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The Timeless Meaning Behind “Flagpole Sitta” by Harvey Danger
There is a lot to dig through on the surface of Harvey Danger’s 1998 hit, “Flagpole Sitta” before one even gets to its lyrics. Why did the band call the song “Flagpole Sitta” when the phrase doesn’t...
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The Meaning Behind “Boulder to Birmingham” by Emmylou Harris and the...
Emmylou Harris has forged an amazing career as a prime interpreter of the material of other songwriters. She has also proven herself as a stellar songwriter in her own right. For example, any...
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The Humble Meaning Behind “Good Intentions” by Toad the Wet Sprocket
Hits from rarities albums are something of a rarity unto themselves. When Toad the Wet Sprocket released a collection of B-sides, rarities, and songs from soundtrack albums called In Light Syrup in...
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The Meaning Behind “All Those Years Ago” by George Harrison and How It...
Many artists rose to the occasion with tributes to John Lennon in the immediate aftermath of his death. You could make the argument that it took those that were closest to him and shared in the...
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The ‘Bell Bottom Country’ Meaning Behind Lainey Wilson’s 2021 Song “Rolling...
Lainey Wilson was already enraptured in Bell Bottom Country music well before her breakthrough 2022 album of the same name hit. On Wilson’s third album Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ from 2021, which just...
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The Meaning Behind “Cloudbusting” by Kate Bush and the Father/Son Story that...
If you’ve listened closely to Kate Bush’s 1985 hit “Cloudbusting,” you know the song’s first line makes a reference to something or somewhere called Orgonon. Look up that term and you could find...
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Behind the Anti-Theft Nursery Rhyme “The Queen of Hearts”
One of the first lessons we learn as young people is not to steal. Along with lying, stealing is the most dishonest act someone can undertake. In a society where food and water, creature comforts and a...
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6 Classic Country Songs that Tell Powerful Stories
Stories depend on perspective and context. The basic elements are setting, characters, conflict, and resolution. Before music was recorded, songs and stories were passed down through generations. It’s...
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The Hangover Song Kris Kristofferson Allegedly Delivered to Johnny Cash by...
Shortly after serving as a captain in the U.S. Army and earning a master’s degree at Oxford University, Kris Kristofferson was living in a run-down tenement in Nashville, Tennessee, and working as a...
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The Surprisingly Tragic Inspiration Behind “Dancing in the Moonlight” by King...
“Dancing in the Moonlight” is the sonic essence of a warm summer night. The ’70s yacht rock staple was first made famous by King Harvest, but its appeal has spanned generations. Who wouldn’t want to...
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The Meaning Behind “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne and the Guitar Genius Who...
Ozzy Osbourne’s two most iconic songs begin with pronouncements. With Black Sabbath, Osbourne declared, “I am Iron Man,” and on his defining solo work, “Crazy Train,” he commanded, “All aboard!” The...
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The Meaning Behind “Popular” by Nada Surf and the 1964 Dating Book that...
It takes only one listen to “Popular,” Nada Surf’s signature hit from 1996, to realize the song’s message is delivered with vocalist and guitarist Matthew Caws’ tongue planted firmly in cheek. There is...
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The Personal Meaning Behind Beyoncé’s “16 CARRIAGES”
As Beyoncé prepares to lean into the country space, we’ve heard some of her most intimate and candid songs to date. That sort of vulnerability is right in line with the genre’s trademark spirit. The...
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The Meaning Behind “Mr. Cab Driver” by Lenny Kravitz and the Real-World...
Lenny Kravitz is cool. But he wasn’t always so cool. When he arrived on the scene, hip-hop and dance music dominated culture. Even rock bands began using drum machines and synthesizers. His embrace of...
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The Story Behind “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan and the Nasty Rumor that...
As Bob Dylan gathered elements from Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams, the most important thing he took was speaking for the everyman. Early on, his biggest commercial success came from others singing...
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The Meaning Behind “Texas Hold ‘Em” by Beyoncé and Why She’s Taken a Country...
Beyoncé going country on a pair of new singles created a showdown with the internet. What kind of game is the pop star playing here? On “Texas Hold ’Em,” she casts away any notion of some superficial...
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The Political Story Behind “Is This Love” by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bob Marley sang about everything from the beauty of nature to hotbed political conflict. In December 1976, two days before a free concert called Smile Jamaica, Marley, his wife, and his manager were...
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In the Back of a Van: The Story Behind “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses
Guns N’ Roses exploded out of the Los Angeles club scene in 1986 when they signed with Geffen Records and released Appetite for Destruction. The album did not sell right out of the gate, but as...
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The Only Song Bob Dylan Regretted Writing
As a master of documenter of his own autobiographical prose, there was one song Bob Dylan wrote that revealed more than he expected, and the only one he regretted writing. Featured on Dylan’s 1964...
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The Story Behind “21 Guns” by Green Day
A 21-gun salute is a show of respect to dignitaries or leaders of state. The origin of the ceremonial procedure came from a signal a warring faction gave to the other side that they mean no harm. Early...
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