Ian Anderson wrote "Aqualung" after looking at pictures of homeless men that his wife took. She got a co-writing credit on the song.
The lyrics for Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" were based on actual events relating to his daughter Judy's sweet 16 party. The teenager threw a tantrum and burst into tears when her mum and dad insisted that her grandparents had to be invited.
In 1939, a polka craze swept America thanks to "Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out The Barrel)."
Demi Lovato recorded a Spanish version of her song "Skyscraper," but she doesn't speak Spanish. She performed it on a Latin music awards show with help from a teleprompter.
"Instant Karma" is one of John Lennon's most hopeful songs, written and recorded in one day at a time when he felt people were pulling together in a positive direction.
Eddie Vedder often changes the words when he sings "Yellow Ledbetter." The basic story is about a guy whose brother dies in the first Gulf War. Apparently, bad news in the army is given in yellow envelopes.
The rock revolutionist on songwriting, quitting smoking, and what she thinks of Rush Limbaugh using her song.
The original voice of Snap!, this story is filled with angry drag queens, video impersonators and Chaka Khan.
When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.
With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." After writing the Pretty Woman song for Go West, he had his own hit with "In the House of Stone and Light."
With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.
Into the vaults for this talk with Bolton from the '80s when he was a focused on writing songs for other artists.
A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs
©2020 Songfacts®, LLC