Behind the Song: Stories Behind 100 Great Pop and Rock Classics

by Michael Heatley (Author), Michael Heatley (Author), Spencer Leigh (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  1998

  $3.38

  Ever hear the sound of a favorite song and find yourself flooded with nostalgia? Find out more about those tunes that have given us such pleasure. Uncover the real background -- the fascinating and fun tidbits that give new meaning to your musical memory. Did you know that the woman who composed Heartbreak Hotel told Elvis, You need a million-seller, and I'm going to write it for you ? See what inspired James Taylor's Fire and Rain , what personal incidents lay behind Alanis Morrisette's You Oughta Know , and what 60s pop hit George Harrison's My Sweet Lord imitates note for note. Examine the oblique references to the Vietnam War that Jimmy Webb slipped into the Glen Campbell-recorded Galveston . And though Don McLean refuses to explain the lyrics of American Pie , he will slyly admit that the song means I don't have to work if I don't want to . Other songs examined include: Born in the USA , Every Breath You Take , Hoed California , Blue Suede Shoes , House of the Rising Sun , Biko , and lots, lots more. The special treasury of photos of album covers, song release dates, and chart positions will be a music lover's dream.