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Song Stories

“Province”

TV on the Radio | 2006

On "Province," a shoegaze fest about uncertainty in a time of change, TV on the Radio are resolved to remain strong, even curious. "Let it follow that we let it free, let it fly," Tunde Adebimbe sings. And the motto of "just going with it" might be how the band got David Bowie to sing backup on the track in the first place. “Our guitarist knew Bowie’s doorman and passed along our first CD," Adebimbe told Rolling Stone. They passed along more demos and told the glam-rock legend, "'If you want to be a part of it, let us know.' He did," Adebimpe said.

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“Bizness”
Tune-Yards | 2011
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“New Year's Day”
U2 | 1983

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Song Stories

“He Will Break Your Heart”

Jerry Butler | 1960

A lightly swinging Latin-influenced, almost cha-cha groove and close harmonies decorated Jerry Butler's early soul hit "He Will Break Your Heart," delivering a stately warning that his rival would never love his girl like he did. The melody came to Butler as he was driving on the highway from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Philadelphia with Curtis Mayfield, and as Butler told Rolling Stone, "I just sang the melody and Curtis put the chords to it." The song's premise, Butler added, "was something that I'd lived ...The lyric was an experience rather than a revelation. Whereas music is usually a revelation."

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