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Song Stories

“Possession”

Sarah McLachlan | 1993

When an obsessed fan sent Sarah McLachlan a plethora of love letters, instead of recoiling in fear, she penned a song. "Writing the song 'Possession' [about the fan] was very therapeutic," the Canadian singer told Rolling Stone. The stalker sued her for the unauthorized use of his private letters, but the lawsuit was dropped after he committed suicide. "It's funny, because almost every letter I get these days, the writer says, 'I'm not one of those psycho fans.' But ever since then I haven't gotten any letters that were freaky like that, which is great, because I used to get them all of the time."

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“Danny's Song”
Loggins & Messina | 1971
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“Divine Hammer”
The Breeders | 1993

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Song Stories

“1999”

Prince | 1982

“I don’t consider myself a great poet,” Prince told Rolling Stone. “I just know I’m here to say what’s on my mind.” In the case of the apocalyptic party anthem “1999,” he was worried about then-president Ronald Reagan’s foreign policies. The song’s melody is based on a riff borrowed from the Mamas and Papas’ “Monday, Monday,” and Prince originally envisioned the first verse with three-part harmony but later split the vocals between himself and members of the Revolution. Because Warner Bros., with whom Prince was locked in a contractual battle, owned the original’s masters, Prince rerecorded the song and appropriately released that version in 1999.

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