Scott McCarl, who joined the Raspberries for their last album and co-wrote "Play On" with Eric Carmen. He did just occasional songwriting after the group broke up, but released a solo album in 1998 that he titled Play On, after this song. Re-issued in 2022, it features contributions from Hilly Michaels, Michael Purkhiser, and members of the Rubinoos.
Phil Oakey of The Human League recorded his vocals for "Don't You Want Me" in the studio bathroom. The recording was disrupted by guitarist Jo Callis reaching through an open window from outside to repeatedly flush one of the toilets.
"Burning Down The House" by Talking Heads was inspired by chant band members heard at a P-Funk show where the crowd yelled, "burn down the house... burn down the house."
The instrumental "YYZ" by Rush got its title from the transmitter code for Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto, near where the band is from.
The original "Enter Sandman" lyric was about crib death, with the "sandman" killing a baby.
One of Tom Petty's most personal songs is "Room At The Top," which he stopped performing because it brought back painful memories.
Don McLean's "American Pie" starts in mono and gradually goes to stereo. It isn't full stereo until the end of the song, which is over 8 minutes long.
Outrageously gifted and just plain outrageous, Millie is an R&B and Rap innovator.
A big list of musical marriages and family relations ranging from the simple to the truly dysfunctional.
Where words like "email," "thirsty," "Twitter" and "gangsta" first showed up in songs, and which songs popularized them.
A scholarly analysis of yacht rock favorites ("Steal Away," "Baker Street"...) with a member of the leading YR cover band.
When singers started spoofing their own songs on Sesame Street, the results were both educational and hilarious - here are the best of them.
One of Canada's most popular and eclectic performers, Hawksley tells stories about his oldest songs, his plentiful side projects, and the ways that he keeps his songwriting fresh.