How the Song Came to Be

Songwriting is a mercurial if not magical process that yields gems that have significant musical and cultural impact and timeless appeal. We talk with artists about how they created rock music’s greatest and most memorable songs.
The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Dion’s ‘Abraham, Martin and John’ @ 50

Tension was in the air in 1968 and rock music reflected the turmoil. Then came a voice from the past, gently singing of non-violence and hope.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Dr. Hook ‘Cover of the Rolling Stone’

A band records a song about its burning desire to make it to the cover of the leading music magazine. We’ve got the backstory. Do you know who wrote it?

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Queen’s Homage to Space Exploration: ’39’

The band’s guitarist, Brian May, can do many things well, one of which is to write songs. This one, about time travel, presaged his PhD in astrophysics

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown’s Incendiary “Fire”

He took the title of his one hit seriously, even putting flaming items on his head while he performed. But he never made the charts again after his 1968 smash.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Joni Mitchell’s ‘Woodstock’: Behind the Song

The composer of one of the greatest countercultural anthems never made it to the festival that served as the song’s subject.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Tom Petty’s ‘American Girl’: A Perfect Rock Song

Though the second single from the Heartbreakers’ 1976 self-titled debut failed to chart on Top 40, its story about the girl alone on the balcony overlooking US Route 441 resonates with his fans

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Pete Townshend’s ‘Teenage Wasteland’

For years, he worked on an ambitious project called Lifehouse. It was intended to be another rock opera and a logical follow-up to Tommy. This song evolved into “Baba O’Riley”

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

A-Ha Reinterprets ‘Take on Me’ Via MTV Unplugged

It’s a single you’ve heard countless times and its 1985 video has nearly 500 million views on YouTube. A touching acoustic version completely transforms the song

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Carly Simon’s Breakthrough: ‘You’re So Vain’

Watch the singer-songwriter perform a previously unheard verse of her huge 1972 hit from a ‘Carly Simon No Secrets’ classic albums special

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Harry Chapin’s Inspiration for ‘Taxi’

‘Cat’s in the Cradle’ may have been Harry Chapin’s biggest hit, but ‘Taxi’ resonated with listeners, perhaps due to its real-life connection.

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