The Story Behind The Song

In this encore episode of  The Story Behind the Song , Blue Öyster Cult 's Bruce Dickinson (aka Buck Dharma) chats with host Peter Csathy about the band's iconic "Don't Fear the Reaper." Listen to his insight. Dharma takes listeners through the history of the band, what "Don't Fear the Reaper" was actually about, how a photo inspired Will Ferrell's classic 2000 ...

On the latest episode of  The Story Behind the Song ,  Incubus  vocalist  Brandon Boyd  and lead guitarist Mike Einziger join host Peter Csathy to revisit two of their biggest hits: "Drive" and "Wish You Were Here." Listen to their conversation. Boyd and Einziger, who founded Incubus together in 1991, take a deep dive into the band's formation, their music, and their personal a...

In this encore episode of  The Story Behind the Song , host Peter Csathy revisits the very first episode of the podcast where he talked with Men At Work frontman Colin Hay to discuss their seminal 80's hit "Down Under." Listen now. Make sure to follow  The Story Behind the Song  as Season 3 continues on, and rate and review on  Apple Podcasts  to show your support for the series. Fans...

On this week's  The Story Behind the Song ,   Graham Nash  tells the story behind  Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s  “Teach Your Children," "Ohio," and much more. Listen now. Nash, the renowned English-American singer-songwriter, takes a deep dive into his lengthly career. He discusses starting his career in The Hollies to meeting Joni Mitchell, and how an eventful dinner party i...

In this encore episode of The Story Behind the Song , Sheila E. joins host  Peter Csathy  to discuss how the game-changing song "The Glamorous Life." Listen to her talk about how it changed the course of her career. The accomplished musician talks about working with Prince and trying to outdo each other as they wrote and performed. She also shares insights on a personal selection from her...

Season 3 of The Story Behind the Song continues with Russian-German DJ and producer Zedd ! Zedd has achieved global fame for his innovative electronic dance music. Known for his distinctive fusion of progressive house, electro house, and dubstep, Zedd's tracks have resonated with audiences worldwide. On this episode of The Story Behind the Song , Zedd shares the full story behind "Clarity&...

To kick off Season 3 of  The Story Behind the Song ,  The Cranberries ’ drummer Fergal Lawler and  CHVRCHES ’ Iain Cook link up to talk about the Irish band's 1993 alternative rock classic "Linger," as well as Cook's recent remix of the tune. Listen to their insights. Decades after its initial release, "Linger" remains one of the '90s' most beloved songs -- and for...

In this special encore episode of Roland Orsable from Tear for Fears tells the story behind his unexpected breakout hit Mad World from the duo's 1983 debut album, The Hurting. In this special encore episode of The Story Behind the Song ,, Roland Orzabal from Tears for Fears tells the story behind his unexpected breakout hit, "Mad World," from the duo's 1983 debut album The Hurting....

Get ready for another incredible season of the The Story Behind the Song starting September 9th. We’re continuing with our weekly format featuring a mix of brand-new episodes and classic favorites from the The Story Behind the Song vault. Hear from legendary artists like The Cranberries, Ian Cook of CHVRCHES, Incubus, TKTK, The Church, Graham Nash, DEVO, and more as they share the stories behind t...

For the finale of  The Story Behind the Song   Season 2,  The Killers  frontman Brandon Flowers reflects on one of the band's earliest songs -- "All These Things That I've Done." Listen to Flowers' insight into the tune. Flowers chats about the song's spiritual meaning, explaining how it grapples with themes of guilt, faith, and forgiveness. Ultimately, it's the sonic r...

Def Leppard 's Joe Elliott goes deep into their hit "Pour Some Sugar on Me" on this episode of The Story Behind the Song . In this special encore episode, Elliott reflects on the group's success, the meaning behind the band's name, Def Leppard's connection to Def Jam, and how "Pour Some Sugar on Me" accidentally became a strip club anthem. Listen to Joe Elliot dive...

To say singer-songwriter  Jewel  has come a long way since her days performing in an Alaskan bar would be an incredible understatement. With hits like "Who Will Save Your Soul" and "Hands," Jewel is an undeniable force in popular music. On this episode of  The Story Behind the Song podcast, Jewel runs through her rise and dives into the two monumental hits that cemented her legacy....

Billy Idol emerged from the London punk scene in the '70s as frontman for Generation X. Venturing out on his own in the '80s, he became a global rockstar thanks to MTV and his edgy persona – all bleached blonde hair, defiance, and hits like "White Wedding" and "Dancing With Myself." To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the former, Idol joins The Story Behind the Song podcas...

Heart , undeniably, is a rock institution; they are an absolute powerhouse of guitars, drums, bass, and unmistakable vocals. Led by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, few acts have left such a mark on the rock music canon, and "Crazy on You" might just be their masterpiece. On this episode of  The Story Behind the Song ,  Heart's Nancy Wilson takes listeners behind the insanely iconic song....

On this epsiode of The Story Behind the Song  podcast, Lindsey Buckingham breaks down the Fleetwood Mac classic "Tusk." He dives into the song's inspiration, meaning, production, and impact. Make sure to follow  The Story Behind the Song  for all the fresh and archival episodes coming in Season 2, and rate and review on  Apple Podcasts  to show your support for our series. Fans of  The...

The B-52s , beloved for their danceable new wave tunes, quirky lyrics, and wild outfits brought everyone to the "Love Shack" with their 1989 album Cosmic Thing . The song's playful energy and endlessly quotable lyrics brought the band new levels of fame, going on to become one of dance music's most inescapable tracks. On this episode of The Story Behind the Song , The-B52s' Kat...

Nirvana’ s "Smells Like Teen Spirit " was lightening in a bottle. It propelled  Nevermind  to the top of several album charts at the start of 1992 and was an event that is often marked as the point when grunge entered the mainstream. To tell the tale behind the song, we speak to songwriter, super record producer, drummer and co-producer of the alternative rock band Garbage,  Butch Vig .  V...

Do you like  Huey Lewis and The News ? Their early work was a little new-wave for some, but when  Sports  came out in '83, the band had really came into their own, commercially and artistically. Hey, Paul, listen to  Huey Lewis  himself dive into the record, as well as standout "I Want a New Drug," on this episode of  The Story Behind the Song ! Featuring songs like"Heart and Soul,...

"Boys Don't Cry" is one of the defining songs of The Cure 's career — and it never even charted in the US. But the new wave classic is an undeniable slice of pop-rock perfection, and perhaps the most ubiquitously enduring track in The Cure's catalog. On this classic episode of  The Story Behind the Song ,  The Cure's Lol Tolhurst, who co-wrote "Boys Don't Cry" w...

When it comes to truly timeless, ahead-its-time jams, few songs can hold a candle to the  Violent Femmes ’ "Blister in the Sun." The alt-rock, proto-folk-punk, now-ubiquitous tune still sounds so fresh that it's hard to believe it's over 40 years old. On this episode of  The Story Behind the Song , vocalist Gordon Gano explores the origins of the classic cut, revealing how it almos...

In this Legacy episode of  The Story Behind the Song , host Peter Csathy as revisit an episode with Pink Floyd 's Nick Mason to discuss “Time” from the epic  The Dark Side of the Moon.  In the interview, Nick Mason reflects on the band's origins, the tragic story of founding member Syd Barrett's last contribution to Pink Floyd before exiting the band, The Beatles' influence on the...

The Story Behind the Song is getting better all the time, so we're thrilled to be launching Season 2 with Modern English 's post-punk dance classic "I Melt with You." The 1982 track launched the band to international success, became a frequently covered favorite, and featured in dozens of movies and TV shows. On this episode of TSBTS , Modern English singer and songwriter Robbie Gr...

The Story Behind the Song is back with a new format for Season 2 beginning Monday, February 26th! We're switching to a weekly format, where brand new episodes will alternate with classic ones from the SBTS vault. So get ready for fresh interviews with The Killers, Heart, The B52s, Violent Femmes, Jewel, Huey Lewis, and Modern English as they reveal the real-life stories behind their most iconi...

Don McLean earned the title of America's Troubadour with his iconic 1971 hit song "American Pie." This eight-and-a-half-minute folk rock track is considered a cultural touchstone in the annals of Americana, tracking the loss of innocence of the early rock and roll generation through oft-debated reference-rich lyrics about "the day the music died." On this episode of  The Story...

The Cure 's "Boys Don't Cry" is a classic post-punk song about a lost love and the protagonist's inability to move on. An English rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, West Sussex, by Robert Smith, Michael Dempsey and then drummer Lol Tolhurst. While Robert Smith has remained the only constant member, Tolhurst and Smith met as children before later founding the band together.  O...