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Bruno Mars Regrets the One That Got Away on “When I Was Your Man”
"Just the Way You Are” and “Grenade” may have introduced Bruno Mars to the world. But Unorthodox Jukebox defined the kind of artist and producer he wanted to be. It didn’t matter how many categories of...
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The Iconic Sam Cooke Song Released 10 Days After Killing, His Protégé Said It...
This Sam Cooke song was released ten days after his tragic killing. Before his death, Cooke's protégé said the song sounded "like death." The post The Iconic Sam Cooke Song Released 10 Days After...
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The Mysterious Deaths Around Waylon Jennings’ Final Country No. 1 and Its...
"Oh my Lord, honey, you need to get that Waylon," said Loretta Lynn to Jim McBride and Stewart Harris upon hearing their song. The post The Mysterious Deaths Around Waylon Jennings’ Final Country No. 1...
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Yacht Rock Essentials: “Thunder Island,” Jay Ferguson’s Rocking Depiction of...
If you checked out the fun new HBO film Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary, you'll know that some time is spent debating what songs and artists fit the genre. From our perspective, we take a big-tent approach....
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The Story and Meaning Behind “I Can’t Dance,” the Last Top-10 Hit by Genesis
As most of their rock peers struggled to hang on to the highest reaches of the pop charts through the 1980s, Genesis not only made it through, but also kept it rolling into the early '90s. "I Can't...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Always Something There To Remind Me,” a ’60s...
A good song can withstand the test of time, and it can make an impact even when approached in a style that might seem wildly foreign from the original version. "Always Something There To Remind Me"...
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The Sandwich and Farewell That Led to John Ellison’s “Some Kind of Wonderful”...
"I looked at her and said, 'You are some kind of wonderful, I’m gonna write a song about you,'" said John Ellison. The post The Sandwich and Farewell That Led to John Ellison’s “Some Kind of Wonderful”...
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How the 1992 LA Riots and an Inquisition Into Justice Inspired the Lyrics to...
"I asked a lot of people what justice was, nobody seemed to know," said Joni Mitchell of her 1994 'Turbulent Indigo' track. The post How the 1992 LA Riots and an Inquisition Into Justice Inspired the...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “It Must Have Been Love,” the Classic Power...
In an alternate world, we might be playing Roxette's "It Must Have Been Love" with regularity every December once Christmas music starts to dominate. Believe it or not, the song was written with the...
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It Came From the British Invasion: “Do Wah Diddy Diddy,” the Brilliantly...
Sometimes all it takes is a big old hook and a lot of energy to push a song over the top. Manfred Mann, like most British Invasion bands in the 1960s, had energy to spare. And "Do Wah Diddy Diddy"...
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The Story Behind the Song Richard Manuel Wrote Solo for The Band’s ‘The...
Manuel's “Tears of Rage" with Dylan and "Katie's Been Gone" with Robbie Robertson, also made their way onto 'The Basement Tapes.' The post The Story Behind the Song Richard Manuel Wrote Solo for The...
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“Pulls Something Out of You”: Brian May’s All-Time Favorite Queen Song Is...
Lead guitarist Brian May has an experientially and scientifically proven opinion on what the best Queen song to play really is. The post “Pulls Something Out of You”: Brian May’s All-Time Favorite...
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Two Folk Stars You Might Not Have Realized Sang on These Iconic Neil Young Songs
These iconic Neil Young songs feature two folk stars who just so happened to be in the same city as the Canadian singer-songwriter in 1971. The post Two Folk Stars You Might Not Have Realized Sang on...
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How Taylor Swift Created a National Anthem for Heartbreak
Including “New Romantics” in the “surprise” portion of the program was a fitting way for Taylor Swift to say farewell to her gigantic career-spanning tour. Here’s an inside look at the song and how she...
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Neil Young’s “Lotta Love” Gave His Former Backing Vocalist Nicolette Larson...
Neil said, ‘Thanks a lot, we’ve got the album.’ He was recording all the rehearsals secretly in another room.” The post Neil Young’s “Lotta Love” Gave His Former Backing Vocalist Nicolette Larson Her...
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Behind the Meaning of Bruce Springsteen’s “Wrecking Ball”
“There has been a flat destruction of our values over the last 30 years leading to the inequality we have now,” Springsteen once said. “‘Wrecking Ball’ is a metaphor for what has occurred.” Springsteen...
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The ‘Let It Be’ Beatles Track That John Lennon Allegedly Wrote as a “Dig” At...
Some speculate this Beatles track off their final album was John Lennon making a "dig" at the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger. The post The ‘Let It Be’ Beatles Track That John Lennon Allegedly Wrote as a...
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The Massive Tom Petty Hit He Avoided Playing Live In His Later Years
This Tom Petty hit from the Heartbreakers' debut has been a fan favorite for decades, but Petty avoided playing it live in his later years. The post The Massive Tom Petty Hit He Avoided Playing Live In...
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The My Chemical Romance Song Fans Theorize Is Haunted—and Gerard Way’s...
My Chemical Romance stopped performing "Drowning Lessons" live in 2004, allegedly because the song was haunted. The post The My Chemical Romance Song Fans Theorize Is Haunted—and Gerard Way’s Reasoning...
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Leonard Cohen’s Overlooked Classic From 1984
Leonard Cohen’s record label in the U.S. didn’t think his seventh album, Various Positions, had commercial appeal. With Columbia Records having its doubts, independent label Passport Records released...
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