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The Meaning Behind “Clouded” by Brent Faiyaz and Why It’s Nihilist R&B
Brent Faiyaz’s fourth EP is called F–k the World, and though there’s not much ambiguity in that title, it’s not as vindictive as it reads. Faiyaz’s emotional, contemplative R&B softens the cynicism...
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Behind the Meaning of “Call It What You Want” by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift delivered many memorable songs on Reputation, but we’re partial to “Call It What You Want.” This song is ostensibly the thesis of this album. It’s the perfect mix of Swift airing her...
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The Testimonial Plea Behind “Beast of Burden” by The Rolling Stones
In “Beast of Burden,” all the elements of a classic Rolling Stones song are there. The guitar interplay is a constant throughout, while the classic, driving Charlie Watts beat is relentless. The...
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Greek Mythology and Hippie Idealism: The Story Behind “Some Velvet Morning”...
From the first swell of the strings, there is something immediately different about this slice of psychedelic pop masterpiece. The swirling orchestration is like nothing else happening on pop radio at...
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The Meaning Behind “Light On” by Maggie Rogers and Why She Needed to Regain...
Maggie Rogers accidentally became famous after encountering producer/singer/songwriter Pharrell Williams at the Clive Davis Institute at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She had presented her song...
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The Meaning Behind “Black Coffee in Bed” by Squeeze and How It Was Inspired...
Few bands who came of age in the late ’70s and early ’80s released music that has stood the test of time like the British outfit Squeeze was able to do. That’s because the band’s success had nothing to...
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The Meaning Behind “Hollywood Waltz” by the Eagles and the Tom Petty...
Have you been keeping up with the trial involving Don Henley and the notebooks containing lyrics to songs like “Hotel California”? Well, chances are, those notebooks don’t have much in them referring...
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A Charging Stallion, a Breakup, and the Meaning Behind Kacey Musgraves’...
When a horse wants to run / There ain’t no sense in closing the gate declares Kacey Musgraves on her 2018 hit “Space Cowboy.” Released on her fourth album Golden Hour, the simmering ballad marks the...
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The Melancholy Meaning Behind “Coney Island” by Taylor Swift and The National
When the pandemic stopped work for most people, Taylor Swift began crafting a quiet, cabin-in-the-woods folk album with The National’s Aaron Dessner. She surprised the world with the elegant Folklore...
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The Empowering Meaning Behind “Girls Need Love” by Summer Walker (featuring...
Summer Walker has a story to tell. In person, she’s shy and rarely does interviews, but her bashfulness disappears when she sings. “Girls Need Love” is an empowering anthem for women wanting to tell...
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How a B-Side Reached the Top 20: The Story Behind “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’...
Don Kirshner and Al Nevins owned Aldon Music, a publishing company in New York City that had a team of songwriters including Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weill, Neil Sedaka, Neil...
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The Meaning Behind “Dawns” by Zach Bryan (featuring Maggie Rogers)
Zach Bryan is a self-made man, and the singer/songwriter from Oklahoma moves through his life and career like a maverick. His breakthrough album is a 34-song collection called American Heartbreak. It...
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The Surreal Story Behind “Here Comes Your Man” by Pixies
The biggest underground bands typically have one song that the masses accept, making them suddenly exposed to a much wider audience. R.E.M. had “Losing My Religion,” and Nirvana had “Smells Like Teen...
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The Meaning Behind “Creepin'” by Metro Boomin with The Weeknd and 21 Savage...
St. Louis-born producer Metro Boomin is responsible for songs like “Jumpman” by Drake and Future and Post Malone’s “Congratulations.” The hitmaker collaborated with 21 Savage and Big Sean before...
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The Meaning Behind “Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield and How a Class on...
Ask a bunch of people to name a song that defines the ’80s. We bet you’ll get a wide range of answers, but we also bet that somebody in that group, maybe a few actually, will choose “Jessie’s Girl” by...
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The Meaning Behind “God Give Me Strength” by Elvis Costello and Burt...
“God Give Me Strength” introduced the world to the musical partnership of Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach. That song would inspire an entire album of material, as well as various live performances by...
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“R&B with Futuristic Overtones”: The Story and Meaning Behind “Whip It” by Devo
No, it isn’t about S&M. The irreverent brain trust of Devo didn’t mind so much that many people misunderstood the meaning of “Whip It,” their biggest pop hit. In fact, they even made a video for it...
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The Meaning Behind “Cherish” by The Association and Why It Has Long Been...
What is it about the word “Cherish” that has compelled pop music audiences so? Both Madonna and Kool & the Gang delivered massive smashes with songs of that title in the ’80s. But a band named The...
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The Meaning Behind “Fool to Cry” by The Rolling Stones and the Backstory of...
Most rock and roll fans can reel off the names of the biggest hits by The Rolling Stones, since those songs are part of the firmament of the genre. But what about “Fool to Cry”? The Stones released the...
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6 Artists You Didn’t Know Topped the Dance Club Songs Chart
From the Disco Era until the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, Billboard maintained a weekly Dance Club Songs chart. As its name suggests, it ranked the most popular songs played in dance clubs....
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