Alicia Keys wrote "If I Ain't Got You" just after she'd heard the news that Aaliyah had passed away. in a plane crash.
Paul McCartney based the "Eleanor Rigby" story on old ladies he met at his housing estate. He saw how sometimes when they died, nobody really noticed.
Taylor Swift's “Shake It Off” was inspired by how she'd learned to deal with all the false rumors that circulated about her. "The only thing we can control is our reaction to that ,” said Swift. "You can either let it get to you … [or] you just shake it off."
"Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne is about the Cold War concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (M.A.D.) should any nuclear missile be fired.
The first single to simultaneously top the UK and US charts was The Everly Brothers' "Cathy's Clown" in May 1960.
Lou Reed's 11-minute "Street Hassle" features a spoken part by Bruce Springsteen.
Cain talks about the divine inspirations for "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully."
Do you know the girl singer on Eminem's "Stan"? If so, this quiz is for you.
For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.
Daryl Hall's TV show is a hit, and he's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - only one of these developments excites him.
Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.
Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.