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Song Stories

“Thinkin Bout You”

Frank Ocean | 2012

Odd Future's crooner spun himself off from that collective by releasing a mixtape, working with Kanye West and writing tracks for a few big names. "Thinkin Bout You," which has Ocean hoping a girl from his past still keeps him in mind, was originally intended for R&B singer Bridget Kelly. But Ocean's demo version was leaked, a music video followed, and then the song became the lead single from his debut album. Kelly still recorded it, and she talked about all the confusion. "I think the unfortunate thing is that everyone [saw] it as Frank's record so when mine came out, it was kinda like, wait a minute, she's covering Frank Ocean's song," she said. "And it was like, not really. Your boy actually demoed my song."

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Song Stories

“Is It True”

Brenda Lee | 1964

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

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