"November Rain" by Guns N' Roses has a literary influence: The lyric is based on a story called Without You by Del James.
"Walking on a Thin Line" by Huey Lewis and the News is about an American soldier who is trained as a sniper in the Vietnam War. It was written for a documentary on the war.
"Human" by The Killers was the most streamed song on Spotify in 2008, the year that the music streaming service was launched.
The '40s hit "Rum and Coca-Cola" is really about American soldiers soliciting prostitutes in Trinidad.
"Tammy" by Debbie Reynolds was the only US #1 single by a female act between July 1956 and February 1958.
Hugh Laurie, star of the TV show House, had a minor hit in 2011 with "Police Dog Blues," an old Blues song from 1929.
Have you got the smarts to know which of these graduation song stories are real?
Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.
Many actors have attempted music, but only a few have managed a hit. Do you know which of these thespians charted?
The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.
Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.
Rick has a surprising dark side, a strong feminine side and, in a certain TV show, a naked backside. But he still hasn't found Jessie's Girl.