincy Jones. The post Before He Was the Dude, a Teenage Jeff Bridges Sold a Song to...
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The Story Behind Elton John’s 1969 Single “Empty Sky” and Its Link to the...
"It's difficult to explain the amazement we felt as the album began to take shape," said John, "but I remember when we finished work on the title track," The post The Story Behind Elton John’s 1969...
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“He Always Has All That Conflict”: How Hank Williams Inspired Bruce...
How Hank Williams' haunting melancholy and conflict inspired Bruce Springsteen's 1980 classic, "The River." The post “He Always Has All That Conflict”: How Hank Williams Inspired Bruce Springsteen’s...
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The Meaning Behind “Bohemian Like You” by The Dandy Warhols and How It Gave...
“It was the wildest recording session we ever had. We rented this big stone gymnasium in Portland and turned it into this insane psychedelic setting with friends playing strip poker, a fridge full of...
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