Seemed like a good idea at the time: put basketball star Dennis Rodman on a song by Crystal Waters. An NBA superstar (and future Hall of Famer), Rodman was a crossover celebrity, constantly in the news for his unpredictable and often self-destructive antics. Waters, who had an office job before working her way up in the music industry, was not happy about the pairing, but her label did the deal anyway, hoping the song would get a big boost from its use in Rodman's movie Double Team, in which he starred alongside 
The Blues Traveler song "Hook" is a Peter Pan reference, but also about the catchy hook of the song, which is what "brings you back."
"Here I Go Again" was a #1 hit for Whitesnake in 1987, but it was first released in 1982 with the lyric, "Like a hobo I was born to walk alone."
Elton John's classic "Levon" runs 5:22, and Elton wouldn't let his record company edit it down for the single. His next single was "Tiny Dancer," which is even longer, running 6:12.
The party tune "Mambo No 5 (A Little Bit Of)" was the theme song for the 2000 Democratic Convention (the party of Bill Clinton), until someone noticed the line, "A little bit of Monica in my life."
Katmandu, the capital of Nepal, was the archetype for faraway mysticism when Bob Seger wrote a song about it in 1975.
"Only Wanna Be With You" by Hootie & the Blowfish is a tribute to Bob Dylan, but Dylan sued them over it for using lyrics from his song "Idiot Wind."
Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.
The outlaw country icon talks about the spiritual element of his songwriting and his Bob Dylan mention.
Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?
Songs about drugs, revolution and greed that have been used in commercials for sneakers, jeans, fast food, cruises and cars.
Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.
With $50 and a glue stick, Bruce Pavitt created Sub Pop, a fanzine-turned-label that gave the world Nirvana and grunge. He explains how motivated individuals can shift culture.