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The Meaning Behind “God” by Tori Amos and Why Atlantic Records Wanted Several...
Tori Amos has never been one to shy away from tackling major topics, and for many people “God” is one of the biggest. The lead single from her sophomore album Under the Pink, it became her first to hit...
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The Meaning Behind “She’s so High” by Tal Bachman and the Real-Life...
Being the son of a famous rock star can be daunting for a young musician. It can also be liberating if one chooses to take a different musical approach. That’s exactly what Tal Bachman did. The son of...
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The Tragic Deaths Around the Badfinger Ballad That Harry Nilsson and Mariah...
“I would like to think of Badfinger‘s music as mood music, something with a bit of feeling, whether it’s hard or soft,” said late Badfinger singer and songwriter Pete Ham. He added, “Songwriting is one...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Cherish” by Kool & the Gang and Why the R&B...
Most bands 20 years into their career are relying on nostalgia, if they’re even still together at that point. The R&B legends Kool & the Gang were over two decades into their career when they...
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Behind the Meaning of Lainey Wilson’s Love Letter to Her Genre, “Country’s...
While Lainey Wilson has decreed “Country’s Cool Again” in her latest release, she undoubtedly helped the genre get to that point. Wilson’s down-to-earth, relatable lyricism has put her on top of the...
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The Meaning Behind “Baby, I Love Your Way” by Peter Frampton and Its Winding...
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations for 2024 included the beloved rock guitarist/singer/songwriter Peter Frampton. He showed the potential for what a live rock record could be when Frampton...
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The Meaning Behind “Follow the Leader” by Eric B. & Rakim and How They...
More and more artists from the classic era of hi-hop are making their way into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with each passing year, and deservedly so. Those ranks could be swelled even further this...
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The Meaning Behind “Sleeping Satellite” by Tasmin Archer and the Space...
There is no shortage of songs with lyrics about outer space. Sometimes it provides the setting for a science fiction story, like David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” Other times, songwriters use celestial...
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The Meaning Behind “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves and How It Evolved into...
Kacey Musgraves is spellbound on her third studio album, Golden Hour. The rest of the world was, too. It won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and her 2018 release might be one of the best...
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The Cryptic Meaning of “3 Strange Days” by School of Fish
Los Angeles-based rock quartet School of Fish arrived at the dawn of the alternative rock revolution in America. Eighties aesthetics still lingered into the early ’90s, but by mid-1991 change was in...
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The Abstract Power of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun”
A lot of classic rock songs come from unexpected moments of inspirations. Artists often don’t know why they strike, but they recognize when they do. Such was the case when singer/guitarist Chris...
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How John Prine Inspired Kris Kristofferson’s 1972 Song “Jesus Was a Capricorn...
In 1970, Kris Kristofferson discovered a young John Prine performing at the Fifth Peg in Chicago. Their chance encounter led to Prine landing his first record deal soon after Kristofferson invited him...
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The Passionate Feelings Behind “Right Here, Right Now” by Jesus Jones
Back in 1989, the world was going through some major changes. The Berlin Wall had come down at the end of the year, signaling a retreat of communism in Eastern Europe that would follow in the coming...
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The Meaning Behind “Mandinka” by Sinéad O’Connor and the TV Miniseries that...
Sinéad O’Connor’s spirit is distilled inside the shrieking new wave of “Mandinka.” Everything to cherish about the Irish singer and songwriter happens inside this song: snarling defiance, pain, beauty,...
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Behind the Meaning of “Deeper Well” by Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves‘ latest release, “Deeper Well,” sees the singer-songwriter find a new way forward–both in her personal life and sonically. The acoustic guitar-led track is simple in scope but deeply...
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The Meaning Behind “Baker Street” by Gerry Rafferty and How It Reflects the...
Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street” may be best known for a performance that’s not his. It’s hard to think of the 1978 single without getting the Raphael Ravenscroft sax solo stuck in your head. Yet “Baker...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Rain Is a Good Thing” by Luke Bryan
Referencing his life on a farm, Luke Bryan reached No. 1 for the first time in 2010 with “Rain Is a Good Thing,” turning agricultural hardship into a lighthearted country song. On his second album,...
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The Meaning Behind “California Gurls” by Katy Perry and What the Title’s...
Katy Perry released Teenage Dream in 2010 and closed out a decade of cheerful guitar-pop dominating the charts. The following year, Adele conquered the music world with moody introspection, and Lorde...
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The Improvised Meaning Behind “One Week” by Barenaked Ladies
Some rock hits take time to craft. Others are conjured in short order. Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” took less than an hour. Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” took 30 minutes. The White Stripes’ “Seven...
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The Meaning Behind “Barely Breathing” by Duncan Sheik and Why He Segued into...
For fans of popular music, it would be easy to dismiss Duncan Sheik as a one-hit wonder. The lead single from his self-titled debut album in 1996, “Barely Breathing,” hit No. 16 on Billboard’s Hot 100...
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