Rihanna claims that "S&M" is about her love/hate relationship with the media. Apparently her paparazzi are using whips and chains.
The songwriting team Leiber and Stoller wrote "Hound Dog" for a blues singer named Big Mama Thronton, who first recorded the song in 1953. Elvis covered it in 1956, and it became his biggest hit.
"Coming Home" by Diddy - Dirty Money was originally iwritten for for T.I., who was getting out of prison at the time.
According to the song's writer, Diane Warren, Cher hated the song and she had to force it on her by holding her leg down during a session until she recorded it.
Paul McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" to comfort John Lennon's 5-year-old son Julian, whose parents were getting a divorce.
"Here Comes Your Man" is the closest the Pixies came to a hit in America. It was rumored to be about a drug dealer, but Black Francis says it's just a story about some hobos who travel by train and die in an earthquake.
Pool balls, magpies and thorns without roses - how well do you know your Tom Waits lyrics?
Cain talks about the divine inspirations for "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully."
Into the vaults for this talk with Bolton from the '80s when he was a focused on writing songs for other artists.
Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.
A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.
Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.
