From midnight recording sessions to happy accidents in the studio, these fascinating stories reveal how some of music's greatest hits came to be. Join us as we explore the surprising tales behind legendary tracks, featuring remarkable collaborations, unexpected inspirations, and pure musical magic.
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most
00:10surprising, compelling, and or impressive tales behind great tracks.
00:1410. Quitting in Style
00:21I Will Always Love You by Dolly Parton Several years into making music, Dolly Parton
00:27was working with entertainer Porter Wagner. The artist then decided she wanted to come
00:32out from her partner's shadow.
00:3310. If I Should Stay
00:39I Will Always Love You was her attempt to say goodbye, with the artist choosing to move
00:44on with her life and career. It sounds like a traditional love song, but it's also rooted
00:49in Parton's professional ambition. She later proved that she made the right decision on
01:00multiple counts.
01:0110. But I Will Always
01:08If the songwriter never made this big move, we might have never had this version or the
01:12Whitney Houston cover.
01:159. Sifting Through Guitar Solos
01:19Peg by Steely Dan During their first decade, Steely Dan developed
01:24a reputation as perfectionists. Asia is one of their best albums, with songs like Peg showing
01:30their eye for detail. To achieve high quality sounds, Captains Donald Fagan and Walter Becker
01:42invited several musicians to record. This resulted in many discarded attempts at a guitar solo.
01:4810. Recruiting artists like mercenaries, Fagan and Becker waited until they got exactly what they
01:59wanted. Jay Graydon gave the winning performance for the final track. It weaves perfectly into a rich tapestry.
02:13In a virtuoso effort, Graydon proves himself among a great roster of session players.
02:248. The Day The Music Died
02:26American Pie by Don McLean
02:28In this folk tune from the 1970s, Don McLean engages with tragedy and pop culture.
02:34A long, long time ago
02:38I can still remember
02:40The song was partially inspired by the day the music died.
02:43But February made me shiver
02:47With every paper I deliver
02:50Like so many others, McLean reeled from the deaths of Buddy Holly and other artists in 1959.
02:56Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash that year.
03:08The songwriter also added in cryptic references, giving audiences decades to analyze his poetry.
03:15It's an epic track that could be considered part eulogy and part history lesson.
03:19In both cases, the singer seems to mix together his personal grief with that of an entire nation.
03:29The songwriter also added in a great song to be a singer.
03:337. A Legendary Guitarist Helped Shape a Song
03:37Superstition by Stevie Wonder
03:39When most people consider this song, they think about the work of Stevie Wonder.
03:43Very superstitious
03:45Some listeners don't know that another famed musician had had a hand in the production.
03:55Jeff Beck helped to shape the direction of Superstition.
03:587 years of bad luck
04:02While he might not have a writing credit, the guitarist influenced the beat and overall direction.
04:07Beck thought he might have had the song for himself, but he was beaten to the punch in 1972.
04:12When you believe in things that you don't understand, then you suffer.
04:21This momentary duo stayed solo artists, but the world clearly benefited from their brief collaboration.
04:27Many years later, the British artists joined Wonder on stage to play the hit once more.
04:326. A Bullying Episode Inspires a Thriller Classic
04:38Human Nature by Michael Jackson
04:40Michael Jackson didn't write this track from Thriller, but he did receive help from talented musicians.
04:52Toto band member Steve Pocaro ended up being one of them.
05:01After his young daughter told him about being hurt by a boy, Pocaro came up with the idea for Human Nature.
05:06While it wasn't written for Jackson, producer Quincy Jones heard an early version from Toto bandmate David Page's demo collection.
05:20Writer John Bettis then helped to reshape the song with different lyrics.
05:24Pocaro left his mark on an awesome record by bringing his own personal life to the music.
05:295. Deodorant or Political Statement
05:38Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana
05:40While it might have become a grunge anthem, Smells Like Teen Spirit started from much humbler beginnings.
05:50Kurt Cobain found a message on his wall courtesy of singer Kathleen Hanna.
05:54Hanna and Cobain's partner Toby Vail had an inside joke about deodorant, with the former writing that Kurt smells like teen spirit.
06:06Well, it lies now, it's so dangerous, it went on now, entertain us.
06:14The Nirvana frontman didn't know about the brand name and took it to mean something deeper.
06:18He later realized that it was a much more innocent joke.
06:22Regardless of its origins, the iconic title fueled one of the greatest tracks in the 1990s.
06:324. All Night Session
06:35We Are The World by USA for Africa
06:37After Do They Know It's Christmas came out, artists in the US wanted to do a charity song with American musicians.
06:44There comes a time when we heed a certain call
06:50Legends like Harry Belafonte, Lionel Richie, and Quincy Jones spearheaded the effort.
06:55They prepped the We Are The World track and brought in an all-star lineup.
06:59We are the world
07:00We are the children
07:03On the night of the American Music Awards, the group met in a Hollywood studio.
07:09One of the finest rosters in music history assembled, all working to raise money for famine relief.
07:20The bulk of the work took place during a marathon session.
07:24A late night became an early morning as singers like Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, and Ray Charles performed.
07:30If you were me for better, just you and me
07:34Number 3. Improvising Their Way to History
07:37Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie
07:40As artists at the top of their game, both Queen and David Bowie assembled for this iconic hit.
07:53Many people don't realize that it came out of some improvisation.
07:57Both parties happened to be at the same studio in Switzerland.
08:05With Bowie joining the hot space sessions, the collaboration led to Under Pressure.
08:10Some musical experiments and jamming led to this end result.
08:21All five musicians shared credit, with their free-spirited teamwork going down in history.
08:26Freddie Mercury and his bandmates used various methods to write,
08:30with the process for We Will Rock You also producing classic results.
08:40Number 2. Mary Clayton Backs Up The Stones
08:44Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones
08:46When the British rock band needed a backup singer, they brought in the talented Mary Clayton.
08:51The vocalist arrived at the studio in the middle of the night still wearing her pajamas.
09:09During the last-minute session, Clayton delivered a powerful and iconic part.
09:14This includes her memorable voice crack that might be the track's highlight.
09:22Without knowing The Stones, the artist arrived ready to collaborate alongside legends like Mick Jagger.
09:27The fury of the take hasn't aged a day, punctuating the harsh tone of the lyrics.
09:32Gimme Shelter would not be the same without her contributions.
09:36Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
09:47Vampire Love – Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler
09:51The songwriter Jim Steinman envisioned the song for a vampire musical.
09:55And I need you now tonight, and I need you more than ever.
10:02Watching Barbara Walters – I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing by Aerosmith
10:06Diane Warren was inspired by an interview with Barbara Streisand and James Brolin.
10:10Cause I miss you baby, and I don't wanna miss a thing
10:16Inspired by Real Life – Piece by Piece by Kelly Clarkson
10:20This heartfelt song examines personal relationships with tremendous empathy.
10:24The cause of the fire – Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple
10:35As it turns out, the smoke came from a real fire at a Frank Zappa show.
10:39Smoke on the water
10:43Fire fill the sky
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11:04Number 1. Paul's Improvisation
11:07Get Back by The Beatles with Billy Preston
11:10Even with one of the best bands ever, the recording process comes with happy accidents.
11:15JoJo was the man who thought he was a loner
11:19But he knew it couldn't last
11:23During one session, Paul McCartney started playing a bass line.
11:26It became the seed that grew into Get Back.
11:29JoJo left his home into South Arizona
11:33Awesome California grass
11:35Around the same time, he wrote Let It Be after his mom visited him in a dream.
11:41McCartney's creativity knows no bounds, with the basic instrumental turning into a larger composition.
11:47It was just the idea the songwriter needed to boost morale and create a classic.
11:52Get back, get back, get back to where you once belonged
11:59First released as a single, the track featured guest musician Billy Preston.
12:03A later version was the last song on their final studio album.
12:14Did we forget another amazing story about a classic tune?
12:17Let us know in the comments below!
12:18Do you agree with our picks?
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