Scott Stapp of Creed wrote "With Arms Wide Open" when he found out he was going to be a dad. He named his son Jagger.
"November Rain" by Guns N' Roses has a literary influence: The lyric is based on a story called Without You by Del James.
Lady Gaga is a big fan of horror movies; listen for the names of these three Alfred Hitchcock films in the lyrics to "Bad Romance": Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window.
"Girl Crush" by Little Big Town came from the hashtag #girlcrush, which its co-writer, Lori McKenna, spotted on Instagram.
The title "25 Or 6 To 4" by Chicago refers to the time it was written: either 25 minutes to 4 (3:35) or 26 (3:34).
There aren't many songs with a scientist as the main character, but Coldplay's "The Scientist" is one of their biggest hits. The guy in the song is brilliant, but despondent because he's lost his girl after neglecting her for his work.
A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."
In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."
Untangling the events that led to the "Stairway To Heaven" lawsuit.
The top chant artist in the Western world, Krishna Das talks about how these Hindu mantras compare to Christian worship songs.
The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned.
The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.