"Open Arms" was a pioneering power ballad. Stadium rock bands like Journey shied away from slow songs, but when they reluctantly agreed to record the song, it became their biggest chart hit.
In 2010, the biggest-selling song in the UK was "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem.
"Cult of Personality" by Living Colour incorporates speeches by John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
"Yellow" by Coldplay is a deep, meaningful song, but the title has a rather prosaic origin: it came from the phone directory, known as "the yellow pages."
Robert Plant's "Heaven Knows" is a satirical look at the '80s, when style seemed to trump substance.
David Byrne says "Road To Nowhere" is about "how there's no order and no plan and no scheme to life and death and it doesn't mean anything, but it's all right.
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.
Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.
Chad tells tales from his time as drummer for Nirvana, and talks about his group Before Cars.
The revered singer-songwriter talks inspiration and explains why she put a mahout in "Drop the Pilot."
Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.
In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.