"Stand By Me" hit #4 in the US when it was released in 1961, then went to #9 in 1986 when it was used in the movie of the same name.
"Virginia" in "Only The Good Die Young" is named after a real girl Billy Joel was trying to impress.
"Grenade" was a term used on the show Jersey Shore to mean an ugly girl. Bruno Mars says his hit song with that title was written before the show started.
Mariah Carey and P. Diddy show up in the Mary J. Blige "No More Drama" video, since they were going through Shakespeare-level drama.
"The Rubberband Man" is a "short, fat guy" with rhythm and grace. Spinners producer Thom Bell wrote it to boost the self-esteem of his rotund son.
"Zoot Suit Riot" isn't just a Cherry Poppin' Daddies song - they were real riots in Los Angeles in 1943 that inspired the lyrics.
The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.
Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.
With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.
Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.
The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.
Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.
