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Behind the Meaning of “I Got a Name” by Jim Croce
One’s legacy is an uncontrollable thing–though many people try to direct it. A musician’s goal is to amass a legacy for the memorable tracks they leave behind. One artist that certainly did that was...
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The 1971 Song Bill Withers Never Actually Finished and His Clever...
Bill Withers’ 1971 hit, “Ain’t No Sunshine” wasn’t as calculated as one might think. Though, before we get to exactly what we mean by that we must acknowledge the unexpected journey he endured to get...
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Behind the Meaning of George Harrison’s Final Single, “Any Road”
“Any Road” acted as George Harrison’s final single, released posthumously in 2002. In many ways, this song acts as an eulogy for Harrison’s storied life. It’s chock full of helpful advice all of us...
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How Boredom Helped Ringo Starr Write His First Beatles Song (And Preview...
In terms of sheer movement and physicality, drummers are some of the busiest members of any band—but for Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, it was during a moment of rest and relaxation that he felt the most...
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The Beloved Allman Brothers Band Track That Almost Disappeared Forever
A beloved and fan-favorite Allman Brothers Band track almost disappeared forever due to a tale as old as time in the songwriters’ world: forgetfulness. If you’re a songwriter, then you know. You’ll get...
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Behind the Meaning of Shania Twain’s Norm-Bending Track “Honey, I’m Home”
The magic of Shania Twain lies in her relatability. She was speaking to womanhood in ways that artists had seldom done before. Her audience found her refreshing at the beginning of her career and they...
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The Rock Classic Paul McCartney Used to “Audition” for John Lennon’s Band
While we often think about Paul McCartney and John Lennon as a dynamic, equal duo, there was a brief moment in their musical history when McCartney had to “audition” to be a part of Lennon’s band....
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The Story Behind “Happy Jack” by The Who and Why It’s Paul McCartney’s...
The Who had much success in England before they broke through in America. The band landed five Top-10 singles in the UK before they even hit the Top 40 in the United States. “I Can See for Miles” was...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Anticipation,” the Carly Simon Hit That Proved...
Carly Simon was involved in some high-profile romances in the early part of her music career. Among those, her tryst with Cat Stevens was relatively short-lived. But it paid huge dividends with a song...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Words,” the Early Bee Gees Hit Spurred by Some...
When you really look closely at the career of the Bee Gees, and by that we mean the entirety of their career, well, impressive doesn’t quite cover it. Anybody who concentrates only on the disco-era...
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“I Told Him No Way”: Quincy Jones Had To Put His Foot Down With Michael...
When you’re a musical producer, you have to know how to differentiate between what the client wants and what their songs actually need, which is why Quincy Jones once had to put his foot down with...
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It Came From the British Invasion: “A Groovy Kind of Love” by The Mindbenders
The band that recorded it had just lost its lead singer. Meanwhile, those responsible for it were just starting their careers, with the lyricist still in her teens. And it hit not only once, but twice,...
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Yacht Rock Essentials: “The Things We Do for Love,” a Classic From a...
The departure of two key members of any band would usually signal said band’s fortunes were headed for a major downturn. 10cc was faced with just such a crisis prior to the making of their fifth album...
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How a Drum Loop and Synthesizer Kick-Started Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’...
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ fifth studio album Long After Dark landed with a series of firsts for the band. It was the first to feature bassist and backing vocalist Howie Epstein, replacing Ron...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Beth,” the Lush Ballad That Gave KISS Their...
Remember the hair metal craze of the late 1980s? Well, there was a reason each of those bands almost invariably included an earnest ballad on their albums, usually with the intent of releasing it as a...
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The B-52s Classic John Lennon Thought Sounded Just Like Yoko Ono’s Music
The B-52s and Yoko Ono might not be the most obviously similar musical icons, but one evening in a Bermuda nightclub, that was exactly the comparison John Lennon made. These similarities are not only a...
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The Meaning Behind the Billy Joel Song That Paul McCartney Wishes He Wrote
The chord progression for the song first came to Billy Joel in a dream then disappeared from his memory. When it came back to him one day during a meeting, he rushed home to write it before he lost it...
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The Story Behind How Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” Made Its Way Into the...
“Don’t do that. Ugh. F–k.” That’s what David Chase creator, head writer, and executive producer of the HBO hit The Sopranos remembers one crew member saying after he suggested the final episode of the...
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The Biblical Miracle That Inspired Johnny Cash To Write This Iconic Song in...
When inspiration strikes, a song can come out of you in one fell swoop, which is exactly what happened when a biblical miracle inspired Johnny Cash to write an iconic song in a matter of minutes. Cash...
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Behind the Meaning of “Dirt Cheap” by Cody Johnson
Cody Johnson picked up a nomination for Single of the Year at the 2024 CMA Awards for “Dirt Cheap.” This powerful ballad sees Johnson tell a compelling story about a life well lived. Uncover the...
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