Eminem, Elton Single Coming

Eminem and Elton John's much-talked-about rendition of "Stan," from the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards, will be released as a single. The song has already been sent to radio, but the release date for the hard copy has yet been established. A portion of the proceeds from the song will benefit the MusiCares Foundation, part of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences that services "health, human service and welfare needs" of musicians.

The performance triggered a protest by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against defamation, who accused Eminem of homophobia in the lyrics of the songs from his The Marshall Mathers LP. Last year, GLAAD bestowed the Vito Russo Entertainer Award, one of its highest honors, upon John for his work in combating homophobia. When the organization learned that he would be playing piano and singing the chorus to the song (which was originally sampled from Dido's "Thank You"), they issued a statement that read in part: "We are disappointed that Sir Elton John will be performing with Eminem at the Grammy Awards. John has played an enormous role in educating the world about AIDS and gay issues through his music and charitable work. GLAAD is appalled that John would share a stage with Eminem, whose words and actions promote hate and violence against gays and lesbians."

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Song Stories

“Helen Wheels”

Paul McCartney | 1973

A rollicking good-time hard rocker, "Helen Wheels" was not about a woman but about Paul McCartney's Land Rover, the anthemic chorus voicing the vehicle's reckless joy as "she" took to the road. The song was added to the U.S. version of Band on the Run but was issued only as a single in McCartney's native U.K. "I like that because it's a British road song and there's not many of those around," said McCartney. "It's always Route 66. But Carlisle? How many songs have got Carlisle in them?"

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