How the Song Came to Be
Mark Lindsay, Hal Blaine and the Raiders’ #1 Hit, ‘Indian Reservation’
Our interview with the star about the legendary drummer who made magic happen at the recording session and the single’s unusual path to success
Read More
Harry Chapin 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.
Read More
Creedence’s ‘Green River’: Admit It, You Don’t Know the Lyrics
John Fogerty’s lyrics have a creative imagery and he has a unique way of pronouncing them. You’ve sung along dozens of times but do you know the words?
Read More
Grand Funk’s ‘We’re An American Band’ Backstory
The song’s author, GFR drummer Don Brewer, explains how the 1973 all-time classic rock hit came about while the band was on tour. Sweet, sweet Connie…
Read More
When Brownsville Station Were Smokin’
Back in 1973, lots of high school students took extra bathroom breaks since that was generally the only place they could light up. The backstory of a classic
Read More
Friend & Lover’s ‘Reach Out of the Darkness’: So Groovy Now
The peace-and-love message of the song resonated in 1968, a relic of its time
Read More
Medley Mania of 1981-82: ‘Stars on 45,’ The Beatles & More
A Dutch novelty act released a single that was a medley of songs, backed by a disco beat. The worldwide #1 hit spawned other singles from actual superstars
Read More
The Beatles’ “I’m Down”: The Overlooked McCartney Song You Need to Get Into Your Life
McCartney loved Little Richard’s singing, and used to cover his songs with the band. Then he decided to write his own tune in Richard’s style…
Read More
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
Read More
Iron Butterfly’s Classic ‘In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida’
The single and album signaled a shift from the psychedelic sound toward something more aggressive, loud and primal. Rock fans either loved it or hated it.
Read More