
"Panama" by Van Halen is not about the country or the canal, but about a stripper David Lee Roth met in Arizona.

The Bangles song "Eternal Flame" was inspired by a display at Graceland that honored Elvis Presley.

"Stand By Me" hit #4 in the US when it was released in 1961, then went to #9 in 1986 when it was used in the movie of the same name.
"Stay" by Lisa Loeb was the first #1 hit by an unsigned artist. It got a boost from Ethan Hawke, who got it into a movie he starred in called Reality Bites.

"Wanted Dead Or Alive" by Bon Jovi got the Unplugged craze going when Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora performed it with just their acoustic guitars at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards.
The actor Dan Aykroyd sang on "We Are The World." LaToya Jackson did too, so we know they weren't all that picky.
Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.
Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).
The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"
Christopher Cross with Deep Purple? Kenny Loggins in Caddyshack? A Fact or Fiction all about yacht rock and those who made it.
Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?
For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.