"Tenderness" by General Public was partly inspired by the outbreak of AIDS, which at the time was thought to be contagious.
Train's guitarist had to Google an instructional video to learn how to play the ukulele for "Hey Soul Sister."
After 47 visits to the Hot 100, Justin Bieber topped the tally for the first time on September 17, 2015 with "What Do You Mean?"
The '40s hit "Rum and Coca-Cola" is really about American soldiers soliciting prostitutes in Trinidad.
Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" was co-written by Sarah Hudson, who was a member of the pop group Ultraviolet Sound. Though Sarah isn't related to Katy (whose real name is Katy Hudson), she is the first cousin of another famous person with the same name, the actress Kate Hudson.
"Island Girl" was a #1 hit for Elton John in 1975, but he rarely played it live, maybe because it's about a Jamaican woman "turning tricks for the dudes in the big city."
Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.
Webb talks about his classic songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park."
Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.
The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.
The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.
A Soul Train dancer takes us through a day on the show, and explains what you had to do to get camera time.