January 28, 1986

Album: All Things Bright & Beautiful (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Adam Young told AOL Music why he included this short interlude about the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on All Things Bright and Beautiful: "It was a fun thing to do as a concept. I knew I wanted a little bit of an intermission, kind of a little break in the middle of the record. We used to play that little clip of Reagan addressing the country when the Challenger disaster happened in '86 live on tour then play some kind of ethereal, ambient music behind it. I was actually born in that year, and my mom used to talk about being pregnant and watching that thing on TV and what a huge blow it was to everybody. So growing up that was a part of who I was, indirectly. On the record, I wanted to pay respect to that - just imagine what it would be like going into the next song, 'Galaxies,' what it would be like if I were one of those guys on the Challenger. Then it exploded, and I was taken from this life into eternity. So it was fun to imagine beyond the confines of what actually happened and how disastrous that was."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Melanie

MelanieSongwriter Interviews

The singer-songwriter Melanie talks about her spiritual awakening at Woodstock, "Brand New Key," and why songwriting is an art, not a craft.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.