Clik here to view.
How Pavement’s “Harness Your Hopes” Unexpectedly Became Their First Gold Record
Pavement is not a singles band—at least not in the U.S. The alternative rock group did have a string of eight chart singles in the UK during the 1990s, but only one of their songs has ever made it onto...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Straight into Darkness,” a Powerful but Underrated Gem...
A catalog as robust as Tom Petty’s is bound to contain some songs that are deserving of classic status yet aren’t all that well-known to the average fan. “Straight into Darkness” was no hit when...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes and How It Broke the...
In 1961, five 17-year-old girls from Inkster, Michigan, using the name The Marvels, auditioned for Motown Records’ Berry Gordy, Jr. and Smokey Robinson but were sent home with the request to come back...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story and Meaning Behind “The Flame,” Cheap Trick’s First-Ever No. 1 Single
Cheap Trick went from hard-working, well-respected journeymen rockers to chart-toppers in the blink of an eye in 1988 with their song “The Flame.” It took a little bit of compromise and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “FM (No Static at All),” a Song Where Steely Dan Mocked...
Steely Dan’s smooth grooves often helped to mask acerbic lyrical sentiments. In the case of their 1978 single “FM (No Static at All),” they managed to take some subtle jabs at the radio format that had...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)” by Rod Stewart...
Rod Stewart already had 10 UK Top-10 hits in the book (as well as a couple that reached that status in the U.S.) when he launched “You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)” as a single from his 1977...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story and Meaning Behind The Beatles’“And Your Bird Can Sing” and the...
Revolver features some of the most iconic songs in The Beatles’ catalog, including classics like “Eleanor Rigby,” “Tomorrow Never Knows,” and “Here, There and Everywhere.” But where it really gains...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Farmer-Sympathetic Meaning Behind Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan’s 1993...
Throughout their careers, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan have always had mutual respect for one another. Both first performed together in 1976 when Nelson joined Dylan on his Martin Scocese-documented...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “Don’t Get Me Wrong” by The Pretenders and How It Was...
Rock ‘n’ roll has a long history of tragic death. Metallica lost bassist Cliff Burton. AC/DC lost vocalist Bon Scott. The Who lost drummer Keith Moon. Lynyrd Skynyrd lost guitarist Steve Gaines, backup...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Post-Millennial Classic: The Mid-Tempo Meditation “Asking for Flowers” by...
The work done by Canadian singer/songwriter Kathleen Edwards has been consistently exemplary, even if her career trajectory has been a bit atypical. We could reach into her catalog and find any number...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind “Jane Says” by Jane’s Addiction and How a Housemate Gave...
“Jane Says,” the alt-anthem that defines Jane’s Addiction, began in the seedy underground. The nearly five-minute pre-grunge track cleared the decks for flannel and combat boots to reach suburban...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How a “Gesture of Gratitude” Helped Maria Muldaur Score a Hit with “Midnight...
We’ve all heard stories about songs that became hugely successful even though they were added to an album—sometimes begrudgingly—at the last minute. One of the biggest hit singles of 1974 was one of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Behind the Meaning of Taylor Swift’s “Clara Bow”
Everyone trying to make their way in music dreams of being told they are “the next big thing.” But, what happens with the next big thing comes along? That’s the aftermath Taylor Swift explores in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Behind the Meaning of “Fresh Out The Slammer” by Taylor Swift
Never has a rebound sounded as romantic as it does in Taylor Swift‘s “Fresh Out The Slammer.” In the lyrics to this The Tortured Poets Department cut, Swift dreams of breaking free from her routine and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind the Most Difficult Song Tom Petty Had to Write That “Went on...
“It came in piece by piece,” said Tom Petty of his 1981 hit “The Waiting.” Petty already had a chorus in place, and kept playing it on repeat for weeks, but the verses and bridge took even longer to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “Caroline, No” by The Beach Boys and How It Became a Solo...
As Brian Wilson shifted his focus away from touring and to the recording studio, The Beach Boys’ sound evolved with the use of session musicians and experimentation. Beginning with The Beach Boys Today...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley and How It Was Inspired...
When RCA Victor purchased Elvis Presley’s recording contract from Sam Phillips and Sun Records for $40,000 in 1955, many believed the new form of music called rock ‘n’ roll was a passing fad. This...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Behind the Meaning of “Somebody’s Child” by Dolly Parton and Blessing Offor
In 2023, Dolly Parton teamed up with Christian artist Blessing Offor for “Somebody’s Child.” The heartfelt ballad seeks to bring people together amid a divisive world. Uncover the meaning behind this...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “The River of Dreams” by Billy Joel and How an Atheist Drew...
When Billy Joel entered his 40s, he began to reflect on his life. He thought about the eternal question of what happens after we die. A self-identified atheist, Joel said the song idea came to him in a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind The Smashing Pumpkins’ Confrontational Breakthrough Hit...
Much of The Smashing Pumpkins’ identity is tied up in being part of the early 1990s Chicago indie rock scene. The band stands out among a group of successful artists, including Liz Phair, Veruca Salt,...
View Article