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Song Stories

“Under the Boardwalk”

The Drifters | 1964

The lilting summer soul song paints a familiar seaside scene (a carousel, hot dogs, French fries) and describes a couple "havin' some fun under the boardwalk," unbeknownst to the "people walking above." The song -- written by Kenny Young and Art Resnick -- was supposed to be sung by the group's Rudy Lewis, but the night before the session he died of a heroin overdose. Former lead vocalist Johnny Moore returned to the Drifters to cut the song, and it went to Number Four on the Billboard chart. "Very flattering to suggest 'UTB' was as well known as 'Happy Birthday,'" Young said of the song's immense popularity.

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Song Stories

“(We're Not) The Jet Set”

George Jones and Tammy Wynette | 1973

George Jones and Tammy Wynette were still married when they recorded the tongue-in-cheek "(We're Not) The Jet Set." The lyrics, written by Nashville songwriter Bobby Braddock, who also penned Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today," make fun of the good life by declaring, "We're not the Jet Set/We're the old Chevrolet set." Braddock recalled that while writing the song, he needed the name of a city that evened out the rhyme he had with "Riviera" and "Missourah." “I got out a Rand McNally atlas," he said. "In the first part are the maps. The last part is an alphabetical listing of cities. I wanted a rustic, small-time sound. I went to the listing for Missouri. And I found 'Festus.' I loved the sound of it."

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