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Song Stories

“Juicy”

Notorious B.I.G. | 1994

The late great Christopher Wallace AKA the Notorious B.I.G. was known for putting his gritty street tales to music. But no one expected to hear Biggie – the same man to boast about keeping his "glock by the penis" -- rapping over R&B funk band Mtume's 1982 "Juicy Fruit." Unfortunately, Pete Rock was left with a bad taste in his mouth the first time he heard the final version of the rags to riches song. "I did the original version, didn't get credit for it. They came to my house, heard the beat going on the drum machine… next thing you know it comes out," Pete Rock revealed years later.

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Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

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