The lyrics for Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" were based on actual events relating to his daughter Judy's sweet 16 party. The teenager threw a tantrum and burst into tears when her mum and dad insisted that her grandparents had to be invited.
The Ben Folds Five song "Brick" is about a difficult time when Folds' girlfriend got an abortion.
Lily Allen wrote "Something's Not Right" for the soundtrack of the Peter Pan prequel, Pan. The song was inspired by the heartache that Allen experienced after suffering a miscarriage when she was six months pregnant with her first child by husband Sam Cooper in 2010.
Even though Johnnie Taylor's "Disco Lady" was the first US #1 with the word "disco" in its title, it wasn't a disco tune. He was just singing about disco.
Stevie Wonder wrote his own version of "Happy Birthday" in an attempt to get Martin Luther King's birthday declared a national holiday.
Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" started life in a writing session between Dr. Luke and Sacha Skarbek intended for Beyonce. However, as the song progressed, they realized that it wouldn't work for her.
Doubt led to drive for Francis, who still isn't sure why one of Status Quo's biggest hits is so beloved.
The longtime BS&T frontman tells the "Spinning Wheel" story, including the line he got from Joni Mitchell.
Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.
The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.
Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."
