Music Urban Legends History
Here are quick descriptions of each of the previous editions of Music Urban Legends Revealed.
To see if they are true or false, you have to click on the link!
1. – Harry Nillson’s coffin was lost during an earthquake
3. Bob Dylan had to re-record a song due to worries about slander/libel.
4. A musician was sued for infringing on the copyright of a silent song.
6. “Softly as I Leave You” was written by a dying man as his wife slept at his bed side.
7. Kiss got into trouble for the Kiss logo appearing to contain the logo for the Nazi S.S.
8. A musician used morse code to express his displeasure with his record company.
9. Polka was created in Poland.
10. A misheard lyric led to the title of the song “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”
11. George Michael’s “Father Figure” accidentally became a slow tempo song.
12. “Mr. Bojangles” is about the famous dancer Mr. Bojangles.
14. The song “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was inspired by the film “Roman Holiday.”
15. The Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” won a Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental!
16. Michael Jackson’s song “Dirty Diana” was about Diana Ross and/or Princess Diana
17. An American poster company airbrushed a cigarette from a poster of the Beatles’ Abbey Road.
18. Bob Dylan had an amusing response to The Byrds changing the lyrics to one of his songs.
19. The Lovin’ Spoonful got their name from a slang term for heroin?
20. The Lovin’ Spoonful got their name from a slang term for male ejaculate?
21. The Lovin’ Spoonful were the original choice for the TV series that eventually became the Monkees.
24. Alvin and the Chipmunks made a comeback in 1980 based on a joke by a New York disc jockey
28. Stephen Sondheim’s “Marry Me A Little” was first recorded by Harry Nilsson…as a Christmas present!
29. Jon Bon Jovi’s first professional song recording was for a Star Wars Christmas Album.
31. Van Morrison was pressured to change his song “Brown Skinned Girl” to “Brown Eyed Girl.”
34. Carly Simon auctioned off the identity of who “You’re So Vain” was about for $50,000!
35. Bob Holness played saxophone on Gerry Rafferty’s hit, “Baker Street.”
36. Maya Rudolph is referenced by name in the song “Loving You.”
38. Morey Amsterdam wrote the song “Rum and Coca Cola.”
40. Igor Stravinsky was arrested for adding a chord to the U.S. National Anthem.
41. Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring caused a riot upon its first performance.
43. The band behind “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” did not really exist.
44. The Beatles used flag semaphore to spell out “help” on the cover of their album, Help!
45. During the Civil War, the Star-Spangled Banner had an extra verse written by Oliver Wendell Holmes!
46. William Zanzinger murdered Hattie Carroll by beating her to death with a cane.
47. Both the trees in Joshua Tree AND “One Tree Hill” have since died!
49. Marvin Gaye tried out for the Detroit Lions.
50. Frank Sinatra had to conduct an odd race against time to record “Strangers in the Night.”
51. The head of Madness’ record company bet his company that “It Must Be Love” would be a hit.
52. Billy Idol wrote “White Wedding” as a put down towards his sister.
53. Salman Rushdie secretly lived in Bono’s guest house in Ireland for four years.
54. Elton John wrote a song for a sports team that was gone before the song was even released.
55.Joe Walsh sneaked hidden messages via Morse Code into a couple of his songs.
58. The lyrics to “Every Breath You Take” are taken from an actual stalker’s letters.
59. Delbert McClinton taught John Lennon how to play the harmonica.
62. “We’ve Only Just Begun” was originally a song for a bank commercial.
63. Ricky Valance named himself after Richie Valens.
64. A non band member sang “Incense and Peppermints” because no one in the band wanted to.
66. “Hang On Sloopy” is the Official Rock Song of the State of Ohio.
67. Cher’s first single was a novelty song about Ringo Starr.
69. Bob Dylan lifted a number of lines from a Japanese novel for songs on his album “Love and Theft.”
70. Clem Snide’s “Moment in the Sun” is a parody of Jewel.
71. The song “Laura” is from the soundtrack of the film “Laura.”
73. “Unchained Melody” was actually the melody to the film Unchained!
74. “Danger Zone” was originally going to be a Toto song!
75. Barry Manilow wrote “Mandy” about his dog.
76. Giorgio Moroder wrote “Danger Zone” and “Take My Breath Away” with his former mechanic.
77. Old Crow Medicine Show co-wrote a song with Bob Dylan, working nearly thirty years apart!
78. Tom Lehrer quit writing protest songs because Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize.
79. The BBC forced a change to the song “The Cover of Rolling Stone” for it to be played in England.
81. David Bowie adapted the song Paul Anka used to write “My Way” before Anka!
82. “December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)” was originally about the repeal of Prohibition.
83. Kanye West wrote “Gold Digger” after seeing Jamie Foxx play Ray Charles in “Ray.”
84. The Crystals’ “He’s a Rebel” was not performed by The Crystals
85. Paul Anka got the publisher’s rights to “My Way” for free.
86. Angus Young was still a teenager when AC/DC signed their first record contract.
87. AC/DC was named after a slang term for bisexuality or a sly satanic reference.
89. Doublemint gum adapted Chris Brown’s “Forever” into a gum commercial.
90. The cereal Wheaties was saved from termination by a radio jingle.
92. Filter’s “Hey Man, Nice Shot” was about the real life suicide of Kurt Cobain.
94. Cher was one of the fake Crystals on the hit song “He’s a Rebel.”
95. The hit song “The Poor People of Paris” got its name through a mistaken translation.
96. Toto’s “Rosanna” was about Rosanna Arquette.
98. Jack Lawrence wrote a song for a one-year-old little girl who grew up to marry Paul McCartney.
102. The song “Let it Go” in Frozen saved Elsa from being a villain.
105. Outkast was sued by Rosa Parks for a song named after her.
106. Due to a marquee missing a “D,” the Food Fighters became the Foo Fighters.
107. 50 Cent was sued over the use of the term “it’s your birthday” in “In Da Club.”
108. The song “Mony Mony” was named after the bank Mutual of New York.
Ta da!
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