Eric Troy 
Song: Behind Blue Eyes (1971) Artist: The Who Album: Who’s Next (Decca) The lyric “No one knows what it’s like to be the bad man” comes from the song Behind Blue Eyes, released on The Who’s album Who’s Next in 1971. A tortured and dark acoustic ballad, the song was originally part of a collection of songs … Read more
Song: Africa (1982) Artist: Toto Album: Toto IV (Columbia) The lyric “I bless the rains down in Africa” come from the band Toto’s greatest hit song, Africa, released on the album Toto IV in 1982. It is said to be misheard, sometimes, as “I left my brains down in Africa” but it is uncertain whether this particular … Read more
Song: Saturday in the Park (1972) Artist: Chicago Album: Chicago V (Columbia) The lyrics, “I think it was the 4th of July” come from the 1972 Chicago song Saturday in the Park, which charted in the U.S. up to No. 3 and was the group’s first gold single. The song was written by keyboardist Robert Lamm, … Read more
Song: Fame (1975) Artist: David Bowie Album: Young Americans Fame is one of the David Bowie Songs you will hear most often on the radio. Or, as hip music critics say, “it is an FM radio classic,” as if anyone actually listens to AM anymore. Yes, with FM there’s no static at all. You can stop saying … Read more
Most people probably know Try a Little Tenderness from Otis Redding, who made it the classic it is today. Redding recorded it in 1966 and it went to no. 4 on the R&B charts, and to no. 25 on the Top 40 charts in the beginning of 1967, becoming his best-selling song. Redding made the song … Read more
When you hear the song In a Big Country you might think the band Irish, but Big Country was actually a Scottish group. They rose to great heights at a time when music was dominated by “new wave,” like Duran Duran, The Human League, and Thomas Dolby. They were also contemporary with the pinnacle of the … Read more
Song: Stuck in the Middle With You (1972) Artist: Stealers Wheel Album: Stealers Wheel (A&M) You may know the song Stuck in the Middle with You from the ear-slicing scene in Reservoir Dogs (1993). It was the only big hit by the Scottish folk-rock band Stealers Wheel, in 1973, appearing on their self-titled album Stealers Wheel, climbing … Read more