John Mellencamp considers "Pink Houses" an "anti-American song," laying bare the struggles of the poor and working class.
The Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" was written by the Motown team of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland and Eddie Holland. The phrase "Sugar pie, honey bunch" was something Dozier's grandfather used to say when he was a kid.
"It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" was inspired by a dream where Michael Stipe conjured up images of people with the initials L.B.: Lester Bangs, Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Leonard Bernstein.
The Hollies hit "The Air That I Breathe" was written in part as a reaction to the smog in Los Angeles.
The Doobie Brothers' swampy #1 hit "Black Water" is about the Mississippi River, evoking the rafting adventures Mark Twain and Huckleberry Finn.
"Celebration" by Kool & the Gang has a deeper meaning - it was inspired by a verse in the Quran where angels celebrate as God creates man.
Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.
We ring the Hell's Bells to see what songs and rockers are sincere in their Satanism, and how much of it is an act.
Call us crazy, but we like it when an artist comes around who doesn't mesh with the status quo.
In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.
Just like Darrin was replaced on Bewitched, groups have swapped out original members, hoping we wouldn't notice.
