Album: Half the City (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • St. Paul and The Broken Bones is a seven-piece soul band formed in Birmingham, Alabama in 2012. This is their debut single.
  • Dave Letterman booked St. Paul and the Broken Bones to perform the tune on the January 12, 2015 episode of The Late Show. He enthused about the band before they even played a note. "I'll tell you something, the first time I heard this song," said the talk show host, "I was screaming, 'til I cried. That's what I want: can you do that for me tonight? It won't be your fault, but if I don't get that, I'm gonna stop the show, and do it over!"
  • Letterman asked frontman Paul Janeway why he put a phone number in the lyrics of the song; Janeway replied that it was in tribute to Wilson Pickett's soul classic "634-5789," "But unfortunately, in Birmingham it leads to some sort of hotline."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Actors With Hit Songs

Actors With Hit SongsMusic Quiz

Many actors have attempted music, but only a few have managed a hit. Do you know which of these thespians charted?

Wedding Bell Blues

Wedding Bell BluesSong Writing

When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets

Curt Kirkwood of Meat PuppetsSongwriter Interviews

The (Meat)puppetmaster takes us through songs like "Lake Of Fire" and "Backwater," and talks about performing with Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged.

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.