Songs with cool stories behind them
 

What are some songs that have interesting stories behind them? These stories may be well-known, or hardly known, but I'd like to see a list of songs with a neat backstory.

I'll start: "While my Guitar Gently Weeps" by the Beatles.

As I understand it, this was a song written by George Harrison late in the Beatles' days. The other 3 members didn't like it enough to record it. After much frustration, Harrison showed the song to buddy Eric Clapton, who thought it was terrific.

Clapton dropped by the studio one day and all the Beatles were on their "best behavior" and Eric sort of let it be known that he thought this song was great and should be recorded. The Beatles obliged, and allowed Eric to play the guitar solo that is heard in the song. Apparently, after they listened to the recording, Eric said "It isn't Beatlesy enough." and advised them to add some effect and slow it down a bit.

Thus was born a great song! One of my favorites by the Beatles. I'm sure many of you know this stuff, but maybe some don't. Let's hear other stories of the advent of great songs [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

Phil collins saw this guy drown, and someone stood idle and didn't help the dying man...

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight

It's about a guy who could've saved that other guy from drowning. But didn't. Phil saw the whole thing and at a show he found him.

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Another: "Layla" by Derek and the Dominoes (Clapton)

Eric Clapton wrote this song about George Harrison's then-wife. He had fallen madly in love with his good buddy's girl. The song "worked", and Clapton subsequently had the sexytime with his friends wife.

Years later the two remained friends, even despite the fact that Clapton had stolen his girl briefly.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight

It's about a guy who could've saved that other guy from drowning. But didn't. Phil saw the whole thing and at a show he found him.

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No, it isn't.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

There's a song Doc Watson does called "Rev. Hicks Farewell"
It was written by a reverend/missionary in Tennessee pre-Civil War. He had gotten sick and thinking he was going to die he wrote a song and sent it to his wife to possibly be published. The slow fiddle version on the Folkways release is haunting and awesome.

Ohio by N.Young. Pretty obvious one. About the Kent St. shootings.

I know a bunch of songs with cool stories behind them. I'll try to mention some more as I think of them.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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Another: "Layla" by Derek and the Dominoes (Clapton)

Eric Clapton wrote this song about George Harrison's then-wife. He had fallen madly in love with his good buddy's girl. The song "worked", and Clapton subsequently had the sexytime with his friends wife.

Years later the two remained friends, even despite the fact that Clapton had stolen his girl briefly.

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http://www.ericclaptonfaq.com/songs/...backstory.html

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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Another: "Layla" by Derek and the Dominoes (Clapton)

Eric Clapton wrote this song about George Harrison's then-wife. He had fallen madly in love with his good buddy's girl. The song "worked", and Clapton subsequently had the sexytime with his friends wife.

Years later the two remained friends, even despite the fact that Clapton had stolen his girl briefly.

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http://www.ericclaptonfaq.com/songs/...backstory.html

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Yea. That's a good one. Although her name was Patty I think. Probably hard to write a good song using the name Patty though.

Another Clapton one is "Tears in Heaven" about his son that fell out of the window.

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Cool site!

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Bob Dylan "Hurricane", about the Rubin "Hurricane" Carter murders.

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Pink Floyd's "wish you were here"

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

Ok seriously, just posting song names without stories is retarded.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

Meatloaf - Paradise By The Dashboard Light

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Pink Floyd's "wish you were here"

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Awesome story. Thanks for the input.

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Pink Floyd's "wish you were here"

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Also, Shine on You Crazy Diamond. A tribute to Syd Barrett. He actually made an unannounced appearance at Abbey Road when they were recording the song, kind of wild really to be there for that particular recording. Supposedly the band didn't even recognize him, overweight and having shaved all his hair and eyebrows. When they realized who it was Roger Waters started to cry.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight

It's about a guy who could've saved that other guy from drowning. But didn't. Phil saw the whole thing and at a show he found him.

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No, it isn't.

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Eminem lyric duder. Maybe I'm being triple-leveled though.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight

It's about a guy who could've saved that other guy from drowning. But didn't. Phil saw the whole thing and at a show he found him.

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Wrong.

An urban legend has arisen around "In the Air Tonight". According to the legend, the lyrics are based on a tragic event Collins witnessed, usually a drowning (as in the song's lyrics), in which a man could have helped the victim, but did not do so. A common ending is that Collins invites this man to a show and sings the song to him, often with a spotlight pointed at him. Afterward, the man is arrested or, in some versions, is wracked with guilt and commits suicide.

Years later, Collins commented on the legends about the song in a BBC World Service interview:

“ I don't know what this song is about. When I was writing this I was going through a divorce. And the only thing I can say about it is that it's obviously in anger. It's the angry side, or the bitter side of a separation. So what makes it even more comical is when I hear these stories which started many years ago, particularly in America, of someone come up to me and say, 'Did you really see someone drowning?' I said, 'No, wrong'. And then every time I go back to America the story gets Chinese whispers, it gets more and more elaborate. It's so frustrating, 'cos this is one song out of all the songs probably that I've ever written that I really don't know what it's about, you know. ”

The urban legend is referenced in the song "Stan" by Eminem in the following lyrics:

You know the song by Phil Collins, "In the Air of the Night" [sic]
About that guy who coulda saved that other guy from drowning
But didn't, then Phil saw it all, then at a show he found him?
Putting the rumors to rest once and for all, Collins stated on VH1 Classic's "Classic Albums" series that he came up with "99%" of the lyrics on the spot, based on what he felt the vibe was of the dark chords he had improvised over the ominous drum beat. He was "just messing around for fun," completely unaware that what he was creating would ultimately be the staple song from his next album.

Most fans understand the real meaning of the lyrics as: Phil was involved in a separation with his wife Andy. Its almost universally accepted that this was the emotional catalyst for the lyrics in this track and others in later songs and albums including his work within Genesis. Most fans agree that some lyrics are purely metaphorical and not fact as the urban legends espouse. eg "drowning". Most fans see this as saying there was a lack of support within the relationship. Other parts of the song are interpreted as anger, guilt, regret and marital infidelity. The discovery of lies and feelings of foreboding eg. "I can feel it coming in the air tonight". It's believed that Phil simply penned his experiences into a set of lyrics explaining events and actions that took place in a difficult period of his life. No hidden meanings, just an outpouring of emotions; a collection of genuine thoughts and feelings. So yes, a song written while messing around for fun, but generated by strong emotions caused by what most fans believe as real emotional hurt caused by the breakdown of his marriage, leading up to the unfortunate separation and divorce from his first wife Andy.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

"Fire" by Jimi Hendrix

Jimi was at a party in England, where the house had very little heat. Everyone was trying to stand by the fireplace. Apparently, the dog was at the front of the line, inspiring the line "Move over Rover and let Jimi take over."

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

that reminds me of "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple.

The lyrics pretty much explain it all, but it's about some big festival or party that was held in like Montreaux, Switzerland by a lake, and some idiot with a flare gun caught Frank Zappa's place on fire, IIRC. The place burnt down, and the smoke hovered over the water, inspiring the lyric "Smoke on the Water...fire in the sky..."

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

Atmosphere- That Night
http://web.abqtrib.com/archives/news...sunshine.shtml

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" - Bob Dylan

Although never confirmed by Dylan, it's widely believed the song is about his relationship with Joan Baez. More specifically, she couldn't take a hint that she was being dropped, so he decided to do it through the power of music.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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that reminds me of "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple.

The lyrics pretty much explain it all, but it's about some big festival or party that was held in like Montreaux, Switzerland by a lake, and some idiot with a flare gun caught Frank Zappa's place on fire, IIRC. The place burnt down, and the smoke hovered over the water, inspiring the lyric "Smoke on the Water...fire in the sky..."

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I had always heard this was about a bong.... stoners are full of crap.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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that reminds me of "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple.

The lyrics pretty much explain it all, but it's about some big festival or party that was held in like Montreaux, Switzerland by a lake, and some idiot with a flare gun caught Frank Zappa's place on fire, IIRC. The place burnt down, and the smoke hovered over the water, inspiring the lyric "Smoke on the Water...fire in the sky..."

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I had always heard this was about a bong.... stoners are full of crap.

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Wow, it took you way too long to figure that out.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

I'm surprised someone hasn't said "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

For me, definitely The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot. Although some factual inaccuracies exist in the lyrics, it still is a very cool song about a very tragic event. I've seen an expose about it on A&E that was really good.

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Where's Patton with the FNM/Bungle stuff? Someone put out an APB. Cuckoo for Caca? Be Aggressive? Stripsearch? Stub-a-Dub?

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

ipo lei manu

the lyrics (in hawaiian), translation and back story are at this link.
cliff notes version is that Queen Kapi'olani wrote this song for her husband, King Kalakaua after he set sail to California in 1890. The King died in San Francisco and never heard this song.

It's a very beautiful love song and now is a considered a standard in Hawaiian music. it's sung in the upper range of the male register, between normal and falcetto, which gives it a haunting longing quality to it.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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Where's Patton with the FNM/Bungle stuff? Someone put out an APB. Cuckoo for Caca? Be Aggressive? Stripsearch? Stub-a-Dub?

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LOL, The Secret Song from Disco Volante is the song with the best story. Most people think it's about Jim Martin bitching about being kicked out of Faith No More. It's not.

"The story behind the song goes something like this: It was originally recorded without Trevor Dunn, and no one told him about it. He found a copy of it, and in response to its being kept a secret from him, he added the "old man" lyrics like, "I know the secret song now," and, "they kicked me out of the band."

To add another dimension to the secret nature of the song, knowledge of the new lyrics was kept from Mike Patton until shortly before Disco Volante was released. Basically, the name of the song and the lyrics are an inside joke, meaning relevant to the people in Mr. Bungle" - Mr. Bungle FAQ

Also, on the LP, the song is double grooved with Carry Stress in the Jaw. If you play that side of the record normally, you never hear the Secret Song. If you drop the needle at the beginning of the song and catch the other groove you will hear the Secret Song instead of Carry Stress in the Jaw. Of course on the CD you can't pull tricks like that so it just plays after Carry.

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Ok seriously, just posting song names without stories is retarded.

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just hit the song up on wiki

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

I got really excited about the origins of "Hey There Delilah" when I first heard it, but I was disappointed by the story. Apparently the lead singer met Delilah at a party, thought she was hot, and told her he had already written a song about her (which was a lie). She wasn't interested (was dating someone else) but he wrote the song anyway.

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FFK,

The problem I have with that story is that it's attached to the worst song in the history of music.

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Tuq,

I wouldn't expect you to understand... it's meant for my generation, not yours!

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

[ QUOTE ]
Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight

It's about a guy who could've saved that other guy from drowning. But didn't. Phil saw the whole thing and at a show he found him.

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That's kinda how this is, you could have rescued me from drowning. Now it's too late. I'm on 1000 downers now - I'm drowsy.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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FFK,

The problem I have with that story is that it's attached to the worst song in the history of music.

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The only pain that I can imagine would be worse than listening to this song all the way through would be fisting myself in the urethra. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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For me, definitely The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot. Although some factual inaccuracies exist in the lyrics, it still is a very cool song about a very tragic event. I've seen an expose about it on A&E that was really good.

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Great example, i love this song

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

have you seen pics of the real Delilah?

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...s20steeple.jpg

Do not want.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

I'm going to have to go with "Pinball Wizard," which is about a boy named Tommy who can't see, hear, or speak, yet was the best Pinball player in England. Its really exceptional and amazing. This all took place in the 1920's and 30's. I can understand that pinball machines then were not as complex as they are now and that the tilt mechanisms were not as sensitive. Still, to beat other players when you are blind is really amazing - I guess he really did become "one with the machine!" lol!

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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Tuq,

I wouldn't expect you to understand... it's meant for my generation, not yours!

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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I'm pretty sure I'm in your generation, and that song is [censored] terrible.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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I'm going to have to go with "Pinball Wizard," which is about a boy named Tommy who can't see, hear, or speak, yet was the best Pinball player in England. Its really exceptional and amazing. This all took place in the 1920's and 30's. I can understand that pinball machines then were not as complex as they are now and that the tilt mechanisms were not as sensitive. Still, to beat other players when you are blind is really amazing - I guess he really did become "one with the machine!" lol!

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That's pretty cool, but I think the story behind "Monster Mash" is even more impressive. Apparently this mad scientist was working in his lab late one night and his monster got up and started dancing. Then a bunch of other monsters showed up and there was a big party! Really crazy stuff.

Re: Songs with cool stories behind them
 

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Ok seriously, just posting song names without stories is retarded.

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Agreed. I found OP's story fascinating. Already knew about "Layla" but had no idea where the Phil Collins song came from. I just know it's one of my least favorite Phil Collins songs.