The very American song "What Made Milwaukee Famous" was never a big hit in the US, but Rod Stewart made it famous in the UK.
The songwriting team Leiber and Stoller wrote "Hound Dog" for a blues singer named Big Mama Thronton, who first recorded the song in 1953. Elvis covered it in 1956, and it became his biggest hit.

Props to Aretha Franklin: her song "Respect" introduced the term "propers" as a sign of proper respect.

One of the great "we're all going down" songs is "Ship Of Fools" by World Party, written when Margaret Thatcher was in power in England.

Every film star mentioned in Madonna's "Vogue" has since died. The last was Lauren Bacall, who passed away in 2014.

Zayn's "Pillowtalk" reached #1 on the Hot 100, something his former One Direction bandmates never achieved.
Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have some rather unusual song titles - see if you can spot the real ones.
Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.
Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.
'80s music ambassadors Wang Chung pick their top tracks of the decade, explaining what makes each one so special.
The evolution of the symbol that was Prince's name from 1993-2000.