How the Song Came to Be
The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

The Gentrys’ ‘Keep on Dancing’: Behind the ’60s Garage Classic

The Memphis septet took an obscure R&B tune and turned it into a top 5 rocker in 1965. The story behind the recording–and the band–is fascinating.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Friend & Lover ‘Reach Out of the Darkness’: So Groovy Now

The peace-and-love message of the song resonated in 1968, a relic of its time

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

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.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

‘Brandy’ by Looking Glass (It’s a Fine Song)

For one week only, in the summer of 1972, it was the best-selling, most often played single in the United States of America.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

‘Love Me Do’: The Beatles’ 1st Single Was the Sound of Identity

We don’t talk about it as one of the great debut singles, but perhaps that’s because it transcends the normal categories.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

Joan Baez ‘Diamonds & Rust’—Reflections on Her Friend Bob

Dylan asked her who her new song was about. She told him it was about her ex-husband. It wasn’t, of course. It was about Bob Dylan.

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

The Five Americans’ Catchy Hit, ‘Western Union’: Dit-Da-Dit-Da-Dit

The clean-cut band from Oklahoma chose its name to help stand out from groups that were part of the British Invasion, and scored a catchy single in 1967

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

The Doobie Brothers’ ‘What a Fool Believes’: Behind Their #1 Hit

The song almost didn’t happen. Michael McDonald’s sister told him it sounded like ‘circus music’ and to forget it. Good thing he didn’t listen to her!

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The Scene: How the Song Came to Be

How Dr. Hook Got on the ‘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

Elton John’s ‘Levon’: A Pauper to a Pawn

The first single from 1971’s Madman Across the Water is “one of our finest moments lyrically and melodically” and includes Paul Buckmaster’s soaring orchestral arrangements.

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