Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again" is a very inspiring song, but it's really about heartbreak: David Coverdale wrote it when his first marriage was falling apart.
Janet Jackson's "Alright" video features Cab Calloway and Cyd Charisse, stars of musicals she loved as a kid.
Sarah McLachlan wrote "Angel" about the Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin, who overdosed on heroin and died in 1996.
Dexys Midnight Runners' "Come on Eileen" is based on a real girl called Eileen that the band's Kevin Rowland had a relationship with in his early teenage years.
Lucinda Williams' track "Compassion" is based on a poem by her father, lauded Arkansas poet Miller Williams.
"Virginia" in "Only The Good Die Young" ("Come out, Virginia, don't let me wait...") is named after a real girl Billy Joel was trying to impress.
Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.
Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."
How a country weeper and a blues number made "rolling stone" the most popular phrase in rock.
An original member of Depeche Mode, Vince went on to form Erasure and Yaz.
On the "schizoid element" of his lyrics, and a famous line from "Everything Zen."
Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.