"Surf City" was recorded by Jan & Dean, but written by Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. It was the first #1 hit Wilson wrote.
"Tainted Love" started as a 1964 soul song by Gloria Jones, became a huge hit when Soft Cell covered it in 1981, and was the basis for Rihanna's 2006 #1 "S.O.S. (Rescue Me)."
The original "Enter Sandman" lyric was about crib death, with the "sandman" killing a baby.
The Ben Folds Five song "Brick" is about a difficult time when Folds' girlfriend got an abortion.
Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" was written by a guy named Eddie after going through a weird therapy session where he punched pillows to get out his aggressions.
The MTV classic "Voices Carry" is by 'Til Tuesday, a group fronted by Aimee Mann. She wrote the lyric about a friend who's partner wanted to keep their fling a secret.
If you can recall the days when MTV played videos, you know that there are lots of stories to tell. See if you can spot the real ones.
The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.
Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.
Is Owl City on a quest for another hit like "Fireflies?" Adam answers that question and explains the influences behind many others.
"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.
Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.
