Clik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Howlin’ for You” by The Black Keys and How the Magic of...
The Black Keys’ “Howlin’ for You” is part of their 2010 album Brothers, which lifted the Akron, Ohio, garage rock duo out of the underground and into the mainstream. By the time The Black Keys began...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Too Much Heaven” by the Bee Gees and How it Prolonged the...
Not all the Bee Gees’ success in the late ’70s came courtesy of disco music. They also churned out quite a few fantastic ballads in that era, some of which they recorded themselves and others they...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind The Bangles’ Sleeper Hit “Going Down to Liverpool” and the...
When we think about how The Bangles broke through to become one of the biggest bands of the 1980s, we likely think about “Manic Monday.” It was their first Billboard Hot 100 hit in the U.S., and it was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Maybe Tomorrow” by Stereophonics and Why the Band...
By the time Stereophonics released their single “Maybe Tomorrow,” they were already playing stadiums in the UK. When they debuted in 1997, Stereophonics threaded the transition away from Britpop. They...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Another Day” by Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s Snarky...
When The Beatles broke up, radio listeners had to adjust to hearing the ex-Fab Four members on their own. In the case of Paul McCartney, “Another Day,” Macca’s first post-Beatles single, was the first...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Behind the Meaning of John Denver’s “Poems, Prayers and Promises”
I’ve been lately thinking about my life’s time / All the things I’ve done and how it’s been, John Denver sings in the opening line to “Poems, Prayers and Promises.” It’s also somewhat of a thesis...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “No No Song” by Ringo Starr and the Prolific Country Star...
If folks thought the success of the 1973 album Ringo by Ringo Starr was a fluke, the ex-Beatle still had a few tricks up his sleeve to show them. The hits kept coming for Starr when the next year he...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “Handle with Care” by the Traveling Wilburys and How it Was...
While George Harrison was recording Cloud Nine with Jeff Lynne, they discussed creating a band to record a song as a bonus track for his next European single. The resulting supergroup took on...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How The Go-Go’s’“Head over Heels” Was a Reflection of the Band’s Chaos at the...
The expression “head over heels” conjures up an image of someone who is out of control. In the case of Tears for Fears’ 1985 hit that bears that name, the song was about someone who was overtaken by...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How The Surf Hit “Dead Man’s Curve” Almost Became a Tragic Reality 60 Years...
When surf rock duo Jan & Dean released their 1963 hit “Dead Man’s Curve,” they expected to capitalize on a popular trend of teenage tragedy songs set to quintessentially ‘60s surf guitar and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind The Beatles’ Stellar B-Side, “Rain”
Many Beatles fans consider “Rain” to be one of their best B-sides. This psychedelic track, written by John Lennon, was significant in the Beatles sphere for several reasons. From singing backward, to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “My Favorite Mistake” by Sheryl Crow and the Mystery...
When Sheryl Crow released “My Favorite Mistake,” people immediately speculated about who the song might be about. By 1998, Crow was already one of the biggest stars in music, and the paparazzi were...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Lone Star State Exes Behind George Strait’s 1987 Hit “All My Ex’s Live in...
Before Sanger Shafer (1934-2019), better known as Whitey Shafer, connected with George Strait in the 1980s, he had already written for Merle Haggard, George Jones, Lefty Frizzell, James Carr, The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Feels” by Calvin Harris Ft. Pharrell, Katy Perry, and Big...
Before Calvin Harris completed work on his hit “Feels,” he had to end a long-running feud with Katy Perry. Meanwhile, Pharrell reimagines one of his biggest hits and again looks to 1970s disco and funk...
View ArticleClik here to view.
“The Whole Idea Is Absurd:” The Story Behind “Under My Thumb” by The Rolling...
The 1966 album Aftermath is a turning point in The Rolling Stones‘ career. When they started as a rhythm and blues combo, the band performed the music of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Chuck Berry....
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “I Saw Her Standing There” by The Beatles and the Bass Line...
One, two, three, four Those four words kick off the debut album by The Beatles as they explode into the intro with guitar, bass, and drums. After “Love Me Do” reached No. 17 on the British charts and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
“A Rebel Just for Kicks”: The Funny, Real, and Serious Meanings Behind...
For a song that clocks in at under three minutes, there is a lot going on in Portugal. The Man’s 2017 megahit “Feel It Still.” There are references to vocalist/guitarist John Gourley’s daughter...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Craving You” by Thomas Rhett Ft. Maren Morris and Why the...
One of Thomas Rhett’s biggest hits, “Craving You” almost didn’t happen. Hit songs travel paths of improbabilities before a lucky few become hits. Great songs are written daily in Nashville, but most...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind the Final Song Loretta Lynn Wrote for Her Husband “Doo”
A 15-year-old coal miner’s daughter, Loretta Lynn first met 21-year-old Oliver Vanetta Lynn (also known as “Doolittle” or “Doo”) at a pie social in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, and married soon after in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Getting Better” by The Beatles and How it Showed off the...
Don’t get too carried away by the costumes, the clever cover, or the in-album callbacks. The songs are what ultimately make Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band stand out as one of the greatest albums...
View Article