Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult wrote "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" after he was diagnosed with a heart condition and started thinking about his own mortality.
Chuck Berry's only #1 hit was "My Ding-a-Ling," a novelty song about a boy and his... you know.
"Cum On Feel The Noise" was originally recorded by the British glam band Slade in 1973. Quiet Riot had their first hit with the song when they recorded it in 1983.
Robin Thicke and his mom, Gloria Loring are the first the first ever mother-and-son to have both tallied top 10 singles on the Hot 100 as solo artists or duos. Loring reached #2 with Carl Anderson in 1986 with "Friends and Lovers" and Thicke topped the chart in 2013 with "Blurred Lines."
"Personal Jesus," a song about "being a Jesus for somebody else," was inspired by Elvis and Priscilla Presley.
"Mrs Robinson" was originally called "Mrs Roosevelt," most likely after First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. It became "Mrs Robinson" when it was considered for use in the film The Graduate.
The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.
When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.
Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.
Brenda talks about the inspiration that drove her to write hit songs like "Get Here" and "Piano in the Dark," and why a lack of formal music training can be a songwriter's best asset.
The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.
10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces
