Song

The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 took effect in the fall of that year. A law that authorized the drafting of qualified male citizens, it immediately began inducting men into the military, while headlines from Europe and Asia spoke grimly of the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan)Continue Reading

Harold Arlen (music), Johnny Mercer (lyrics) “That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942, which was, coincidentally, the first full year of U.S. participation in World War II. As a minor event in that dramatic historical context, Harold Arlen’s song turned out to be the hit of Paramount Pictures’ musicalContinue Reading

This disco classic Stayin’ Alive was written when Robert Stigwood approached the Bee Gees for music for a film based on the Brooklyn club scene. He needed a groove for an eight-minute John Travolta dance sequence. The Gibbs wrote the song on the staircase of a French chateau that servedContinue Reading

Recorded in late 1964 and reaching Number One in both the U.S. and UK charts in February 1965, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” gave the Righteous Brothers an international hit that has endured to this day. Produced by Phil Spector at Gold Star Recording Studios in Hollywood, “You’ve Lost ThatContinue Reading

You can’t always measure a song’s impact by chart positron and record sales. Many unforgettable songs have a life and impact far beyond their moment in the Top 40. Thats certainly the case with Arthur Alexander’s influential R&B classic  “You Better Move On.”  Alexander was 18 and working as aContinue Reading

The sounds of chirping birds are a calling card to a song that almost didn’t get released, an opener that offers a perfect imitation performed by brothers Eddie and David Brigati in the days before samples, leaving no doubt to the listener that the classic they are about to hearContinue Reading

Originally recorded by one of Prince’s flop side projects, the Family, Nothing Compares 2 U became the Number One song of 1990 in O’Connor’s rendition. The video focused on her face for four minutes until she shed a lone tear. “I didn’t intend for that moment to happen,” O’Connor said,Continue Reading

PERFORMER Leona Lewis — WRITERS Rycin Tedder, Jesse McCartney Guide to the sections: 1. The Hooks Takes a closer look at “the hooks” that helped make the track a hit. 2. The Lyric Examirtes the lyric of the song and considers the nature and extent of its role in makingContinue Reading

If you see someone playing air drums in the car stopped beside you at the red light, there’s a decent chance they’re playing Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” The song is the quintessential air drum number. In fact, during his live concerts, Collins plays the song on piano andContinue Reading