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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