The Phoenix song "1901" is about Paris. Their lead singer Thomas Mars said: "Paris in 1901 was better than it is now. So the song is a fantasy about Paris."
Shaggy wrote his swaggering hit "Boombastic" after learning what "shag" means in the UK.
"Open Arms" was a pioneering power ballad. Stadium Rock bands like Journey shied away from slow songs, but when they reluctantly agreed to record this song, it became their biggest hit.
R.E.M. got the title "Shiny Happy People" from a Chinese propaganda poster.
The chipper-sounding "MMMbop" by Hanson has a heavy lyrical theme, asking us to look at the big picture and value what is lasting in life: our support systems.
The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.
The 5-octave voice of the classical rock band Renaissance, Annie is big on creative expression. In this talk, she covers Roy Wood, the history of the band, and where all the money went in the '70s.
Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.
Nirvana, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen are among those who wrote songs with cities that show up in this quiz.
Kelly Keagy of Night Ranger tells the "Sister Christian" story and explains why he started sweating when he saw it in Boogie Nights.
