Professor of Rock

Coming up, the story behind one of the biggest hits of 1966 Mellow Yellow by Donovan. Packed with hidden meanings and controversial themes, this song, somehow, managed to sneak past the old-fashioned ideology of the media gatekeepers' values and came close to topping the American Pop charts. It’s a song about recreational drugs, young desire, having a laid-back disposition, and, believe it or not, a sexual device with a very catchy name. The song also had a strange whispering backup vocal that many claimed was one of the Beatles…But was that just a myth? We’re exploring the origin and evolution of this '60s counterculture classic—one that would NEVER FLY in the 21st century… NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes you hear a rock and roll story and it’s so good you feel like it was scripted or made up. Well, today’s story seems too good to be true, but it’s 100% true. It’s the story of John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band who paid their dues for years, playing 3 gigs a night sometimes. Well, they caught a lucky break when a producer wanted to use their song On the Darkside for a big Hollywood movie: Eddie and the Cruisers. But when the movie opened, it completely flopped. The band moved on after the disappointment wondering if they’d ever get another shot… well a year later John Cafferty got a call from his manager who told him their year-old failed record had just sold 25k copies virtually overnight. Eddie and the Cruisers had found new life on cable TV and it sent the record to the top of the charts. Up next, an interview with the singer on the miraculous story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… A Holy Grail interview. When I started doing this years ago I made a list of 15 artists I have to interview before I die and my top 3 were no brainers… Well I just got one of them… Sting! They Say to Never meet your heroes well I did and he blows that theory out of the water. Up next a very personal interview with a musical genius about one of my favorite records ever… he’s the only artist to have 2 songs in the top 10 most played songs in history… Not even the Beatles have done that! Stay tuned for a very moving conversation, next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From the early 70s to the close of the decade, the Eagles were flying high, having written a litany of beloved rock-era hits. As well as some classic rock standards that were never released as singles. But life in the fast lane left this 100 million-plus record hit-machine running on empty. Quick tempers, in-fighting, and backstage brawls would plague this band of guitar-slingers for the long run… and their eventual break up was only a matter of time. Today, we’re re-examining the Eagles' explosive story through the lens of some of their most iconic tracks. Hits that were written in unexpected places, like a broke-down road trip, a locked-up nightclub, and one that was about California’s most sinister and haunting locale. The drama unfolds… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… Get ready to take a nostalgic journey as we countdown the Top 10 One-Hit Wonders of the 70s with the actual artists telling their stories… We have so many classics here: like Mountain's Mississippi Queen that came when they were playing a live show and a blackout happened so they started to play an impromptu jam to keep the crowd going and it turned into an all-time classic. Or when David Bowie wrote All the Young Dudes, a song that he knew would be a smash but he gave it to Mott the Hoople because they were about to break up and needed a hit. Or Warren Zevon who wrote Werewolves of London as a joke after he heard a band member howl like a dog! and so he added the howl into the chorus! You’ll love this… Celebrating the great bottled lightning hits with unforgettable moments and memories that made these songs special to each of us. The countdown kicks off NEXT on Professor of Rock! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Once upon a time at a Halloween party in the 70s, a notoriously shy, unsociable future hall-of-fame rockstar named Donald Fagen got the courage to hit on a beautiful woman… He slipped her his phone number, but the problem was this awkward genius had just hit on his college professor’s pregnant wife… Would it lead to a torrid affair? We’ll find out the details next. But the embarrassing moment was turned into Steely Dan's Rikki Don't Lose That Number, one of the best songs and biggest hits of the 70s, and a guitar solo by today’s guest… Also, the man who helped this band become a household name and later stole their backup singer to front his next band. The story is next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… we're putting the spotlight on Sunglasses at Night, an iconic '80s anthem-ditty created by Corey Hart who caught the attention of two of the most famous singers in recorded music history before he was a teenager. From its mysterious lyrics that most of us have been mumbling through cuz we have no idea what Corey is saying, to that unforgettable synth riff, this track didn't just define a decade—it became a cultural staple and ignited sales for the accessory that the song is about. And it was a total accident since Sunglasses at Night was first about a wet cigarette… and a last-minute studio session turned into a smash hit. And one that made Corey Hart famous, but many still think he’s a one-hit wonder even though he had 7 more after that including one that was even bigger! Find out the story next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Crosby Stills & Nash Tell the story of their first hit SUITE: JUDY BLUE EYES the song that put them on the map as one of the world's first supergroups. In this interview the Late David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Captain Everyhands: Stephen Stills tell the story of this 60s classic and how they played Woodstock at 4 in the morning. The Groups would later add Neil Young and become one of America's greatest rock and folk bands setting the stage for the singer songwriter movement that would come with the Eagles and James Taylor and Jackson Browne into the 70s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next. When guitar legend Neal Schon of Journey was an unknown 14-year-old kid, he told his parents he was going to a sleepover at his friend’s hour… Instead, he went to a famous bar and had a guitar battle with his hero… BB King. A decade later, Schon would rule the beginning of the 80s with one of the greatest classic rock songs ever… Any Way You Want It. This song still shakes stadiums all these years later but there’s a secret to this track… Up next all-time legend Neal Schon tells us the story of jamming with his hero at 14 and reveals the mystery behind an 80s classic on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, an interview with with throwback icon Brian Hyland about a song that every generation living on this earth knows by heart... Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini. It’s become one of the most played songs of its time and when Bryan recorded it he was only a sophomore in high school. It became a #1 hit even though it was considered very risqué for its time… One of the most interesting things about today's song is that a fraud claimed to have written it for 50 years. He told his wife, his friends, his community, and everyone that he was the guy who wrote it. It even appeared in his obituary across newspapers and news stations around the world including the New York Times.… but then the truth would finally come out. Find out the story next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I have a question for you all? How many perfect songs are there in the world. Where every second of it is exhilarating… That no many times you listen to it, it doesn’t lose it’s luster. In my opinion one such song was released in 1987, The Cure's Just Like Heaven. This song’s origins is really interesting as well. It’s just like a dream. If you can believe it, this happy song was inspired by one of the world’s most notorious suicide hot-spots. Only the Cure could get away with something like this. Their frontman Robert Smith was spending the night there, not to take his own life… but in a near-tragic twist of fate, he came dangerously close to dying. The whole incident was darkly surreal… but somehow it led to this perfect song that’s so ambiguous, that after listening to it we’re not sure what happened to the mysterious girl by the time it ends… Did she die? Let’s solve this mystery and bask in Just Like Heaven. The answer is NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stevie Nicks, one of rock’s most revered singers, was on her way to a secretive honeymoon after getting married. During the drive to the couple’s destination, Prince's Little Red Corvette came on the radio and she pulled over at the closest record store to buy the tape. The song was so compelling it inspired Stevie to forgo her wedding night and instead, she wrote her biggest hit, Stand Back. Nicks rushed down to the studio and in the process, she called Prince to get permission to write what was essentially her lyrics over his music. It just so happened he wasn’t home, instead she found out he was only 20 minutes away. Prince came to the studio, and in a flash of magic, he played a perfect synth melody for it. Stand Back became Stevie's biggest solo hit and Prince turned down a writing credit. Later when the music video was shot, Stevie Nicks almost died when a horse almost toppled her. The story of an 80s classic is next! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next we’re going to count down the top 10 songs of this very same timeframe from the year 1988. We have interviews and stories from the artists… as well as your stories and dedications. And then we’ll recalibrate them based on their all-time performance since then. It’s a great show with so many great songs a couple of artists who reached the coveted BILLION VIEWS CLUB and today’s Top 10 countdown may be the only one in music history to have the worst song of the 80s go up against arguably the best song of the 80s… See if you agree and who wins the battle. Coming up next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… the wild story behind Rock Me Amadeus by Falco, one of the most unexpected global hits of the ‘80s. It was written in German which happened to be Falco’s native tongue but when he tried to sing it in English, it didn’t work. So Falco sang it in German which was a massive risk for them in America. In fact, Rock Me Amadeus was released twice, and both times it was a total flop… each time they retooled it and finally they brought in another singer to bring some soulfulness to this new wave track. Rock Me Amadeus became an innovative blend of classical music and pop culture and it made Falco the biggest-selling artist ever in his homeland. But behind the catchy chorus and infectious beat lies a tale of artistic risk, personal demons, mysterious deaths, and a song that may have spelled the end of Falco… The drama unfolds NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, an interview that really surprised me. Sometimes I do an interview and think I know what to expect and then the unexpected happens and it turns into something else entirely. Today’s multiplatinum artist Rita Coolidge hit the jackpot in 1977 and 1978 with 4 big hits including We’re All Alone and Your Love Is Lifting Me Higher. Then soon after had another big hit being chosen to sing the James Bond Theme “All Time High. All 5 of these big hits were written by other people, but according to Rita, she wrote a song that was stolen from her because she was heard playing it through the wall in a studio…the stolen song became one of the biggest songs ever. Layla By Derek and the Dominoes The story and interview are next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s hard to understand why a song that was hit all over the world wasn’t released in the US. Today’s song Zombie by the Cranberries was never released in America, yet it’s the most streamed song of the year it came from. And even crazier it may have stopped a centuries-old conflict. It was sung by a beautiful angel whose gorgeous voice went scorched earth on this hardcore rock song. She wrote a song with so much righteous anger that it’s one of the most pissed-off performances of the rock era. Responding to a tragic bombing that took the lives of two innocent children, this ethereal frontwoman powered up her dreamy folk sound, and unleashed a series of siren screams that no one knew she had in her…Historically, she was one of the greatest artists of her time and truly deserved better. Let’s honor this angel next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael McDonald has over 1,200 songwriting credits and has played on more than 700 recordings dating back to 1972, yet for years, no one knew his name outside of a recording studio. That all changed in ‘75 when he joined the Doobie Brothers, one of the biggest rock bands of the decade. After releasing four platinum albums, the Doobies disbanded, and one of the most recognizable voices of the Rock Era went solo. In this episode, we jump into the story of I Keep Forgetting (Every Time You’re Near), the song that kicked off Michael McDonald's solo career and later became a BIG crossover hit, thanks to a rapper named Warren G, who stumbled upon a stack of vinyl from a street peddler outside Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles in Hollywood. When he sampled this song not only did it go to #1 but even people who hated RAP Loved this song… All this and more, coming up NEXT... on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob Halford the metal God himself and the raging front man of Judas Priest tells the story of the band's metal masterpiece: British Steel and the song Living After Midnight from the early 80s that brought metal to the children in this exclusive interview on professor of rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did today’s featured artist Phil Collins make too much music? Between Genesis and his solo career, we’re talking 20 studio albums in about three decades. That’s a new album every year and a half. During the 80s alone Phil churned out eight #1s and 21 big hits overall… The numbers are staggering. But was it overkill? When is enough “enough” when it comes to your favorite musicians? Overexposed and getting a reputation for going a little too “vanilla pop,” Phil decided to shake things up. So he took a chance on a more serious subject.. writing Another Day in Paradise, a song that was self-indictment, and that made him question his own humanity. When Collins released it, it caught everyone’s attention. And he took some heat for it. You’ll see why coming up next… on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So apparently one of the greatest classic rock songs of the 80s, Rock You Like a Hurricane by the Scorpions, almost didn’t happen because when the song was first written nobody in the band could figure out how to play it. So they put it on the back burner… then when they finally nailed it, they wanted it to be a song that had more than a little edge. In fact, the lyrics were rewritten about 10 times and they were so focused on it being forbidden, that the song had the F word in the title. And the way they used it was so over the line there was no way they’d get it played on radio. The Executives made them tone it down …a lot. But even with the clean version of Rock You like a Hurricane it caused panic... when it came out and became a huge hit, a Karen in the Government tried to get the song BANNED. A story you won’t want to miss next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What is it about Mondays that seems to bring everyone down? It’s as if that day casts a shadow over us all, shifting the mood of the universe for a full 24 hours. With that in mind, one of the most talented, yet volatile bands of the Rock Era, the Mamas and the Papas, created Monday Monday, a song that unintentionally summed up their brief but brilliant run and gifted us with a break-taking classic. Monday Monday was written in 20 minutes and nobody in the band liked it. Especial singer Denny Doherty... Some even hated it with a passion so imagine their surprise with it hit #1. Then everyone wanted to know what the song was really about. Well as it was not even the writer, John Phillips had a freaking clue what it was about…decades later it turns out the song was an eerie prediction for what would happen to the band. When Michelle Phillips and Mama Cass Elliot and Denny and John fractured.The story is NEXT… on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony was so mesmerizing, so ear-catching that it hypnotized an entire generation… It was on its way to becoming one of the greatest songs of its time, and yet the song's singer and writer Richard Ashcroft didn’t make a single solitary cent from it. In fact, Bittersweet Symphony basically ruined his young career and stunted The Verve's surge to the top of the charts. And it was all thanks to an obscure sample from a 1965 rock song by the Rolling Stones. Ashcroft had to give away 100% of his royalties and credit two songwriters who had nothing to do with the song’s composition… It was a brutal coup contrived by a true musical mob boss... And one of the most outrageous injustices in music history. Filled with cutthroat contracts and shady characters, today’s episode will have you rooting for the underdog to win back what was rightfully his. Find out if he does… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, the story of the the most upbeat hit song ever Windy by The Association. IT’S ALMOST unfair how infectious and addicting this classic hit and yet at the same time it might be the most confusing song ever. It was written about a guy… and his name is the main hook of the song. But it’s not a name anyone would EVER associate with a guy so when today’s The Association recorded it, they changed the gender of the guy to a girl. But again the name repeated in the song would never be associated with a a girl or a guy or a human. But it became a smash #1 hit… This band would have a slew of hits over a couple of years, including 3 big #1 hits that are three of the most-played songs in history. Problem is nobody under the age of 40 remembers these guys and they may have had the best vocal harmonies of their time, right there with the Beatles and the Beach Boys. We have an interview with the band coming up next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For decades, Mazzy Star has walked the line between obscurity and popularity… between camouflage and captivating the masses. Originating in LA’s Paisley Underground scene in the 80s, within a decade they were all over the radio dial thanks to their iconic sleeper hit Fade Into You. This “accidental anthem” was never meant to be anything special. In fact, Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval and David Roback had no aspirations for commercial success. For them, it was all about the inner world of their music. They could care less if anyone else liked it. But the problem was that a lot of people did. So to shed the spotlight they intentionally vanished… calling it quits and fading into the background. But even without any promotion on their part, Fade Into You track refuses to die. And over the past few decades it has become a pop culture mainstay. To the point where it may be one of the most overused songs in film and television. Get the story… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The alleged feud between Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young has long been a topic of fascination for Rock fans and pop culture enthusiasts. What began as a lyrical exchange in the early '70s soon spiraled into a highly publicized, and often misunderstood rivalry. When Neil Young critiqued Lynyrd Skynyrd's heritage, their home state, and their people, it sparked an immediate response from them in one of the most famous anthems of the 70s, Sweet Home Alabama. They were fighting their rivalry in the lyrics of their songs…This back-and-forth between the two iconic acts was perceived by many as a deep-seated feud, but was it really as contentious as it seemed?? Let’s get into the story behind this supposed conflict and uncover the truth behind the music and the myths that have surrounded it for decades…It’s coming up NEXT… on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Queen's Don't Stop Me Now is about the most fun-loving, let-it-all-go without-a-care in the world track in rock history. But it was not a hit when it first came out in the 70s… In fact, it didn’t even make the top 80 songs of the week that it peaked. But decades later Don't Stop Me Now is bigger than any hit that came out that year and has almost 4 billion streams, making it one of the biggest hits of the entire decade... and yet beneath this happy-go-lucky song is a very dark and sinister underbelly. Even key members of Queen were uncomfortable with it. And in hindsight, peeling back the layers on this one, you get some foreboding insight into the tragic death of Freddie Mercury, one of rock’s greatest frontmen. So, brace yourself, because today we’re are on a collision course between rock and roll fantasy and a cold dose of reality… with a song that was a total chart failure when it came out but is now one of the biggest songs ever. NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last Train to Clarksville by The Monkees is a song with a secret message. One that never would have gotten airplay if the music industry knew what this squeaky clean band was putting out. And though it seems pretty obvious in hindsight, not everyone got what Last Train was really about. The song’s controversial message was camouflaged by a jangly, upbeat sound and performed by a band that had been manufactured in a lab. The Monkees didn’t write any of their own music, at least not at first. Later though they would fight the power for a chance to write and record their own music. Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on a protest song disguised as a happy-go-lucky singalong that came to be when its writer Bobby Hart heard a Beatles song and misheard the lyric. When he figured out he’d been singing it wrong he turned his misheard lyrics into a #1 smash. And coming up in an in-depth interview, Hart will tell you the whole story. You’re not going to want to miss this one. The story’s coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next… Toto is currently the biggest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame snub this side of Boston. Especially since between the guitarist Steve Lukather and some of his bandmates in a roundabout way, they’ve sold over 500 million records, they’ve swept the Grammys... and even gave the middle finger to Rolling Stone when the snobbish magazine wanted to put them on their cover because they were the most popular band in music... even though the rag had ripped on their music for years. Up next, an interview with 2 of the principals from the original lineup on their biggest record Toto IV including the morning Steve Lukather hung up on the #1 artist in the world, who was calling to have him play on his album. But Lukather thought he was being pranked by his buddies. Stay tuned for an interview from Toto, the band that has been called "technically" the greatest collection of musicians on the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, an interview with singer-songwriter Derek Holt who got axed from the Climax Blues Band for writing a huge hit. It’s pretty hard to believe but Derek wrote "I Love You", a song that became one of the biggest hits of 1980. And his band members hated it so much… they resented it so much that they basically forced him out of the band and, in one of the strangest stories I’ve heard in an interview, the Climax Blues Band NEVER performed the song live in America. But in one of the coolest redemption stories I’ve ever heard, decades later Derek Holt finally got to sing the song in concert… at a karaoke bar…but there’s a cool twist. Listen to this cool interview to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up... John Denver is the last musical icon you'd associate with a violent tirade, with his golly-gee looks and squeaky-clean persona. But even John had a temper that could flare up unexpectedly. His famous marriage went through a series of separations and unimaginable ups and devastating lows… It was such an enduring relationship that he wrote what many feel is the GOAT OF LOVE SONGS called Annie's Song. It's one of the most magical and poignant songs of the time. But in the end, Annie's Song couldn’t save the marriage… It ended in a brutal divorce that got so bad at one point this boy scout took a chainsaw to their king-size bed… It’s a sad story, an inspiring story, and one that’s about as real as real life can get…NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up…We have our Bottle Lightning show where we talk about the greatest one-hit wonders ever. But today I wanted to shake it up. What about those artists who actually followed up their huge hit with another one of equal impact? A second legitimate hit but then never had another one? The Two Hit Wonders. It’s a special countdown of the Top 5 '2 Hit Wonders' of the 80s! We're talking about tales featuring comedy legend Milton Berle in drag, a groupie who took her obsession with a radio DJ to a deadly level, an artist nicknamed "the Ant,” a civil lawsuit with Van Halen in the plaintiff's seat, and one band had a 50-second cameo in an 80s movie that will shock many of you… Get ready for some serious fun AND nostalgia…Our Top 5 '2 Hit Wonders' of the 80s are coming up NEXT on Professor of Rock! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, a sit down with one of my favorite artists ever Huey Lewis... about one of the best songs of the mid-80s: Hip to Be Square. I swear I've never met anyone who doesn’t love this guy…Turns out Huey was writing a fun little song about leaving rebellion behind to conform to a more traditional lifestyle… Not selling out but buying in. Then years later this happy-go-lucky 80s classic was stolen by a notorious serial killer! Then on another hit from Huey's record, I know What I like: everyone was in awe with the amazing backing vocals. Come to find out it was the offensive line and a quarterback from an NFL team…For about 5 years in the 80s, Huey Lewis and the News were as big as anybody in music. Right there with Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince Duran Duran, and the Police, and they were just a bunch of regular guys. They had 11 top 10 hits in 4 years but then everything changed because of a horrible disease. He hasn’t been able to tour, but in the end, they are still the only news source I trust. Find out why next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alright, this one’s going to blow your mind. Today we’re featuring the iconic hit Jamie's Cryin' that never so much as placed on the Billboard Hot 100… even though there’s no doubt it should have. Jamie's Cryin' was released as a single by one of the most badass bands around, Van Halen, as part of their debut album in the late 70s. But it got no love. Fast forward a decade later, and to add insult to injury, Jamie's Cryin' was sampled without Van Halen’s permission for the #2 rap hit Wild Thing by Tone Loc. Later the two parties almost came to blows over it. So was this straight-up thievery? Or is there some possible explanation for using another band’s song without their consent? You be the judge. The story is coming up… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… rock icon Pete Townsend of The Who delves into his feelings of angst in Behind Blue Eyes... grappling with the pressures of being a celebrity put on a pedestal and confronting the reality that he's not WHO he appears to be. It all began when Pete was tempted by a beautiful fan backstage after a live performance. And being a famous rock star we know how this story goes… but in actuality… Pete resisted her advances. Instead, he returned to his hotel room, where he channeled his emotions into writing a song about the struggles of being a public figure. In a moment of clarity, Pete Townsend realized he wasn't the person everyone thought he was. Behind Blue Eyes became one of the most beloved songs ever with one of the most poignant vocals of the 70s. And there's a reason it was so heartfelt. Singer Roger Daltrey's dog died hours before he put down the vocal. We go behind the artifice to uncover what it's really like to be… the bad man… NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From KISS to Bon Jovi, Today's blues-rock outfit Cinderella caught the attention of some of the industry’s biggest icons before they were signed. And though their story sounds like something out of a fairytale, the reality is that these guys went triple-platinum with their debut record, all thanks to their hit single Nobody's Fool which climbed the charts to lucky #13 in the mid-80s... with lead singer Tom Keifer whose distinctive voice stood out in a sea of Glam Metal. And get this, the band formed because they were all taking a wizz at a urinal all at the same time. Then after 3 huge records, they disappeared for a very good reason. An outside force derailed them… Find out what happened next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up. Tom's Diner by Suzanne Vega was a 1987 album track that wasn’t even released as a single in America. Then years later the song would make history several times… First, it was remixed by the underground duo DNA and released as a bootleg that got play all over. In fact, when Suzanne heard her song she wasn’t sure whether to congratulate them or sue them for using her song without permission. But she decided to help them promote Tom's Diner and it became one of the biggest hits of her career and her biggest worldwide. And then it was used as the track to develop the MP3 maker. Suzanne is the mother of the format…And to think it came from eating breakfast at a restaurant that was later the one you see in Seinfeld. This Suzanne Vega tells this crazy story next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the prime of his life, Fee Waybill of the Tubes, one of rock’s wildest frontmen was lured into a seedy parlor in the underbelly of San Francisco’s notorious red light district. The rocker was captivated by a young exotic dancer who slinked around inside an enclosed booth with hardly any clothes on. … Falling into a scam, Fee kept shelving out dollar bills, trying to engage in a conversation with the dancer, but she ignored him until he finally wised up and realized he was being a sucker! Fee Waybill eventually paid enough money for the woman to converse with him, and he asked her if she would like to be a dancer with his band. She refused to answer his question, and his session abruptly ended. They say ‘Curiosity killed the cat,’ but in this story…curiosity birthed the smash hit She's a Beauty. You’ll never believe what happened next… Seriously, this is one of those rock and roll song stories that’s stranger than fiction… and I’m gonna tell you all about what happened…free of charge, of course…NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have a killer show today. Celebrating Top Gun, one of the biggest soundtracks of the 80s with half a dozen of the artists who made this record one of the biggest ever... including the main song Danger Zone which was a major bitch to get down. The movie needed a major adrenaline rush anthem for the opening of the film to get audiences locked in and over 300 songs were tested and used for the scene but nothing worked. Then when they finally got Danger Zone, they had six major bands and artists turn down the chance to record it. So in an act of desperation, the producer called in a favor from Kenny Loggins, who was not necessarily known as a rocker, but he came in and slayed it. And not only did Danger Zone go to the top of the charts, it went back to the top 35 years later and became Kenny's most streamed song ever. The story of this blockbuster is next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, they were the hottest group in music. The Bee Gees were coming off a decade where they had 14 top 10 hits and 9 #1 songs. And then pretty much overnight the band couldn’t buy a hit. The Bee Gees were poison and radio wouldn’t play them. They were totally uncool. So they hid…their lead singer Barry Gibb went undercover and wrote a song for somebody else called Islands in the Stream. It was recorded by one of the hottest singers of the time… Kenny Rogers. But a few days after Kenny cut it, he started having second thoughts. In fact, he started to despise it. But out of nowhere a solution came in the form of a beautiful blonde named Dolly Parton who turned the song into a duet that became one of the biggest hits of its time... Giving this legendary singer-turned-writer a comeback hit that most still don’t know he even wrote…It’s a tale of fantastic serendipity… and a master class in creative collaboration including an interview with Kenny Rogers, next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here’s one for ya. Golden Earring was a band that had 47 hits in their homeland but struggled to break through in America… They finally did in 1973 with Radar Love. But it was one and done. They would be known as a one-hit wonder until 9 years later when they shook off that label and had another massive hit with Twilight Zone. But today’s song Radar Love is about a tragic car accident where someone lost their life and a misheard lyric that made it a classic. It’s been covered over 500 times and may have caused more speeding tickets than any other song. Get ready for a great story next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next we’re going to go go behind the top 10 songs of this VERY same week from the year 1967 a mere few months before the summer of love.. This top 10 has some of the greatest songs of all time that we still hear today from the Beatles to the Rolling Stones to The Mamas and the Papas to Buffalo Springfield and as usual we have the actual artists telling us the stories first hand.? What song is the ACTUAL #1 all of these years later ? Is it the The Beatles, The Stones, The Doors or A Rookie or one hit wonder? You’re going to be Shock next on the Hit Song Redux on Professor of Rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wow! Where Do I even start with this one? The Police's Blockbuster record Synchronicity DEFINED IT’S TIME AS MUCH AS any album could with 4 huge hits… including Every Breath You Take, a song that has become the most-played in the history of recorded music. But all in all Synchronicity is pretty dark. In fact, its main themes are obsession, surveillance, control, murder, jealousy, revenge, and ownership. I’ve got Rock Hall of Fame Stewart Copeland to help tell the story of this album that broke up a band and even brought them to full-on fistfights, but the producer of the album said that tension made it the masterpiece it is. The story of a classic with one of its creators is next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the story behind Ac/DC's Big Balls, a song with a dual meaning that makes the puritans blush, and even the most uptight fuddy daddy truly fall on the floor laughing! It was written by rock icon Bon Scott who was always the life of the party to his detriment. In a drunken daze, Bon turned his fascination with one of his body parts into a song meant as filler for an album, but Big Balls became a surprising classic rock standard. One that everyone who has come of age since the 70s has laughed about with their friends for days on end! We’re gonna loosen up the shackles of self-righteousness, and have some fun telling the story of this “ballsy” track. NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Download Opera for free: https://opr.as/Opera-browser-professorofrock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How many bands would give their right arm to hit the big time and have their song played everywhere? To tour the world and take their music to the masses? Well, Counting Crows did. Their singer Adam Duritz wrote a hit song called Mr. Jones about hitting the big time. And then when the very song he wrote pulverized radio and made them huge stars, Adam hated it. He detested Mr. Jones and at the peak of selling millions of records and playing sold-out shows… he cracked. Adam Duritz quit music and took a job as a bartender… hiding out. Could anything pull him back into music? Find out next with one of the craziest stories of a band on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

17 seconds. That’s all anyone had to go off of. Just a few years back an anonymous user uploaded a clip of a mystery track from the 80s to a song discovery site. The audio was low quality, and the lyrics were hard to decipher. Some people claimed to have heard it before. But no one knew who sang it. And when pressed for more information the uploader refused to talk about it. But people had to know. So social media users sprang to action looking for clues in improbable places. And for three years no one could figure this song out… But then someone found it in the most unlikely of places. And you’re not going to believe where. My mind was blown when I heard this. It’s the story where the truth is definitely stranger than fiction. It's Ulterior Motives by Who's Who and Christopher Saint Booth… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the controversial song about female self-love… was written by a dude? Ha ha. It's I Touch Myself by the Divinyls. This story is almost too good to be true, and yet it is. I have an interview with a Hall of Fame songwriter Billy Steinberg who wrote 5 #1 hits with his songwriting partner Tom Kelly. And all five #1s were for female artists. All 5 songs were huge in the 80s, but at the end of the decade, Billy met with a prolific Australian band and sheepishly gave them his private notebook of lyrics and asked what song they wanted to work on. And today’s iconic female rocker Chrissy Amphlett chose a song that was about self-love. I Touch Myself wasn’t quite finished so the band and the songwriting team tackled it. It’s pretty straightforward forward, and though it was controversial it became a global smash. Up next the story on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oh man… today’s song Sara by Fleetwood Mac is epic. Clocking in at over 15 minutes long, the original version of this breathtaking song once had a total of sixteen verses. And even that might not have been enough to contain the true story its author Stevie Nicks intended. After all was said and done Sara was edited down to a radio-friendly four-plus minutes. It still alludes to more misadventure and drama than the human mind can grasp. Best friend betrayals, covert love affairs, cocaine abuse, mystical muses, and band breakdowns… Sara is rock’s great soap opera… so lyrically complex, a famous band took their name from the song… but they misheard the lyric! The story is next on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… the story of two of the most enigmatic artists of the rock era, linked by the classic track Everybody's Talkin that wasn't fully appreciated until it became the theme song for a groundbreaking, provocative film—an X-rated film... Midnight Cowboy was a smash hit and won a Grammy. The original creator of Everybody's Talkin' Fred Neil was a cult hero who retreated from the spotlight, while Harry Nilsson who turned it into a pop smash was a brilliant yet erratic singer-songwriter whose recklessness ultimately derailed his promising career. Both artists grappled with intense, personal demons, yet they captivated the rock era by sharing a song that brought us infinite joy and a sense of sweet freedom. Then this cerebral artist Harry Nilsson turned around and wrote a funny novelty song. The story of one of the most interesting singer-songwriters of the rock era is NEXT on Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

No doubt about it. Heart is one of the defining acts of the rock era. And their catalog is filled with essential entries in the rock canon. Today, we’re telling the start-to-finish story of Heart who rose to prominence in the 70s, fell from grace in the early 80s, and then put together one of the greatest comebacks of the neon decade. And we’re doing it via five vital tracks that capture what they are all about. And there’s plenty of drama and epic moments along the way… from chasing their breakout hit to fighting sleazy promoters to hitting one of the most badass notes of all time. Plus you’re going to get an inside look into all five of these songs from singer Ann Wilson. It’s a story you’re not going to want to miss… NEXT on the Professor of Rock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.