Colbie Caillat sang "Bubbly" when she auditioned for American Idol in 2004, but was sent packing. Three years later it became a big hit when she released it as her first single - the song spent 19 weeks at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
References to David Bowie, Tom Waits and Allan Ginsburg are peppered into the Bush song "Everything Zen."
"Sister Christian" was written by Night Ranger drummer Kelly Keagy, who was imploring his younger sister to be careful in her reckless youth, especially when "motoring" (driving around) with friends.
The Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize??" was named in March 2009 the official Rock Song of Oklahoma. Four years later, Oklahoma's governor Mary Fallin pulled the tune as the state's official rock song in a move her office said had more to do with priorities than musical taste.
Korn's most popular song, "Freak On A Leash," is about their predatory record label making huge profits off the band. It was quite profitable, helping the Follow The Leader album sell over 5 million copies.
Bob Seger got inspired to write "Night Moves" after watching the movie American Graffiti, which showed young people growing up in his "neck of the woods."
An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular.
The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.
Are classic songs like "Over The Rainbow" and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in the public domain?
Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.
Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.
