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Billy Corgan Remembers Exact Moment He Wrote Smashing Pumpkins Hit “1979,”...
Frontman Billy Corgan remembers exactly where he was when he came up with the idea for the Smashing Pumpkins' massive hit "1979." The post Billy Corgan Remembers Exact Moment He Wrote Smashing Pumpkins...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me,” the Song That...
Those who believe in the adage "the third time's the charm" can point to Culture Club as proof. After the band's first two singles failed to do anything, their third, "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me,"...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” The Hollies...
In 1969, The Hollies uncovered a little-known song with a mouthful of a title. But they nonetheless created balladic magic with "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother." Here's how this song made it into the...
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The Story and Meaning Behind “Take My Breath Away,” Berlin’s Chart-Topping...
Top Gun possessed all the hallmarks of an 1980s movie classic. For all the film's heroics and histrionics, it wouldn't have been quite the same without "Take My Breath Away," the ballad that tugged at...
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Yacht Rock Essentials: “I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World),” Donald Fagen’s...
In 1982, Donald Fagen's song "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World") became a hit, as Fagen ventured out from the Steely Dan umbrella for the first time. It's a song that certainly shares the blend of...
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It Came From the British Invasion: “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely...
Perhaps the top example of Herman's Hermits' easygoing style came with the 1965 single "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter." We're nearing 60 years since the song was first released, and it's...
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The True Story Behind “Please Please Me” by the Beatles
The Beatles' famed 1963 song "Please Please Me" wasn't an easy sell to American record producers, but it changed the Fab Four's lives. The post The True Story Behind “Please Please Me” by the Beatles...
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The Bob Dylan Song That Made Joni Mitchell Say “Oh My God”
If you were to start putting together a list of the greatest songwriters of the past 100 years, two names would be very near if not at the very tippy-top. Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. Today, both...
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What Was the Last U.S. Top-40 Hit by Genesis?
More than any other band that started out within the prog rock genre, Genesis was able to switch gears as their career progressed and move in a mainstream direction. The band went about a decade...
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What Was Neil Diamond’s First U.S. Top-40 Hit Single?
Few artists in music history proved as consistent and durable in terms of singles success as Neil Diamond. The legend posted an astounding 37 U.S. Top-40 hits over a stretch of roughly 20 years. That...
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How an Amusement Park Ride and Rodgers and Hammerstein Inspired Dire...
"There's a certain part of the song that I call the breakdown and when I got there I could feel the drums, the piano, all the things that I wanted all the instruments to do." The post How an Amusement...
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How Reba McEntire Bridged Country and Pop With “Whoever’s In New England”
Reba McEntire is a country star that has achieved crossover success on a massive scale. Though her songs are certainly in the country tradition, she imbues elements of pop that make them accessible to...
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The Beatles Song Where Paul McCartney Was Trying to Sound Like Jimi Hendrix
Paul McCartney once admitted to trying to emulate Jimi Hendrix on this iconic Beatles album opener from 1966. The post The Beatles Song Where Paul McCartney Was Trying to Sound Like Jimi Hendrix...
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The Story Behind the Eagles’ Tribute to Hollywood Icon “James Dean,”...
"I had seen most of Dean's movies, but I somehow missed the whole icon thing," said Don Henley. The post The Story Behind the Eagles’ Tribute to Hollywood Icon “James Dean,” Co-written With Jackson...
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Behind the Meaning of Paul McCartney’s Other Assuage to a Child of a Beatle,...
However, there is another song that is equally as heartfelt: "Little Willow." Uncover the meaning behind this track, below. The post Behind the Meaning of Paul McCartney’s Other Assuage to a Child of a...
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The Cheap Malfunctioning Guitar That Led to the Smashing Pumpkins’ Classic...
The cheap guitar that led to the unique whistling sound in the Smashing Pumpkins' 1993 classic, "Mayonaise." The post The Cheap Malfunctioning Guitar That Led to the Smashing Pumpkins’ Classic...
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Noel Gallagher’s Favorite Liam Vocal Performance Also Featured an A-List...
Noel Gallagher's favorite vocal performance by brother Liam Gallagher also featured an A-List Hollywood heartthrob. The post Noel Gallagher’s Favorite Liam Vocal Performance Also Featured an A-List...
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How a Malfunctioning Pedal Helped Inspire Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train”
We explore the story of how a malfunctioning guitar pedal helped inspire Ozzy Osbourne's 1980 debut solo single, "Crazy Train." The post How a Malfunctioning Pedal Helped Inspire Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy...
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How a Piece of 19th Century Fiction, a Disenchanting Love, the Circus, and...
"Peggy's is really the essential version of that song," said legendary songwriter Mike Stoller in 2024, remembering Peggy Lee's classic rendition of "Is That All There Is?" The post How a Piece of 19th...
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Behind the Meaning of Dan + Shay’s Grammy-Nominated “Bigger Houses”
Dreams change. What we thought we wanted as kids isn’t always what develops over time. Perspectives shift, change happens, and all of the sudden, we’re gunning for new horizons. That’s the idea behind...
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