
"Piano Man" was inspired by Billy Joel's time playing at a piano bar in Los Angeles. The "real estate novelist" was a guy who always talked about writing a book, but spent all his spare time in the bar.

There aren't many songs with a scientist as the main character, but Coldplay's "The Scientist" is one of their biggest hits. The guy in the song is brilliant, but despondent because he's lost his girl after neglecting her for his work.
Shakira calls her sons Milan and Sasha her "Waka Kids" because she met their father, Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué, on the video shoot for "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)," the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

When Metallica performed in China in 2013, they weren't allowed to play "Master Of Puppets," probably because the theme of being controlled by a higher authority didn't sit well with the Chinese government.

Simon Rex from the TV show What I Like About You and Wilmer Valderrama from That 70s Show both appear in the LMFAO video for "Sexy and I Know It."

With his song "The G.O.A.T.," as in Greatest Of All Time, LL Cool J popularized that saying in hip-hop. He credits the boxer Muhammad Ali, who called himself "The Greatest," as inspiration.
Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.
The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"
A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.
Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.
Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.
Their frontman (Chris Cornell) started out as their drummer, so Soundgarden takes a linear approach when it comes to songwriting. Kim explains how they do it.