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The Story Behind “Teardrop” by Massive Attack and How It’s Connected to a...
It’s not every song that has ties to Madonna, Cocteau Twins vocalist Elizabeth Fraser, and Jeff Buckley, as well as a TV program that was at one time the most popular in the world. But “Teardrop”—the...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Slip Slidin’ Away,” a Paul Simon Leftover that...
Paul Simon was such a juggernaut in the 1970s that he even scored a big hit with a song he felt he didn’t quite get right. Left off a studio album but then used to fill out a greatest hits package,...
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Behind the Meaning of “On the Border” by the Eagles
The Eagles certainly aren’t considered a political group. In fact, many people would consider the band blithe. Nevertheless, they did take on such topics with “On the Border.” Uncover the meaning...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “I Need You,” a Breakthrough Song for George...
George Harrison was undoubtedly playing catchup in The Beatles’ songwriting race to the more experienced duo of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. His 1965 song “I Need You” represented a significant leap...
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The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” and the Surprisingly Violent Origins Behind It
Hidden amongst the groundbreaking sitar and maturing lyricism of the Beatles’ 1965 track “Norwegian Wood” are surprisingly sordid and violent details of an extramarital affair that turned violent. A...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Got a Hold on Me,” Christine McVie’s Biggest...
Christine McVie gained her fame as an integral part of the Fleetwood Mac hit-making machine. But she occasionally stepped out on her own with a solo record. In 1984, she scored her biggest hit single...
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Behind the Meaning of “Carolina In My Mind” by James Taylor
James Taylor’s “Carolina In My Mind” remains one of his most famous efforts. The simple song is endlessly relatable and soothing. Anyone who has dreamed of escaping somewhere new amid hard times will...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman,” The Kinks’...
Rock bands attempting disco grooves weren’t all that unusual in the late 1970s. Few of those bands managed to deliver the rock heft to go with the four-on-the-floor beats The Kinks achieved on their...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “End of the Line,” the Picture-Perfect Closing...
On their rollicking debut album in 1988, the Traveling Wilburys needed just the right song to send the album out on wistful, yet upbeat note. George Harrison, the man who started the group, came up...
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The Story Behind “Hellhound on My Trail” by Robert Johnson and the Role of...
Before radio, music was extremely regional. There was very little overlap in genres. Different areas developed varied styles as people had to make their own music. Rural areas differed from cities,...
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The Story Behind the Odd Pairing of The KLF and Tammy Wynette on “Justified...
On one level, “Justified and Ancient (Stand by the JAMs)” by the British electronic music duo The KLF is a standard early ‘90s dance hit, though it’s an exceptionally catchy one. It doesn’t take long...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Dear Boy,” Paul and Linda McCartney’s Message...
Paul and Linda McCartney’s 1971 album Ram represented Paul’s effort to do a more ornately produced album than his first post-Beatles effort McCartney had been. “Dear Boy,” featuring a cacophony of...
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The Meaning Behind “Nights on Broadway,” One of the First Bee Gees Songs to...
Is there a more iconic sound in pop music history than Barry Gibb’s falsetto? On the 1975 Bee Gees’ hit single “Nights on Broadway,” Barry was encouraged to put that falsetto at the forefront of the...
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Yacht Rock Essentials: The Story and Meaning Behind “Baby Come Back” by Player
A No. 1 single the first time out is no small feat. That Player wasn’t able to follow up the success of “Baby Come Back” with another hit of that ilk is beside the point. That smash still looms large...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “That’s All,” the First of Many 1980s Top-10...
Genesis made the transition from purveyors of inscrutably intriguing prog rock to radio-ready pop as well as any of their contemporaries. If you’re looking for the song that pushed them fully in the...
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The Story Behind Loretta Lynn’s Ode to Her Coal Mining Father, “They Don’t...
Everything about Loretta Lynn‘s 1971 classic “Coal Miner’s Daughter” centered around her coal miner father Melvin Theodore “Ted” Webb (1906-1959). The song centers around the hardships Lynn faced...
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How Kraftwerk Pioneered Synth Pop with the 1970s Hit “Autobahn”
No one can accuse the Top-40 radio stations of the mid-1970s of not being eclectic. Take, for example, the Billboard Hot 100 from March 15, 1975. The Doobie Brothers’ uncharacteristic foray into...
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The Story Behind “Girls Talk” by Dave Edmunds and How He Took Liberties with...
Stiff Records started with the release of “So It Goes,” backed with “Heart of the City” by Nick Lowe. The label embraced the DIY ethic as they gathered a roster of artists, including pub rockers,...
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The Appalachian Mountain Men That Inspired Dolly Parton’s First No. 1 Hit,...
By 1970, Dolly Parton finally broke into the top 10 on the Country chart with her cover of Jimmie Rodger’s “Mule Skinner Blues (Yodel No. 8),” which peaked at No. 3. A year later, she released her...
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Behind the Meaning of Travis Tritt’s “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”
When in a confrontation with someone, we all dream of saying the exact right thing to put them in their place. In terms of Travis Tritt’s relationship drama, he came away with a one-liner that was sure...
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