Mickey Mantle and John Madden both appear in the video for "Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard" by Paul Simon. Biz Markie and Big Daddy Kane do a rap intro.
Often heard as a patriotic song celebrating their homeland of Australia, "Down Under" by Men At Work is really about the selling of that country, and it makes a strong political statement.
The woman "singing" in the video for Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam" didn't speak English. She was used just for her look, and also appeared on the album cover.
"November Rain" by Guns N' Roses has a literary influence: The lyric is based on a story called Without You by Del James.
The thunderclap sound heard in the Bee Gees song "Tragedy" was made by Barry Gibb with his mouth.
Neil Young wrote the CSN&Y song "Ohio" about the Kent State Shootings, when the National Guard opened fire on students at Kent State University in Ohio, killing four.
Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.
Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.
Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.
The stories behind "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and other Collective Soul hits.
For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.
It started with a bouncy MTV classic. Nirvana and MCR made them scary, then Gwen, Avril and Madonna put on the pom poms.