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Song Stories

“Tired of Being Alone”

Al Green | 1971

Green recorded mostly cover songs before he wrote this sexy soul ballad. "I wanted to find something that was soft, that was comfortable…but soulful," he told Rolling Stone. While producer Willie Mitchell wanted more covers, some were saying Green--who had a hit with a cover titled "Back Up Train" three years earlier--was a one-hit wonder. "Finally, I sat down and wrote to myself. I wrote 'Tired of Being Alone,' and that's what got us going."

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“Planet Rock”
Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force | 1982
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“The EMI Song”
Alex Chilton | 2012

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Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

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