Burning Down the House by Talking Heads
Like most Talking Heads songs, the songs lyrics have nothing to do with anything. But, there is one. David Byrne was thinking of what to put at the chorus. After some time of failed nonsense, he had a chat with drummer Chris Frantz. Frantz had recently gone to a Parliament-Funkadelic show, and everyone chanted "Burn Down the House!" David had a solution.
Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath
Spooky, huh? This song is inspired by an incident that happened to bassist Geezer Butler. He was big into witchcraft and satanism, so Ozzy Osbourne gave him a book about the subject. After reading the book one night, Butler woke up from a nightmare, seeing a hooded figure standing at the foot of his bead. It disappeared as soon as the lights turned on. When Butler went to read up on it in the book, it has disappeared. He never saw the book, or the figure again.
Whole Lotta Rosie by AC/DC
Time for some humor. Bon Scott wrote this song about a 300 pound woman from Australia. According to him, she was fantastic at doing it.
Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses
Another song written for a woman. Axl Rose decided to reveal his sensitive side(which would sadly lead to the positively painful "November Rain"). The song was written about his then girlfriend, Erin Everly. After a year of marriage, the two divorced after spousal abuse problems. Nice guy.
Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division
Yet another song written for a woman. This one ain't upbeat though. Ian Curtis wrote this song about the straining relationship with his wife. They were going days without speaking to each other, and he could ever hear her crying in her sleep. That probably didn't help his already dangerous depression. This problem ended when his wife arrived at Curtis' parents house, to find him hanging from the kitchen ceiling by a noose.
Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
This song is about Franz Ferdinand. No, not the band, the man. This was the archduke who's assassination launched World War I. The song is about said assassination, not dating.
Layla by Derek & The Dominoes
To anyone who ever heard that shitty "Jesse's Girl" song by that stupid soap opera star, listen to this song instead. Eric Clapton wrote this song for a very special girl, Patti Boyd. This would have been basic had it not been for one fact. Boyd happened to be married to Clapton's best friend, George Harrison of The Beatles. The song is written for her, but in order to not let his buddy in on it, he changed the name. Boyd left Harrison and married Clapton eventually. The odd thing is how Harrison handled that. He really took that whole "bros before hoes" thing literally. He wasn't upset at at all, and actually played at their wedding. Ya got to love him for that. "You want her? Take her!"
Jeremy by Pearl Jam
Eddie Vedder was reading the Times one day, and learned of something very unsettling. Their was 14 year old boy named Jeremy Wade Delle. And he didn't quite speak in class one day. He arrived late to class and his teacher told him to get a late pass from the office. He went to his locker instead and picked up something. When he returned he faced the class and told his teacher he "got what he really went for." He pulled out a revolver, stuck in his mouth, and pulled the trigger before anyone could react.
Going to California by Led Zeppelin
Like Layla, Jimmy Page wrote this song for a very special woman. She wasn't famous for being his best friend's girl. But most people know about her. And Jimmy was seriously into her. Say it with me geeks: Joni Mitchell. That's right. Jimmy met Joni during a music festival and wrote this song for her. The most obvious line is "To find a Queen without a King/They say she plays guitar and cries/And sings."
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds by The Beatles
Contrary to popular belief, this song is not about an acid trip. In fact, it's the only song off Sgt. Pepper's that was written while sober. John Lennon's son Julian brought him a picture he drew in kindergarden that day. He drew a girl in his class named Lucy along a fantasy setting. The picture was called Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.
Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd
Both parts 1 and 2 are real life stories of bassist Roger Waters. The first story is of him as a young child learning that his father was killed in World War II. The second comes from the cruel teachers in his boarding school. In fact, the concept of The Wall comes from an incident in which a fan at a show was trying to climb over the wall separating the audience from the band. Waters spat on him, but later realized that being cut off from his fans was like living isolated.
Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton
If this were any other Clapton song, I would make the "Old Eric just can't stay off the list, can he?" joke. But, considering what this song is about, I'm not in a joking mood. Eric Clapton wrote this song for someone. His 4 year old son, who died after falling out of a 53rd story window. Clapton was apparently isolated himself in the following months. In 2004, Clapton stopped playing the song, stating that he had let his sadness out and he didn't want it to return.
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