Song Lyric Meanings

By: Amalia Dupray and Montgomery Jones.
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  • Summary

  • Learn about the meanings of the top songs in history in less than 5 minutes a day. Inspired by the Top 500 Most Influential Songs in History by the Rolling Stones.
    (c) 2023 Klassic Studios Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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Episodes
  • "When Doves Cry" by Prince

    "When Doves Cry" by Prince
    Dec 8 2023
    Song Lyrics Meaning - When Doves Cry by Prince "When Doves Cry" is a song by American musician Prince, and the lead single from his sixth studio album Purple Rain. According to the DVD commentary of the film Purple Rain (1984), Prince was asked by director Albert Magnoli to write a song to match the theme of a particular segment of the film that involved intermingled parental difficulties and a love affair. The next morning, Prince had composed two songs, one of which was "When Doves Cry". According to Prince's biographer Per Nilsen, the song was inspired by his relationship with Vanity 6 member Susan Moonsie. "When Doves Cry" was Prince's first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single, staying there for five weeks, and was also a worldwide hit. According to Billboard, it was the top-selling single of 1984. It is certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was the last single released by a solo artist to receive a Platinum certification before the certification requirements were lowered in 1989. "When Doves Cry" was ranked number one on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1984. Following Prince's death, the song re-charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number eight, its first appearance in the top 10 since the week ending September 1, 1984. The music video, directed by Prince, premiered on MTV in June 1984. It opens with white doves emerging from double doors to reveal Prince in a bathtub, then shows him performing the song in various scenes. The video sparked controversy among network executives, who thought that its sexual nature was too explicit for television. "When Doves Cry" is ranked number 37 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. According to Acclaimed Music, it is the 31st most celebrated song in popular music history. Amazon Merchandise Affiliate Links When Doves Cry by Prince Merch Explanations from OpenAI ChatGPT API with proprietary prompts. Wikipedia.org extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Doves_Cry. We donate to the Wikipedia Media Foundation. This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    6 mins
  • "Hey Jude" by The Beatles

    "Hey Jude" by The Beatles
    Dec 7 2023
    Song Lyrics Meaning - Hey Jude by The Beatles "Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in August 1968. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The single was the Beatles' first release on their Apple record label and one of the "First Four" singles by Apple's roster of artists, marking the label's public launch. "Hey Jude" was a number-one hit in many countries around the world and became the year's top-selling single in the UK, the US, Australia and Canada. Its nine-week run at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 tied the all-time record in 1968 for the longest run at the top of the US charts, a record it held for nine years. It has sold approximately eight million copies and is frequently included on music critics' lists of the greatest songs of all time. The writing and recording of "Hey Jude" coincided with a period of upheaval in the Beatles. The ballad evolved from "Hey Jules", a song McCartney wrote to comfort John Lennon's young son Julian, after Lennon had left his wife for the Japanese artist Yoko Ono. The lyrics espouse a positive outlook on a sad situation, while also encouraging "Jude" to pursue his opportunities to find love. After the fourth verse, the song shifts to a coda featuring a "Na-na-na na" refrain that lasts for over four minutes. "Hey Jude" was the first Beatles song to be recorded on eight-track recording equipment. The sessions took place at Trident Studios in central London, midway through the recording of the group's self-titled double album (also known as the "White Album"), and led to an argument between McCartney and George Harrison over the song's guitar part. Ringo Starr later left the band only to return shortly before they filmed the promotional clip for the single. The clip was directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg and first aired on David Frost's UK television show. Contrasting with the problems afflicting the band, this performance captured the song's theme of optimism and togetherness by featuring the studio audience joining the Beatles as they sang the coda. At over seven minutes in length, "Hey Jude" was the longest single to top the British charts up to that time. Its arrangement and extended coda encouraged many imitative works through to the early 1970s. In 2013, Billboard magazine named it the 10th "biggest" song of all time in terms of chart success. McCartney has continued to perform "Hey Jude" in concert since Lennon's murder in 1980, leading audiences in singing the coda. Julian Lennon and McCartney have each bid successfully at auction for items of memorabilia related to the song's creation. Amazon Merchandise Affiliate Links Hey Jude by The Beatles Merch Explanations from OpenAI ChatGPT API with proprietary prompts. Wikipedia.org extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hey_Jude. We donate to the Wikipedia Media Foundation. This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    5 mins
  • "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye

    "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye
    Dec 6 2023
    Song Lyrics Meaning - Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye "Sexual Healing" is a song recorded by American singer Marvin Gaye from his seventeenth and final studio album, Midnight Love (1982). It was his first single since his exit from his long-term record label Motown earlier in the year, following the release of the In Our Lifetime (1981) album the previous year. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 (Gaye's final top 10 hit) and is listed at number 198 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. "Sexual Healing" is written and composed in the key of E-flat major and is set in time signature of 4/4 with a tempo of 94 beats per minute. Amazon Merchandise Affiliate Links Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye Merch Explanations from OpenAI ChatGPT API with proprietary prompts. Wikipedia.org extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_Healing. We donate to the Wikipedia Media Foundation. This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    4 mins

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