Shinedown lead singer Brent Smith had a band before Shinedown that was dropped by Atlantic Records, but the label offered him a development deal - that was his "Second Chance."
"Mercedes Boy" by Pebbles is about a real guy she fell in love with - they both drove Mercedes when she wrote it.
Mariah Carey's "My All" is about her affair with New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.
"Baby One More Time," the breakout song for Britney Spears, was originally offered to TLC but they passed on it. The R&B trio didn't feel comfortable singing the line, "hit me baby one more time."
"Think As You Drunk" by Riley Green is based on a scene in the show Reno 911! where a guy gets pulled over and starts dancing (quite well) during his sobriety test. When the cop asks if he's a dancer, he says, "No, I'm just drunk." Green found it hilarious.
"I Swear" was a #1 country hit for John Michael Montgomery before All-4-One made it a #1 pop hit.
How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.
Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.
With the band in danger of being dropped from their label, Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith co-wrote the song that started their trek from horror show curiosity to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Paul Stanley on his soul music project, the Kiss songs with the biggest soul influence, and the non-make-up era of the band.
The top chant artist in the Western world, Krishna Das talks about how these Hindu mantras compare to Christian worship songs.
The outlaw country icon talks about the spiritual element of his songwriting and his Bob Dylan mention.