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The Meaning Behind “New Light” by John Mayer and the Novel Marketing Campaign...
John Mayer ended his long career with Columbia Records with his eighth album, Sob Rock. A heavy dose of ’80s nostalgia wraps Mayer’s smooth rock in Slowhand shoulder pads, neon synths, and the kind of...
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A Love Song Inspired by a Political Scandal: The Story Behind “Behind Closed...
Kenny O’Dell had success as a performer, but he will be more remembered for his songwriting. Charlie Rich had success as a songwriter but will be better remembered as a singer of other’s songs. Rich...
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The Meaning Behind “Within You Without You” and Why It Marked George...
On March 15, 1967, a lone Beatle entered the recording studio to create a song that would forever define the Fab Four’s shift from teeny-bopper sweethearts to counterculture royalty. George Harrison’s...
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When Don Kirshner Went Too Far: The Story Behind “A Little Bit Me, a Little...
The initial idea for The Monkees was developed by Bob Rafelson in 1962. He unsuccessfully tried to sell the idea to the television division of Universal Pictures. It wasn’t until he teamed up with Bert...
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Living in a West Oakland Warehouse: The Story Behind “Welcome to Paradise” by...
Billie Joe Armstrong’s mother gave him a 12-string acoustic guitar when he was a freshman in high school. He teamed up with Mike Pritchard, a friend since grade school, to form a band called Sweet...
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Almost Heaven: The Story Behind “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver
On April 17, 1861, the Virginia Secession Convention voted to secede from the Union. Not all of the delegates agreed, leading to a vote to determine whether a new state would be created. In the October...
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When Waylon Jennings Questioned the Future of Country Music in the ’70s With...
Rhinestone suits and new shiny cars / It’s been the same way for years / We need to change pleads Waylon Jennings on his Dreaming My Dreams opening track “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way.” The song...
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The Addiction Tumult that Inspired “Take a Picture” by Filter
Richard Patrick has always been the one consistent member and driving force behind the band Filter. After originally collaborating with Trent Reznor in Nine Inch Nails and convincing the industrial...
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Melody’s “Just Around the Corner”: The Story and Meaning Behind “On the Road...
After Willie Nelson wrote “On the Road Again” for the film Honeysuckle Rose, the song became so popular they retitled the made-for-TV version On the Road Again. Initially, the film’s producer, Sydney...
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The Meaning Behind the Paul McCartney Country Track “Sally G” by Wings
Paul McCartney, country and western star? Well, maybe that’s stretching it a bit, as the ex-Beatle has mostly hung out in the pop and rock realms throughout his career. But there was a time he slightly...
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The Meaning Behind “The Baby” by Blake Shelton and Why It’s Back in His Setlist
Last month, country music superstar Blake Shelton began his Back to the Honky Tonk Tour, which includes Emily Ann Roberts and Dustin Lynch as the opening acts. But honky tonk isn’t the only thing The...
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The Ill-Fated Voyage Behind The Pogues and The Dubliners’“The Irish Rover”
The Irish Rover was a majestic vessel sailing the Atlantic from New York City east to Cork, Ireland. Immortalized in an Irish folk song, the original ship had 23 masts, which gradually shifted in...
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The Teenage Roots and Adult Triumph of “To Be with You” by Mr. Big
Mr. Big was an unusual hard-rock entity amid the late ‘80s hair band explosion. Countless imitators of Led Zeppelin, Bon Jovi, and the Sunset Strip acts of the day emerged to try to claim their spot on...
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The Meaning Behind “Our House” by Madness and How They Finally Got Their Shot...
Madness delivered as many hits as any British band of their era, at least within the United Kingdom. Surprisingly, only one of those smashes broke big in the United States. But that one song, “Our...
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The Meaning Behind “Question” by The Moody Blues and How Their Audience...
When people think of The Moody Blues, they tend to quickly associate them with their melding of rock music with classical elements. That approach wouldn’t have mattered much if they hadn’t coupled it...
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The Meaning Behind “Drive My Car” by The Beatles and How John Lennon Helped...
“Drive My Car” owns a special place in Beatles history because of its status as the opening track to the 1965 album Rubber Soul, one of their greatest triumphs. On its own, it stands out as an early...
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The Meaning Behind “Levitating” by Dua Lipa (featuring DaBaby) and the...
Dua Lipa’s galactic hit “Levitating” survived many storms to become the longest-running Top 10 single by a female artist. Both Austin Powers and Daft Punk inspired Lipa’s cosmic banger. However, a few...
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The Meaning Behind “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims and Why the Song is...
Atlanta-born singer/songwriter Teddy Swims uses his music as a kind of personal therapy. It’s fitting he called his 2023 debut album I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1). And his songwriting is...
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The Meaning Behind “Traitor” by Olivia Rodrigo and the Real-Life Drama Behind It
Olivia Rodrigo’s exceptional rise from High School Musical: The Musical: The Series to the record-breaking voice of her generation is extraordinary. Her first single, “Drivers License,” a journal...
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The Not-So-Subtle Political Commentary Behind Kris Kristofferson’s 1990...
They’re killing babies in the name of freedom opens Kris Kristofferson on his 1990 song “Don’t Let the Bastards (Get You Down).” Released months before the U.S. was about to invade Iraq, no specific...
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