"Dirty Water" became a Boston sports anthem in the '00s, but it was written by a guy from California after almost getting mugged on a visit to the city.
The comedian Steve Martin had a hit in 1978 with "King Tut." The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who Martin would open for on tour, were his backing band on the song.
At the end of "Love Bites" by Def Leppard, there are some vocals that are hard to understand. It was rumored that they were: "Jesus of Nazareth, Go to Hell." It is actually producer Mutt Lange saying "Yes it does, Bloody Hell," with a thick British accent.
John Lennon got the title of the Beatles song "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" from an article in a magazine published by the National Rifle Association.
Dan Tyminski, the singer on Avicii's "Hey Brother" is the same guy who sang lead vocal on "A Man Of Constant Sorrow" in the movie O’ Brother, Where Art Thou.
James Brown's "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine" was the first Hot 100 hit with the word "sex" in the title.
Tyler talks about his true love: songwriting. How he identifies the beauty in a melody and turns sorrow into art.
Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.
Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.
Richie talks about the impact of "Amazed," and how his 4-year-old son inspired another Lonestar hit.
Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.
From the lake in "Roundabout" to Sister Bluebird in "Starship Trooper," Jon Anderson talks about how nature and spirituality play into his lyrics for Yes.
