It is common practice for songwriters to make up stories about the inspirations behind the songs they write, often years after the fact. They do this to change the image of the song to make it more friendly to changing attitudes, or to change their own image. For example, I don’t believe for a second … Read more
The song One Vision appeared on Queen’s 12th studio album, 1985’s A Kind of Magic and became the lead single from that record. It was also notably featured in the 1986 movie Iron Eagle. The initial idea for the song was conceived by Queen’s drummer, Roger Taylor, but the entire band wrote the song together and … Read more
Song: Orange Crush (1988) Artist: R.E.M. Writers: Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe Label: Warner Bros Orange Crush was the first released single off of R.E.M.’s sixth studio album, their first with Warner Bros. Although the album focused on the band’s political and environmental concerns, as well as its ambivalence with the record … Read more
John Lennon definitely did say ‘life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. He said it in a song called Beautiful Boy from 1981, off his album Double Fantasy. The question is whether he originated the the saying, as is often claimed. Although Lennon is the originator of many famous quotes, he cannot … Read more
Song: Got My Mind Set On You (1987) Artist: George Harrison Album: Cloud Nine Label: Dark Horse Writer: Rudy Clark George Harrison had a number one hit with Got My Mind Set on You in January of 1988. It was his last number one hit and the only one he didn’t write himself. The song … Read more
When Tainted Love was first released in 1964 as the B-side of a record called ‘My Bad Boy’s Comin’ Home’ it was a total commercial failure. No, you are not experiencing a senior moment. Soft Cell’s Tainted Love, released in 1981, was a cover of a song recorded by Gloria Jones and produced and written … Read more
Song: Eat It (1984) Artist: Weird Al Yankovich Label: Scotti Brothers Writers: Michael Jackson, Al Yankovic Just as Michael Jackson’s album Thriller and the mega-hit Beat It was reaching its height, propelled by MTV and the 1984 Grammy Award for Record of the Year as well as a vocal performance Grammy for Jackson, Weird Al … Read more