Stevie Wonder wrote his own version of "Happy Birthday" in an attempt to get Martin Luther King's birthday declared a national holiday.
Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin got the name "Levon" from Levon Helm, who was the drummer in The Band.
"The House Of The Rising Sun" is a traditional folk song, either about a brothel or a prison.
At 9:57 Dabid Bowie's "Blackstar" is the longest song ever to reach the Hot 100.
"How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You" by Marvin Gaye was inspired by Jackie Gleason's saying, "How Sweet It Is!"
Britney Spears was just 16 when her first single "Baby One More Time" was released. She quickly became a top search term on something called The Internet.
Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.
Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.
Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.
Inspired by his dear friend, "Seasons in the Sun" paid for Terry's boat, which led him away from music and into a battle with Canadian paper mills.
The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.