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Song Stories

“In Da Club”

50 Cent | 2003

Known as hip-hop's birthday song, 50 Cent's "In Da Club" would serve as the radio-friendly single off his commercial debut. Fans of the rapper's mixtapes were well aware that 50 was more incline to hijack a fellow emcee [see: "How to Rob"] before dancing around in "da club." But, the Queens, New York-bred rapper hopped on the Dr. Dre-crafted beat, threw on his bulletproof vest and rode "In Da Club" all the way to the bank. "As soon as he walked in the studio, he picked up a pen and we were done in an hour," Dr. Dre said. "We just made some s--- we wanted to hear."

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Song Stories

“(We're Not) The Jet Set”

George Jones and Tammy Wynette | 1973

George Jones and Tammy Wynette were still married when they recorded the tongue-in-cheek "(We're Not) The Jet Set." The lyrics, written by Nashville songwriter Bobby Braddock, who also penned Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today," make fun of the good life by declaring, "We're not the Jet Set/We're the old Chevrolet set." Braddock recalled that while writing the song, he needed the name of a city that evened out the rhyme he had with "Riviera" and "Missourah." “I got out a Rand McNally atlas," he said. "In the first part are the maps. The last part is an alphabetical listing of cities. I wanted a rustic, small-time sound. I went to the listing for Missouri. And I found 'Festus.' I loved the sound of it."

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