Clik here to view.
Zach Bryan’s “Tourniquet” and the Marlon Brando Classic That Inspired It
Zach Bryan might’ve claimed there was “no riddle in reasoning” behind the songs on his 2023 eponymous album, but there seem to be some clear connections between a Marlon Brando classic film and the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “I’m on Fire” by Bruce Springsteen and How Johnny Cash...
Bruce Springsteen has drawn from many musical inspirations through the years. From Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry to The Beatles and The Animals, the foundation of rock ’n’ roll is clearly heard on any...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” by Bob Dylan and How It...
Through the years, Bob Dylan has done many interviews. Some were serious and earnest, while others were hostile and dismissive. You never knew what to expect when the singer sat down with a journalist....
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Blondie Song That Was Actually Meant for Stevie Nicks
Career-defining hits can come in the unlikeliest of places, and the Blondie song that was actually meant for Stevie Nicks is certainly no exception. Stevie Nicks and Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Heavy Metal Rocker Jim Morrison Directly Quoted for “Roadhouse Blues”
From childhood trauma-inspired poetry to early 20th-century operas, the Doors have no small shortage of interesting lyrical inspiration—including the time Jim Morrison directly quoted a heavy metal...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why the BBC Banned One of the Beatles’ Greatest Songs Over Six Words
From “I Am The Walrus” to “Come Together”, quite a few of The Beatles’ biggest hits were banned by the BBC. Whether it came down to explicit lyrics or the use of branded product names, the British...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Meaning Behind Laufey’s Candid Ballad, “Goddess”
Being a successful artist can come with love and adoration. Unfortunately, that love and adoration can often lead to questionable intentions. In “Goddess,” Laufey grapples with that idea. The Icelandic...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “1985,” Bowling for Soup’s Irreverent, Adoring Parody of the...
When Bowling for Soup gave us their lovingly ribbing ode to the Decade of Decadence, it was 2004 and ‘80s nostalgia had really kicked in. The song “1985” is told through a peppy pop-punk lens as the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story and Meaning Behind “Takin’ Care of Business,” the BTO Smash Hit...
You’ll hear songwriters telling stories about writing a song in a matter of minutes that turned out to be a big hit. But Randy Bachman’s tale of making up the Bachman-Turner Overdrive smash “Takin’...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The David Bowie Hit Originally Written for Elvis, but Ultimately Rejected by...
While it’s normally hard to imagine anyone performing a David Bowie hit better than David Bowie, one iconic track originally written for Elvis Presley is the exception. Because although this song...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Inspiration Behind Kris Kristofferson’s “Why Me” That Had Him “Weeping in...
Kris Kristofferson’s “Why Me” was the singer-songwriter’s only No. 1 country hit as a solo artist, which is an appropriate accolade for such a deeply intimate and personal song. The man behind hits...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why “Red Headed Stranger” Forced Willie Nelson To Reject This Eventual Kenny...
Willie Nelson’s decades-long musical career features countless iconic hits, but it could have included one more if Shotgun Willie hadn’t rejected this country hit for being too long. But despite...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Banned Beatles Classic John Lennon Says Was Inspired by His Son’s...
Of all the songs that the BBC banned during the heyday of The Beatles, this particular ban is the most understandable. At the very least, it’s understandable in the context of the 1960s and what was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind “We Love You” by The Rolling Stones and How It Was a Message...
On February 12, 1967, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Marianne Faithfull, and art dealer Robert Fraser were arrested on drug charges after a raid on Richards’s Redlands country estate in West Wittering,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story Behind R.E.M.’s Swan-Song Single “We All Go Back to Where We Belong”
Over the course of their 30-year recording career, R.E.M. threw its audience plenty of curveballs. As soon as they got pigeonholed as a jangle rock band, they added harder edges to their sound on...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story and Meaning Behind “Jeopardy,” the Greg Kihn Band Hit that’s Not...
Journeyman rocker Greg Kihn plugged along through many an album before things opened up in a big way for him with two big 1980s hits. The second of those, “Jeopardy,” earned him and the Greg Kihn Band...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Post-Millennial Classic: Gillian Welch Gets the Opportunity to Rock Out on...
Known for her adherence to classic folk, country, and bluegrass forms, Gillian Welch decided it was time to rock out a little bit on her 2003 album Soul Journey. Those efforts reach their apotheosis on...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Yacht Rock Essentials: The Story Behind George Benson’s Smooth Smash “Give Me...
George Benson‘s versatility has always made him stand out among his musical peers. Impossible to pin down to any genre or skill, Benson proved even the pop charts were no match for his immense talent...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Vince Gill’s “The Key to Life” and the Heartwarming Inspiration Behind It
Authentic life experiences can separate a good country song from a great one, and Vince Gill’s “The Key to Life” is no exception. The closing track of Gill’s 1998 album The Key not only offers a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Story and Meaning Behind “The Night Chicago Died,” the Paper Lace Song...
The 1970s was the era of the story song on the pop charts, some of which were true stories, some of which were made up whole hog by inventive songwriters. Paper Lace split the difference with “The...
View Article