.

Song Stories

“Space Odyssey”

M.I.A. | 2010

Maya Arulpragasam, a.k.a. M.I.A., is best known for her clanking beats and unusual samples, but she and dubstep producer-DJ Rusko went a different sonic direction on this dreamy piece of head music. According to M.I.A.'s publicist, "The song and video were made Monday night for $100," and it was quickly released via Twitter. Here the singer continues her ongoing feud with the New York Times, decrying the fact that they short-listed her native Sri Lanka as a top place to visit in 2010, even though people there where being shot. The song subsequently appeared on Maya.

prev
“Sweet Home Alabama”
Lynyrd Skynyrd | 1974
Song Stories Main Next
“Fantasy”
Mariah Carey | 1995

blog comments powered by Disqus

Photos & Videos

Go To Content

Random Notes: Hottest Rock Pictures

Go To Content Play Video

Video: Metallica, 'Hit the Lights' Live at Orion

Go To Content

Gallery: Readers' Poll: The 10 Greatest Rock & Roll Rebels

Best Ever Lists
100 Greatest Singers

Other Lists

Song Stories

“Everyday People”

Sly and the Family Stone | 1968

"Everyday People" managed to trailblaze in two different ways -- it was one of the first pop hits to deal with the subject of racial harmony, and it utilized Larry Graham's "slap" technique on the bass guitar, which would soon be copied by countless other bassists. Graham once said about his pulsating style, "I'd never done that before … that's where the freedom of creativity came in for the band, that we'd be allowed to do that." In 1978, the song's line "Different strokes for different folks" would be borrowed for the title of the hit television show Diff'rent Strokes.

More Song Stories entries »