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The ‘Nightmare’ that Inspired “Bring Your Daughter… to the Slaughter” by Iron...
Sometimes one never knows which single from a band will turn out to be the chart-topper. In the case of Iron Maiden, the song with the silliest title ended up being their biggest hit. This was, of...
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The Story Behind the Song Mariah Carey Co-Wrote for Daryl Hall
By 1993 Mariah Carey was on top of the (music) world. She already had four No. 1 singles from her 1990 self-titled debut, and by the time her third album, Music Box, came around she added on more hits...
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Behind the Meaning of Kelsea Ballerini’s “If You Go Down (I’m Going Down Too)”
Many country artists have played the role of a vengeful murderer before. The murder ballad is a strange, yet common occurrence in the genre. However, few have done so quite as playfully as Kelsea...
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The British Humor Behind “Killed by Death” by Motörhead
In 1984, British heavy rock icons Motörhead faced a crossroads. A lineup shakeup had been brewing that caused a notable period of transition. Original guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke was gone, and...
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The Meaning Behind “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Elton John and Kiki Dee...
Before his famous duet with Kiki Dee, Elton John had yet to top the singles chart in his home country. Astonishingly, neither “Rocket Man” nor “Tiny Dancer” reached No. 1 in the UK. So, John looked to...
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The Meaning Behind “Jet Airliner” by Steve Miller Band and the Artist Who...
The Steve Miller Band found its groove as a hitmaking machine in the mid-’70s, churning out a series of amiable rockers that were tailor-made for radio consumption. “Jet Airliner,” which soared into...
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Paul McCartney Shares the Story Behind His Favorite Song He Ever Wrote—“Here,...
In the latest episode of the McCartney: A Life in Lyrics podcast series, Paul McCartney shares the story behind the song he says is his favorite he ever wrote—the 1966 Beatles tune “Here, There and...
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The Meaning Behind “Our Lips Are Sealed” by The Go-Go’s and the Rocker...
The first words that most of us heard from The Go-Go’s were, Can you hear them? Belinda Carlisle bellowed them out after the shimmering instrumental intro of “Our Lips Are Sealed,” a pop gem that had...
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The Meaning Behind “Don’t Give Up” by Peter Gabriel (featuring Kate Bush) and...
Peter Gabriel‘s 1986 album So lured pop fans into his unique musical approach in a major way with big, brassy hits like “Sledgehammer” and “Big Time.” But he didn’t abandon some of the moodier, more...
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The Meaning Behind “Time” by The Alan Parsons Project and Why It Might Be...
No, The Alan Parsons Project was not some kind of hovercraft, as Homer Simpson once asserted. They instead stood as one of the most successful progressive rock bands of the mid- to late-’70s. When they...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “The Dangling Conversation” by Simon & Garfunkel
Breakup songs are a dime a dozen. Not too many songs, however, detail the time when warning signs are flashing that a separation between two lovers is imminent. “The Dangling Conversation” by Simon...
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The Meaning Behind “Somebody’s Baby” by Jackson Browne and Why He Regrets a...
Jackson Browne scored his biggest hit ever with a song that he was a bit ambivalent about recording. “Somebody’s Baby” certainly benefited from appearing in a hit movie. But the 1982 tune also found...
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On This Day: Blondie Hit No. 1 With the First Song Featuring Rap, “Rapture”
It all started with a party in the Bronx, New York, in 1978. Blondie‘s Chris Stein and Debbie Harry were friends with Fab 5 Freddy (Fred Brathwaite), who invited them to a music gathering at the Police...
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Ranking the 5 Best Songs on Elton John’s 1973 Double Album ‘Goodbye Yellow...
Elton John released so many killer albums in the ’70s that it’s very difficult to pick just one as the clear-cut best. How about two albums, then? Two, as in the masterpiece double LP Goodbye Yellow...
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On Its 50th Anniversary, the Story Behind “Return of the Grievous Angel” by...
Gram Parsons’ second and final studio album, Grievous Angel, turned 50 this January. While Parsons never enjoyed commercial success, he influenced everyone from The Rolling Stones to Wilco with an...
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The Song Brian Wilson Couldn’t Give Away: The Story Behind “Darlin'” by The...
Through the years, Beach Boy Brian Wilson has given songs to other artists and even produced some of them. The Beach Boys may have discarded them, or the songs weren’t suitable for any of the vocalists...
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“Jolene” vs. “Jolene”: How Beyoncé Breathed New Life Into the Dolly Parton...
Beyoncé‘s highly anticipated Act II has finally dropped today (March 29), with surprising interludes, covers, and collaborations. One of the most interesting additions to the 27-track album is a...
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The Meaning Behind The Beatles cover “Blackbird” by Beyoncé on ‘Cowboy Carter’
Beyoncé’s groundbreaking country music album, Cowboy Carter, is out today. It’s sure to be full of surprises, including her renditions of the durable classics: The Beatles’ “Blackbird” and Dolly...
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Lawsuits And Drugs: The Story Behind “Substitute” by The Who
After the success of “My Generation,” The Who put themselves in the position to be one of the major players in the rock world, joining The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and The Dave Clark...
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From the Silver Screen to Liverpool: The Story Behind “That’ll Be the Day” by...
Buddy Holly and The Crickets were the archetypal rock ‘n’ roll band. They were a self-contained unit that wrote their own material and performed it in a unique way. They became the blueprint for what...
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