Dolly Parton wrote her #1 hit "9 to 5" for the 1980 movie she starred in as a secretary. The film is a comedy and the song has a lighthearted feel, but the message of gender discrimination in the office was very real. Both the song and movie helped bring the issue to the fore.
Pink wrote "Just Give Me A Reason" about how one partner can feel jilted over something trivial, like how her boyfriend passes her the butter.
James Brown's "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine" was the first Hot 100 hit with the word "sex" in the title.
At 9:57, David Bowie's "Blackstar" was the longest song to reach the Hot 100 until 2019, when Tool bested the record with the 10:21 "Fear Inoculum."
"The Long and Winding Road" was the last of The Beatles' 20 #1 hits in America. Written by Paul McCartney, he said it's a sad song about "the door you never quite reach."
The guy who wrote Taylor Dayne's "Tell It To My Heart" owns a collection of famous baseballs, including the one that went through Bill Buckner's legs in the 1986 World Series.
Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.
The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.
With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." After writing the Pretty Woman song for Go West, he had his own hit with "In the House of Stone and Light."
Tim and his brother Richard are the Furs' foundation; Tim explains how they write and tells the story of "Pretty In Pink."
The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.
