Clik here to view.
The Surprising Operatic Origins of The Doors’“Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)”
The Doors’ debut eponymous 1967 album featured several of the band’s greatest hits, including “Break On Through (To the Other Side),” “Light My Fire,” and “Soul Kitchen.” But tucked away toward the end...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Fix You” by Coldplay and Who It Helped Fix
By the time Coldplay released X&Y, they were on their way to becoming the biggest rock band on the planet. However, new cracks appeared. X&Y sounded like the crushing weight of the band’s...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Fool in the Rain” by Led Zeppelin and Why They Relented...
We think of Led Zeppelin as a lot of things, but a singles band isn’t one of them. The band famously avoided releasing songs from their albums for radio consumption if at all possible. But they...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Star-Crossed Love Affair of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez and How It Inspired...
Before there was the freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, there was the Queen of Folk, Joan Baez. He, a rising star, and she, an established folk singer and prominent activist, entered a short-lived romance in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Bungle in the Jungle” by Jethro Tull and How It Emerged...
Jethro Tull stood out from the prog-rock crowd with their unorthodox song suites and reliance on leader Ian Anderson’s flute for instrumental texture. With their 1974 single “Bungle in the Jungle,”...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Hello It’s Me” by Todd Rundgren and the Delicate ’60s...
Most songwriters would like to forget the very first song they ever wrote, as such songs tend to be childish and clunky. Todd Rundgren, on the other hand, came out of the gate with an accomplished,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Crosby, Stills & Nash Song That Iggy Pop Called “The Worst Song Ever...
“Southern Cross,” “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Long Time Gone“—the list is undoubtedly long for particular fans’ favorite Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) songs. When Neil Young joined in 1969, the band...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Come and Get It” by Badfinger and the Conditions Paul...
Badfinger scored one of their biggest hits with “Come and Get It” in 1970. Little did folks know at the time that the song was not only written for them by none other than a Beatle, but the Beatle...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Authority Song” by John Cougar Mellencamp and How It...
A name change and a defiant attitude characterized John Cougar Mellencamp‘s 1983 album Uh-huh, along with the hit songs that emerged from it. In one of those hits, “Authority Song,” Mellencamp plays...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Small Tiff Behind Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber’s No. 1 Pandemic Hit...
In 2020, the uncertainty of the pandemic and what seemed like a perpetual quarantine put a definitive strain on many relationships. Friends and families were shut in together. Couples were also locked...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Behind Paul McCartney’s Fight Against Climate Change–and a Certain...
“There was a president named Trump who thought that climate change was a hoax,” Paul McCartney wrote in his book, The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present. “Sadly, he was not the only one to ignore this...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Remember When: The Clash Broke Through with a Hidden Track
By the time The Clash released their third album London Calling in December 1979, they had a relatively modest following in the U.S. While they were considered to be one of the premier English punk...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” by Three Dog Night and the...
Three Dog Night delivered a bushelful of hits from the late ’60s through the mid-’70s, often doing so by showcasing the work of top songwriters of the era such as Laura Nyro, Hoyt Axton, and Harry...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2 and How...
It’s never easy for a band to make the jump from critical buzz to consensus greatness. For U2, that leap came with the album The Joshua Tree, and the single “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Good Days” by SZA and Why It Remained Incomplete for...
Waiting six years to follow up a critically acclaimed debut album isn’t the usual recipe for pop success. However, when SZA released SOS in 2022, she didn’t disappoint. SOS debuted atop the Billboard...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Genesis Song That Made Phil Collins Want to Leave the Band
By the release of Genesis‘ ninth album …And Then There Were Three… Phil Collins started questioning some of the songs the band was releasing. By 1981, Collins started branching off from the Genesis and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Secret Heartbreak that Inspired “I’m Not the Only One” by Filter
When Richard Patrick was writing and recording the second Filter album Title of Record there were two main themes that kept surfacing throughout. One was his struggle with drug and alcohol addiction,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Covert Phone Call that Inspired “Lips of an Angel” by Hinder
When Oklahoma quintet Hinder emerged in 2005 with their hard-rocking debut album Extreme Behavior, they quickly won over the masses with the high-minded anthem “Get Stoned.” But just like the decadent...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Behind the Meaning of Chris Stapleton’s Romantic Ode “I Think I’m In Love...
Chris Stapleton‘s music is largely made of songs dedicated to his wife. His passion is so palpable that they become emblems of love for country fans the world over. Check out the meaning of one of his...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Racist Confrontation that Inspired “This Land” by Gary Clark Jr.
Success is no guarantee of security, especially when it comes to prejudice. One can win all sorts of accolades, be publicly recognized, and inspire others, but some people will simply not acknowledge...
View Article