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Music Festivals' 20 Most Iconic Moments

Pat Pemberton — 2013-04-12T15:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, Exclusive, The Hit List

HENRY DILTZ, AFP/Getty Images

When Rhode Island's Newport Jazz Festival debuted in 1954, audience members sat in neat rows of folding chairs and applauded politely for acts like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet. Six years later, fans were so anxious to get into the festival, a riot occurred as ticket-less music lovers stormed the gates during a Ray Charles set, prompting a visit from the National Guard.

In the nearly 60 years since that first Newport event, music festivals have proliferated, and audience enthusiasm has continued to grow. While riots still occur occasionally, the most memorable moments tend to be about the music.

With the festival season kicking into full swing at Coachella, here are some of the most memorable music fest moments.

Iconic Music Festival Moments

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Music & Movie Moments: Part 6

Pat Pemberton — 2013-02-22T15:05:00 00:00

Filed under: Exclusive, Movies

"EVERY DAY" FROM "STAND BY ME"

In the DVD extras, director Rob Reiner said this Buddy Holly tune was one of his favorites. The song's toy-like celesta offers a sweet innocence to the scene as we see the four buddies walking on railroad tracks, which are about to present a little trouble to the young explorers and which brought real trouble to the boy they've set out to find.

"DAMN IT FEELS GOOD TO BE A GANGSTA" FROM "OFFICE SPACE"

In the heyday of gangsta rap, hip-hop acts like Ice Cube and Ice-T spoke to African-Americans boxed in by the harsh realities of the inner-city. In "Office Space," this song by the Geto Boys is used to speak to another disenfranchised group -- suburban nerds who feel boxed in by their cubicles. Like the best hip-hop tunes from the 90s, this one offers a sense of empowerment to the previously weak -- in this case our movie's fed-up hero, who goes all New Jack City on his cubicle wall.

"ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA" FROM "2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY"

Kicking off this ground-breaking science fiction flick, director Stanley Kubrick wanted a big musical intro. Maybe not as big as space because that's like, really big. But something epic and bombastic to indicate the immensity of his project. So he used this piece composed by Richard Strauss in 1896, featuring dramatic brass fanfare and the plodding dun-dun dun-dun timpani drums. Now that's how you introduce a global sunrise.

"THESE DAYS" FROM "THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS"

You ever notice how if you shoot a video, then put the video in slow motion and add a really cool song -- that if you do that, your video all of the sudden gets really cool, no matter how mundane the activity in the video is? Well, that's sort of the magic here. As Gwyneth Paltrow's Margot Tenenbaum walks off a bus for a meeting with brother Richie (Luke Wilson), her hair bounces gracefully as this melancholy Nico tune conjures up a reunion mood with a Euro accent.

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Music & Movie Moments: Part 5

Pat Pemberton — 2013-02-22T15:04:00 00:00

Filed under: Exclusive, Movies

"GOODBYE HORSES" FROM "SILENCE OF THE LAMBS"

Okay, forget all that stuff about irony. In a scene featuring a serial killer getting dolled up as a prospective victim stands trapped in his well, this echo-y one-hit wonder by Q Lazzarus just sounds creepy.

Lazzarus first met director Jonathan Demme when he entered her cab, which was playing a tape of her music. The 1988 song has something to do with Hindu philosophy, but the thing we all remember is that it was playing when the serial killer tucked his jewels between his legs and struck a pose.

"TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART" FROM "OLD SCHOOL"

Dan Finnerty's comedy group, the Dan Band, started out as a lark -- a drunken joke to help a friend who needed an opening act. But the all-male band, known for singing girl-power tunes, wound up getting booked at venues all over Los Angeles and New York. And in 2003 the band was asked to perform in a wedding reception scene for "Old School."

In a nice piece of subtle comedy, Will Ferrell's character Frank is dancing with his new bride as the band covers this dramatic Bonnie Tyler song. At first Frank doesn't think he hears a slipped-in F-bomb. Then there's another and a third as the band offers an angry edge on what's supposed to be the happiest of f---ing days.

"I'M SHIPPING UP TO BOSTON" FROM "THE DEPARTED"

When members of the Celtic punk rockers Dropkick Murphys heard that Martin Scorsese was going to be filming in Boston, they started handing out copies of their CD to extras, crew members and anyone else hanging around the set. But eventually it was Robbie Robertson -- member of the Band and longtime Scorsese collaborator -- who introduced the song to the director.

The track, with blaring bagpipes and lyrics by Woody Guthrie, is heard twice in the movie, most memorably during a tense slow-chase scene near the film's conclusion. The band's popularity skyrocketed, leading to frequent appearances at Fenway Park and a headlining slot at the Boston Garden. Not bad for a bunch of blue-collar Irish dudes.

"JOHNNY B. GOODE" FROM "BACK TO THE FUTURE"

When a 1985 Marty McFly visits the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance from 1955, he picks up a guitar and announces that he's about to play "an oldie where I come from."

Well into his cover of Chuck Berry's 1958 groundbreaker, he goes all Van Halen on his guitar, which the crowd is clearly not ready for.

"Your kids are going to love it," he assures them, and we -- now the audience of the future-future -- heartily agree.

Also, we tip our cap to Chuck's cousin Marvin Berry, for changing rock 'n' roll history forever.

"HOLD ON" FROM "BRIDESMAIDS"

If you're a true friend, then you'll go all out for your pal's wedding. And if that means hiring Wilson Phillips to sing their signature song -- as was the case near this comedy's conclusion -- then you'll do it. Because, as Casper the Ghost once said, "a friend in need is a friend indeed."

While the trio's career once seemed as dead as Casper, their appearance in this movie has them alive and well. Thanks, Kristen Wiig.

Music & Movie Moments: Part 6

Music & Movie Moments: Part 4

Pat Pemberton — 2013-02-22T15:03:00 00:00

Filed under: Exclusive, Movies

"DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME?" FROM "THE WEDDING SINGER"

George, the keyboardist in the wedding singer's band, is a Boy George lookalike who only knows -- and really only cares to know -- one song. When he performs this Culture Club tune at a reception, the crowd seems appalled by George's androgynous appearance, but he plows through it anyway. And when he's done, he starts over, still in search of applause.

"I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU" FROM "THE BODYGUARD"

Okay, everyone all together now: "And Iiiiii-eeee-iiiii-eeeee-iiii will always love you . . ."

Whitney Houston's cover of this Dolly Parton song wraps up the story of a music superstar and her bodyguard who should be lovers but can't be, which leads to a parting-is-such-sweet-sorrow going away kiss and a melisma-laden farewell number.

"STUCK IN THE MIDDLE" FROM "RESERVOIR DOGS"

For his bloody ear amputation scene, Tarantino could have chosen a fitting tune, like, say, "Cuts Like a Knife," "First Cut Is the Deepest" or maybe even "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me." Instead, for this torture scene, he chose the peppy Dylan-esque tune by Stealer's Wheel.

In his CD "The Tarantino Connection," the director said, "Personally, I don't know if (songwriter) Gerry Rafferty necessarily appreciated the connotations that I brought to 'Stuck in the Middle With You.' There's a chance he didn't."

"BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY" FROM "WAYNE'S WORLD"

Be honest -- have you ever completely RAWKED OUT to a song blasting on your car stereo?

Way.

This Queen classic -- with its blend of operatic vocals and Brian May's signature guitar lead -- provided the perfect tune for a carload of mullet-sporting, head-banging, not-so ageless teenagers who aren't afraid to display their influences in public.

"FREE FALLIN" FROM "JERRY MAGUIRE"

Okay, so we have another jamming-in-the-car scene. But first -- what's with Tom Cruise and movie songs? He gets it on with Kelly McGillis to Berlin in "Top Gun," he mixes drinks to the Georgia Satellites in "Cocktail" and hustles pool to Eric Clapton in "The Color of Money." The guy's a movie-music magnet.

Anyway, here he's an elatedly unhinged sports agent searching for the right cathartic song to sing with on his car stereo ("Show me the music!") when he finds this Tom Petty song to his liking.

Music & Movie Moments: Part 5

Music & Movie Moments: Part 3

Pat Pemberton — 2013-02-22T15:02:00 00:00

Filed under: Exclusive, Movies

"SHOUT" FROM "ANIMAL HOUSE"

If -- to quote a Steely Dan song here -- "the weekends at the college didn't turn out like you planned," then chances are you didn't have a lot of toga parties. But don't feel bad, losers. It's not like everybody went to crazy frat parties featuring Otis Day and the Knights performing their call-and-response favorite to a drunken crowd, except maybe the film's writer, who apparently had more fun in college than we did.

"YOU NEVER CAN TELL" FROM "PULP FICTION"

When TV's Vinnie Barbarino strut his stuff on a lit-up disco dance floor in "Saturday Night Fever," John Travolta became a superstar. Seventeen years later, director Quentin Tarantino offered a nod to Travolta's dancing past when he had him perform a twist hipsters still emulate.

Though older and clearly not in his jumpsuit form, a less nimble Travolta still managed to make Chuck Berry's long-forgotten shuffle cool as he worked off of a seductive dance partner played by Uma Thurman.

"MISIRLOU" FROM "PULP FICTION"

A testament to the power of music in film, Dick Dale's clinically dead career was revived in 1994 -- and he continues to perform today -- after his song appeared during the opening credits of "Pulp Fiction." While the song is considered an instrumental surf tune, director Quentin Tarantino thought its fast, single-note staccato guitar picking sounded more like spaghetti Western music, which sets the scene for what's going to be a movie with guns-a-blazing.

"TINY DANCER" FROM "ALMOST FAMOUS"

Just like the late-era Beatles, the fictional band Stillwater could still find a connection through music even as they were on the verge of a breakup. So on what starts as a chilly, hungover bus ride to the next gig, the band -- and its guests -- joins in for a group sing-along to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer." And for a short while (think: Beatles rooftop concert), all is right, just like the old days.

"OLD TIME ROCK AND ROLL" FROM "RISKY BUSINESS"

Long before Tom Cruise blasted off into space (at least mentally), he jumped on a movie set couch while getting' down to this Bob Seger tune, all in his skivvies. A high school kid with the house to himself, his booze-bolstered Joel Goodson slides across the floor in his socks, sings into a fireplace shovel and shakes spasmodically in a scene often parodied on TV shows and -- don't torture yourself -- amateur YouTube videos.

Music & Movie Moments: Part 4

Music & Movie Moments: Part 2

Pat Pemberton — 2013-02-22T15:01:00 00:00

Filed under: Exclusive, Movies

"JESSIE'S GIRL" FROM "BOOGIE NIGHTS"

As our porn star heroes approach rock bottom, they devise a plan to rip off a coked-up drug dealer, leading to an inevitable outcome: Things get nuts.

While Rick Springfield's harmless pop song blares from a stereo, calamity ensues, and the sound of gunfire upstages Springfield's longing chart buster, which seems oblivious to it all.

"WHERE IS MY MIND" FROM "FIGHT CLUB"

Standing in a high rise, The Narrator (Ed Norton) tells romantic interest Marla (Helen Bonham Carter), "You met me at a very strange time in my life," which is supposed to lead us to mutter something like, "Understatement."

Then, as if watching a fireworks display synchronized to music, they watch the buildings around them blow up -- the handiwork of a soap salesman with a penchant for violence -- and we hear this Pixies song.

"LOOKIN' OUT MY BACK DOOR" FROM "THE BIG LEBOWSKI"

The Dude, driving in his beat-up, unintentionally retro, pee'd-on jalopy, couldn't be more content as he jams to this song by Creedence Clearwater Revival with a J in hand and a beer to boot, reminding us that it's the simple things in life that, uh ...

Shoot. Lost our train of thought there.

What day is this?

BONUS: "THE MAN IN ME" FROM "LEBOWSKI"

You wouldn't think slow-motion shots of people bowling would make you actually want to bowl. But when paired with this evenly paced Bob Dylan tune, rolling resembles poetry in motion, as choreographed throwers strike poses that rival synchronized swimmers. When Jeff Bridges covers this song with his band, he does it with a wink, knowing you'll forever associate it with His Dudeness.

"FIGHT THE POWER" FROM "DO THE RIGHT THING"

During the opening credits, actress Rosie Perez -- a former "Soul Train" dancer -- knocks us out with her punchy urban dance moves as Public Enemy's" Fight the Power" blasts from your home theater system. While her first encounter with director Spike Lee started out coldly -- she called him a sexist after he staged a hot body contest -- this scene presents the woman in a position of power.

Music & Movie Moments: Part 3

Music & Movie Moments: 29 Songs Defined by Classic Scenes

Pat Pemberton — 2013-02-22T15:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Exclusive

Alamy

If you ever drive through Gaviota Tunnel near Santa Barbara, Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" might just pop into your head. Because that's the song that plays during the travel montage in "The Graduate" as Dustin Hoffman's character drives his Alfa Romero through Gaviota Tunnel.

While the pairing of movies and music is nothing new, the most music-minded directors -- your Tarantinos, Scorceses and the like -- blend the two so well, the songs and scenes become inextricably connected in our minds.

As we gear up for this weekend's Academy Awards ceremony, here are some of our favorite songs that bring memorable film scenes to mind.

Where's Your Grammy? Henry Rollins, OK Go & More on Where Their Statues Are

Pat Pemberton — 2013-02-08T12:15:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive, The Hit List

SGranitz, WireImage

Anyone with "Grammy-winning artist" in their bio is bound to have an edge. The music industry's ultimate award, after all, affords prestige and opens doors.

Yet, since the industry began handing out the golden gramophone trophies in 1959, artists have kept them in a variety of places. While Alicia Keys recently told reporters she kept her Grammys in a box because she didn't want to flaunt them, Sting once said he kept his in a bathroom because he knew people would see them there.

With this year's Grammy Awards ceremony upon us, we asked several past winners what they do with their trophies.

HENRY ROLLINS

Backstage at the 1995 Grammy Awards ceremony, the former Black Flag frontman was a hit with the media. Casually dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, Rollins -- nominated for Best Metal Performance and winner of Best Spoken Word Recording -- said his plans for the rest of the night entailed sleeping on a futon with his cat.

Alan Freed Remembered: The Pioneering DJ's Rock 'n' Roll Legacy

Pat Pemberton — 2013-01-18T15:40:00 00:00

Filed under: The Hit List

Hulton Archive

When Alan Freed died of an alcohol-induced kidney ailment on January 20, 1965, the 43-year-old DJ was broke, facing charges of tax evasion and largely forgotten.

A casualty of the payola scandals that rocked radio, Freed would never be as famous as fellow DJ Dick Clark, who escaped his own payola past with little damage. Yet, in the early days Freed had a much greater impact on rock 'n' roll than Clark, who died a wealthy and respected pop culture icon last spring.

With the 48th anniversary of Freed's death approaching, here are ten reasons why he should be remembered.

HE POPULARIZED THE PHRASE "ROCK 'n' ROLL"

When Freed became a DJ in Cleveland in 1951, "rock 'n' roll" was a slang term in the African-American community, popularized in suggestive R&B songs such as "My Baby Rocks Me with a Steady Roll" and "Sixty Minute Man." Wanting to put a new face on the music created largely by black artists, he started referring to the evolving R&B records he was spinning as rock 'n' roll.

"He took the phrase from the records he was playing, with lyrics such as 'Rock me baby, roll me baby, all night long," his son, Lance Freed, told the San Francisco Chronicle. "Rock 'n' roll was a known euphemism, in the black community, for sex. But to the public, 'rock 'n' roll' became the name for a mysterious new genre of music."

Elvis & Rock Royalty: Strange Stories of the King's Famous Fans Meeting Their Idol

Pat Pemberton — 2013-01-08T14:00:00 00:00

Filed under: The Hit List

GAB Archive, Redferns

After a 1976 gig in Memphis, Bruce Springsteen hopped a Graceland gate at 3AM, hoping to meet his idol, Elvis Presley. Just as he was about to knock on the front door, though, a guard stopped him, and Springsteen was escorted off the property.

Since that time, numerous other celebrities -- including Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Katy Perry, Joan Jett, LL Cool J, Taylor Swift and the Beastie Boys -- have toured Graceland. But, like Springsteen, they only saw the King's crib.

Too bad for them. If stories from other celebs are any indication, an Elvis encounter would have been unforgettable. As we honor what would have been Presley's 78th birthday today (Jan. 8), here are some memorable musical meetings with the king of rock and roll.

Alice Cooper

When Cooper arrived at Presley's Vegas penthouse in the early '70s with Liza Minnelli, Chubby Checker and porn star Linda Lovelace -- all invited by Elvis -- he was frisked by a security team. Despite that, Cooper would wind up with a gun in his hand, pointed at Presley.

"Elvis took me into the kitchen, opened a drawer, and pulled out a loaded pistol, telling me to put it to his head," Cooper told the London Mirror.

Fearing what the security guards would do if they saw him pointing a .32-caliber gun at their boss, the famously macabre Cooper said he felt conflicted.

"A little voice in my left ear was telling me, 'Go on, this is history -- kill him. You'll always be the guy who killed Elvis.'" That's when he encountered Presley's karate training.

"A fraction of a second later Elvis did a flying kick on the gun and sent it flying, before tripping me and pinning me to the ground by my neck, announcing, 'That's how you stop a man with a gun.'"

50 or Bust: Which Bands Will Make It to the Five-Decade Mark?

Pat Pemberton — 2012-12-27T16:30:00 00:00

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With this year's 50th anniversary, the Rolling Stones have achieved a remarkable feat. After all, the longevity of any rock 'n' roll band faces many obstacles, including excessive mortality (The Ramones), bad blood (The Smiths), drug use (Hole), tragedy (The Sex Pistols) and lost will (R.E.M.).

With the Stones recently wrapping a well-publicized mini tour, we wondered what other bands might make it to the half-century mark. So we took a not-so-random look at 20 bands, old and new, and assessed -- on a scale of 1 to 50 -- their chances.

Jeff Tweedy Q&A: Wilco Frontman Rails Against Ageism and 'Dad Rock' Label

Pat Pemberton — 2012-11-27T13:30:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive, Q + A

Redferns via Getty Images

Wilco's recent albums have been criticized as "safe" when compared to their previous, more experimental efforts. Others labeled this new sounds "dad rock."

But while some hardcore fans bristled at the more straightforward rockers on Sky Blue Sky and Wilco (The Album), frontman Jeff Tweedy says the sound of the band's music is guided more by what the songs need than what individual fans want.

"It would be foolhardy to go into making a record for some imagined audience or some imagined audience member and try to figure out what they want to hear," he tells Spinner.

Five years after the band's masterpiece, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, was praised for its complexity and variety, the band released Sky Blue Sky in 2007, causing some fans to say the band abandoned its edge. Similar complaints surfaced with Wilco (The Album) in 2009. But the band's latest, 2011's The Whole Love, has fans lauding a return to Wilco's roots.

Tweedy , 45, currently on tour with the band, recently addressed critics and getting older in a chat with Spinner.

Did you feel like some fans were trying to pigeonhole you, like "we've got to have a song with these sounds in it or else we're not going to like it"?

You can't be that sucked into the world of criticism. The main thrust of being in a band and making music and creating for us for a long time has been our relationship with a live audience and making records that we really love. But at the same time it's way more of a living, breathing thing. You get out, and the songs get tweaked or they resonate or they don't resonate with an audience and you figure out different ways to present them.

Thanksgiving & Music History: The Last Waltz, Lennon's Final Concert & More

Pat Pemberton — 2012-11-19T17:00:00 00:00

Filed under: The Hit List

NBC via Getty Images

Nicole Westbrook's song "It's Thanksgiving" has drawn plenty of comparisons to Rebecca Black's universally panned "Friday." But the 12-year-old viral video singer has learned one valuable lesson about the music industry: If you record a song about Thanksgiving, it stands a good chance of getting heard -- at least one time of the year -- no matter what the quality.

Because while there are plenty of themed songs to play on Halloween, July 4th and Christmas, Thanksgiving is the musical underdog of the holidays with few songs in its honor. That's not to say that we haven't had a share of noteworthy turkey day musical moments, though. Here are some of our favorites.

On Second Thought: 20 Hit Songs Originally Written for Other Artists -- Part 2

Pat Pemberton — 2012-11-02T14:00:00 00:00

"Run to You," Bryan Adams

After Blue Oyster Cult producer Bruce Fairbairn asked Adams and writing partner Jim Vallance to pen a song for the band, the two studied the guitar intro from "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" -- Blue Oyster Cult's biggest hit. With that signature guitar intro as inspiration, they came up with "Run to You." But after giving it to the band, Fairbairn reported, "They don't like the song." It was also rejected by .38 Special before Adams recorded it himself. In 1984, it became his first top ten single.

Watch Bryan Adams' "Run to You" Video

"All Those Years Ago," George Harrison

A decade after the Beatles split, Harrison wrote this for ex-bandmate Ringo Starr. But the song didn't work with Ringo's vocals, so he kept it for himself. Around that time, John Lennon was murdered, so Harrision rewrote the lyrics to make it a tribute to Lennon. With Ringo and Paul McCartney backing him on the song, it was released six months after Lennon's death.

Watch George Harrison's "All Those Years Ago" Video

"Hungry Heart," Bruce Springsteen

After meeting the Ramones in Asbury Park, N.J., Joey Ramone asked Springsteen -- an early champion of punk music -- to write them a song. "I went home and that night I wrote this," Springsteen wrote in his "Greatest Hits" liner notes. But after he played it for manager Jon Landau, Landau advised him to keep it.

Bruce Springsteen's "Hungry Heart"

"Just Say Yes," Snow Patrol

Responding to a request from his U.S. label, Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody wrote this song for Gwen Stefani, who wasn't impressed. Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls was interested in recording it for a solo album, but it got shelved. So Lightbody had the band record it -- with an electronic-infused, synth-pop sound that was a change of direction for the band. "It was originally a ballad," Lightbody told the Denver Post in 2009. "But now it's far from that."

Watch Snow Patrol's "Just Say Yes" Video

"Hurdy Gurdy Man," Donovan

The psychedelic folkie wrote this song for a folk trio named Hurdy Gurdy. A member of that group, Mac MacLeod, had been a mentor who taught Donovan guitar techniques.

"But we disagreed on how to do it," Donovan told Melody Maker back in 1968. "I was going to produce it, but it didn't work out so I decided to do it myself as I needed another single."

Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man"

"The First Time," U2

During the early '90s, Bono was inspired by Al Green's vocals, as demonstrated by his emerging falsettos. This quasi-religious song was initially intended for Green, but the band included on the Zooropa album.

Watch U2's "The First Time" Video

"Golden Years," David Bowie

Bowie, who shared a birthday with Elvis Presley, performed his first gig doing an Elvis impersonation -- when Bowie was 11. Years later, according to the London Observer, Bowie offered "Golden Years" to Presley. While Elvis -- who wouldn't make it to his golden years -- turned the song down, it was a Top 10 hit for Bowie in 1975.

David Bowie's "Golden Years"

"Fire," Bruce Springsteen

Springsteen -- who had once scaled the gate at Graceland in an effort to meet Elvis -- wrote this with The King in mind. According to author Rob Kirkpatrick, he even mailed a demo to Memphis, but Presley died shortly afterward. Springsteen recorded "Fire" during the Darkness on the Edge of Town sessions, but he didn't think it fit the album so he eventually gave it to the Pointer Sisters, whose version became a hit in 1979. More than two decades later, Springsteen would release his studio version as a part of the compilation album The Promise.

Bruce Springsteen's "Fire"

"Massachusetts," The Bee Gees

In their pre-disco days, the Bee Gees wrote this longing-for-home song (even if they'd never been to Massachusetts) for Australian band the Seekers. But the Seekers never recorded the song, which written on a boat near the Statue of Liberty, and it became one of the Bee Gees' early hits in 1967. In 2003, the Seekers recorded it as a tribute to Maurice Gibb, who'd recently passed away.

Bee Gees' "Massachusetts"

"I Can Dream About You," Dan Hartman

Hartman wrote this soulful song with friends Hall and Oates in mind, but the Philly duo had just wrapped up an album. A few months later, Hartman's version appeared in the movie "Streets of Fire," which helped the song reach the Top 10 in 1984. Years later, Hall and Oates recorded a version of the song for a covers album.

Watch Dan Hartman's "I Can Dream About You" Video

On Second Thought: 20 Hit Songs Originally Written for Other Artists

Pat Pemberton — 2012-11-02T14:00:00 00:00

Filed under: The Hit List

Getty Images

Attention, artists: If Bruce Springsteen ever offers to write a song for you, don't get too excited -- especially if it winds up being a really good one. Because while the Boss has written several songs for other performers, he's been known to both giveth and taketh away.

He's not the only one to flip-flop on song destinations. Here are several hit songs that were intended for other artists but wound up with their makers.

"The Long and Winding Road," The Beatles

After meeting Paul McCartney in a club, hip-swinging Tom Jones asked the Beatle if he would write a song for him. A week later, McCartney sent one over -- with the requirement that Jones release it as his next single. Jones was all in favor, but his management wanted to stick to previous plans of releasing his song "Without Love (There is Nothing)" next. While "Without Love" became a Top 10 hit, "The Long and Winding Road" was the Fab Four's last single before breaking up. Jones said he spent years regretting the decision. "I was kicking myself," he told Wales Online in 2012.

The Beatles Perform "The Long and Winding Road"

Artists Who Have Died on Stage

Pat Pemberton — 2012-10-05T17:00:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive, R.I.P., Holy Hell

Getty Images

When drummer Brad Parker passed away during a concert in Brazil last weekend, it was just a matter of time before people muttered the obligatory line: "At least he died doing what he loved."

The 59-year-old member of the disco band Generation Esmeralda might have preferred it happen decades later, but it soothes some to think he died before a crowd of adoring fans.

Through the years, a handful of musicians have experienced their final breath and final act at the same time. Here a few others who collapsed while doing what they loved.

The Monkees' Davy Jones Recalls Beatles Friendship and Mike Nesmith's Disloyalty

Pat Pemberton — 2011-07-13T14:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News, Exclusive, Spinner Interview

Shirlaine Forrest, Getty Images

When he appeared on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' with the Beatles in 1964, Davy Jones had no idea he was staring at his future.

On the show, he performed a song from 'Oliver!' the Broadway show he was acting in at the time. But two years later, he'd be cast in 'The Monkees,' a TV show about a band similar to the Beatles and inspired by the Fab Four movie 'A Hard Day's Night.'

Despite its origins as a pretend band, the Monkees became a real one after insisting they play their own instruments and write their own songs. Meanwhile, tunes like 'Daydream Believer,' 'Last Train to Clarksville' and 'I'm a Believer' were smash hits, contributing to Monkeemania.

While the show only lasted two years, the Monkees -- Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith -- would occasionally reunite. Currently, they are celebrating their 45th year with a tour that doesn't include Nesmith, who opted not to join the band.

Jones recently spoke to Spinner about the reunion and the band's storied past.
　
In the past, you said, "Never, ever, ever again" to a reunion. It's almost like athletes who say they're going to retire but can't keep away.

I said I wouldn't go out without Mike Nesmith. And then I looked at a picture of Mike Nesmith, and he looks like a German banker. And I thought, "There's no way that guy's gonna stand on a stage and be Mike Nesmith of the Monkees." And then a management company came to me and said, "We'd like to take the Monkees out. What do you think?" And I said, "I don't think so -- my schedule's busy." This was last year.

Journey's Jonathan Cain Credits Success to Dad's Support After Tragic School Fire

Pat Pemberton — 2011-07-08T14:10:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive, Spinner Interview

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

For Journey keyboardist and guitarist Jonathan Cain, 'Don't Stop Believin'' has been a creed he has followed since he survived a horrific fire as an 8-year-old child. Having escaped the Our Lady of the Angels School blaze, which killed 92 of his classmates and three nuns, in 1958, the Chicago native was determined to live a meaningful life, which he did as a musician with the Babys, Journey and Bad English.

He's had his most success with Journey, writing or co-writing many of the band's big hits in the '80s. Thanks to a resurgence of 'Don't Stop Believin'' -- famously played in 'The Sopranos' finale, covered on 'Glee' and blasted in sports stadiums everywhere -- Journey waged a major comeback in 2008, scoring a Top 10 album with new frontman Arnel Pineda, a Filipino singer the band discovered on YouTube.

Now the band is back with 'Eclipse,' its second Top 20 album in three years. The record, partly influenced by Cain's Hindu beliefs, is a nod to Pineda and the spirit of 'Don't Stop Believin',' the song Cain introduced to the band 30 years ago.

It's been kind of a remarkable comeback. Did you guys think you'd one day be back on the charts?

To use a cliché, we wrote the song 'Don't Stop Believin'' and we never did. We knew that it would just be a matter of time 'til we'd hit it and get it right. When Arnel got in the band, we believed we had something special and we thought that people would relate to his voice, because he blew us away. And it takes a lot to blow us away -- we're pretty critical.

'Weird Al' Yankovic Explains His Rules for Parody Writing and Lasting Appeal

Pat Pemberton — 2011-06-22T16:45:00 00:00

Filed under: News, New Music, Exclusive, Q + A

Jason Kempin, Getty Images

There are three reasons why "Weird Al" Yankovic has been the undisputed champ of musical parodies for more than 25 years: First, he's never faced any serious competition. Secondly, the guy plays a mean accordion. And, finally, he's always managed to keep current.

Now, Yankovic has returned with 'Apocalypse,' which includes parodies of Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. And, as always, the album will also feature wacky originals, including a White Stripes-flavored tune about '70s game show celebrity Charles Nelson Reilly.

A few years after recording his first parody, a spoof of the Knack's 'My Sharona' called 'My Bologna,' while studying architecture at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Yankovic became a novelty sensation after doing parodies of Michael Jackson and Madonna in the 80s.

But while some of the acts he had parodied have come and gone, Yankovic is still going strong, with a huge legion of Twitter followers and videos that garner millions of YouTube views. He recently spoke to Spinner about 'Alpocalypse' and his ongoing appeal.

Lady Gaga said that her song getting covered by you was sort of a rite of passage. Do artists ever lobby you for a parody?

Every now and then I'll be at a party or an awards show and somebody will come up to me and say, "When are you going to get around to one of my songs?" And I'm never sure if they're being sincere or trying to be funny or make conversation. But they have brought it up. I won't give any names, but I think artists really do look at it as an homage and look forward to the Weird Al parodies, because it does indicate that they've reached a certain plateau in their careers. I forget who said it exactly, but one of my favorite quotes was, "First you get your Grammy, then you get your Platinum album, then you get your Weird Al parody."

Songs for Dad: 20 Tracks to Help Keep the Old Man Current

Pat Pemberton — 2011-06-15T13:00:00 00:00

Filed under: The Hit List

Look, we know that your Dad is pretty set in his ways when it comes to music. If it were up to him, he'd probably hole up with his collection of Rush LP's and pretend new music ceased to exist after, say, 1996. But 'Tom Sawyer' gets pretty old after the first thousand listens (despite Neil Peart's drumming). And, really, good new rock 'n' roll does exist -- you just have to put a little effort into finding it. So, just as we offered suggestions for your mom on Mother's Day, here are some artists to consider introducing your pops to on Father's Day.