Lady Gaga says that "Poker Face" is about her personal experience with bisexuality; being with a man but thinking about a woman.
Cheap Trick hated the ballad "The Flame" but recorded it because they needed a hit, and the song delivered, going to #1.
UB40's cover of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine" was a minor hit when first released in 1983, but it went to #1 five years later when radio stations in Phoenix started playing it.
Lyrically, Elvis Costello's "Watching The Detectives" was inspired by American detective shows; musically, it was inspired by The Clash.
Buddy Holly got the title for his hit song "That'll Be The Day" from a phrase John Wayne repeats in the 1956 movie The Searchers.
Sarah McLachlan wrote "Angel" about the Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin, who overdosed on heroin and died in 1996.
Christopher Cross with Deep Purple? Kenny Loggins in Caddyshack? A Fact or Fiction all about yacht rock and those who made it.
"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.
The "All I Want" singer went through a long depression, playing some shows when he didn't want to be alive.
Howard explains his positive songwriting method and how uplifting songs can carry a deeper message.
A founding member of the band War, Harold gives a first-person account of one of the most important periods in music history.
Toto's keyboard player explains the true meaning of "Africa" and talks about working on the Thriller album.