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Song Stories

“A Long December”

Counting Crows | 1996

A year before this song was released, a friend of frontman Adam Duritz was hit by a car, leading to a lengthy hospital stay. Duritz, who visited his pal frequently, wrote this song -- with its California imagery -- after hanging out with some buddies late one night and before another hospital visit the next morning. "It's a song about looking back on your life and seeing changes happening, and for once me, looking forward and thinking, 'Ya know, things are gonna change for the better -- 'maybe this year will be better than the last.'"

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Song Stories

“Oh Sherrie”

Steve Perry | 1984

Steve Perry's girlfriend Sherrie Swafford was actually in the studio when Perry began writing this song--his lone Top Ten hit as a solo act--with two co-writers. The trio began at midnight one night with just "Oh, Sherrie!" and "hold on, hold on." Three hours later, they had a complete song. Swafford, however, had to wait until the next day to hear it. "Sherrie actually got tired and went to bed," Perry said. She also appeared in the video, but their relationship did not hold on for long.

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