
"Paper Planes" was inspired by M.I.A.'s hassles trying to get a visa to enter America.

The Hollies hit "The Air That I Breathe" was written in part as a reaction to the smog in Los Angeles.

Avril Lavigne has a perfume named after her song "Black Star." It smells much better than her Sk8er Boi scent, which reeks of Axe body spray and road grime.

"The Way" by Fastball was inspired by the story of an elderly couple from Texas who drove to a nearby family reunion and kept going. Fastball's bass player imagined them taking off and having fun like they were young. The story didn't end well: the couple was later found dead after they crashed in a canyon.

The video for Iggy Azalea's "Fancy" pays homage to the classic 1995 film Clueless with the rapper playing Cher and featured singer Charli XCX portraying Tai. It was filmed at some of the same locations used in the movie.

The Annie Lennox hit "No More I Love You's" is a cover, originally sung by a man.
For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.
When you free your mind, your ass may follow, but you have to make sure someone else doesn't program it while it's wide open.
Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.
Test your metal - Priest, Maiden, and Beavis and Butt-head show up in this one.
Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.