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Song Stories

“Reckless Serenade”

Arctic Monkeys | 2011

Lead Monkeys man Alex Turner was inspired to write this romantic tune, from the Suck It and See album, by a band not exactly famous for creating romantic tunes. "It's just a love song, I suppose," Turner said. "In terms of the sound, I guess some of the stuff we were listening to was like the Pixies." For the album as a whole, Turner channeled other influences besides the Boston indie rockers. "I wanted a good song foundation on this one, so that meant listening to Nick Cave, John Cale, Lou Reed, [David] Bowie, Leonard Cohen."

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“Ready to Start”
Arcade Fire | 2010
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“I Say a Little Prayer”
Dionne Warwick | 1967

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Song Stories

“Let My Love Open the Door”

Pete Townshend | 1980

A peppy, hopeful love song, "Let My Love Open the Door" became a U. S. Top Ten hit for Pete Townshend in 1980, anchored by the kind of repeating synthesizer figures that he'd used in some of the Who's recordings in the previous decade. Although Townshend brushed the song off as "just a ditty" in Rolling Stone shortly after its release, in 1996 he revealed it was about love of the holiest sort. "It's supposed to be about the power of God's love," he remarked. "That when you're in difficulty, whether it's major or minor, God's love is always there for you."

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