Every Song Has a Story to Tell. Here Are Six Behind-the-Song Stories

This isn’t going to be a list of 40 songs with a short blurb about each one. This also isn’t going to be a deep dive into five songs that you already know well. We know that you know, for instance, what the Eagles’ Hotel California is about, or that both Eric Clapton’s Layla and the Beatles’ “Something” were written about the same woman – Pattie Boyd.

Portrait of Fastball / Survivor performs at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis / The Moody Blues / John Lodge and Justin Hayward

Portrait of Fastball / Survivor performs at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis / The Moody Blues / John Lodge and Justin Hayward. Photo by Getty Images/Anthony Pidgeon/Redferns / Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images / Photo by Sunday Mirror/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images / Photo by Getty Images/Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

The following songs are not just famous, but great and even addictive to listen to. They also happen to have fascinating stories behind them. We just never knew about them. After reading this, you’re going to find it hard not to find the songs and give them a listen again. Only this time, it’ll be with a new perspective.

We will be covering the following songs:

Fastball – The Way

Survivor – Eye of the Tiger

Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine

Moody Blues – Nights In White Satin

Lori Leiberman – Killing Me Softly (With His Song)

Ben. E. King, Leiber & Stoller – Stand By Me