"London Calling" by The Clash was written amid widespread fears that the Thames River was going to flood the city.
Often heard as a patriotic song, "Down Under" is really about the selling of Australia and makes a strong political statement.
Fifth Harmony was going to call their song "Work," but they changed it to "Work from Home" when Rihanna released a song with that title.
"Love Is A Battlefield" was written as a ballad, but Pat Benatar's guitarist/husband turned it into an uptempo song.
"Spoonman" by Soundgarden is about a real street performer in Seattle: Artis the Spoonman.
Before she was famous on Friends, Courteney Cox danced on stage with Bruce Springsteen in his "Dancing In The Dark" video.
Stone Temple Pilots bass player Robert DeLeo names the songs that have most connected with fans and tells the stories behind tracks from their Tiny Music album.
The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.
Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.
Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.
Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.
An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular.
