Behind The Song

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Music #65Music History #11

Dig into the lyrics of classic rock songs and the storytellers that created them in "Behind The Song," a podcast of essays by The Drive's Janda Lane. Hear what was happening behind the scenes while some of the most iconic songs in rock history were being written.

Recent Episodes
  • As Long As It Was Deep: Unpacking “Just What I Needed” by The Cars
    Apr 23, 2025 – 00:09:08
  • The Kinks! A conversation with the cast of the Sunny Afternoon musical
    Apr 16, 2025 – 00:19:25
  • Janda and Christian talk about notable guitar solos! (Part 2)
    Apr 9, 2025 – 00:18:00
  • The curious tale of Tom Petty's "Don't Come Around Here No More"
    Apr 3, 2025 – 00:11:25
  • Janda and Christian talk guitar solos! (Part 1)
    Mar 26, 2025 – 00:23:32
  • Get Joe Cocker in the Rock Hall: Janda chats with Cocker alumni Deric Dyer
    Mar 19, 2025 – 00:22:25
  • Elton John’s unexpected hit: “Bennie and the Jets”
    Mar 12, 2025 – 00:09:08
  • Janda and Christian on the Black Sabbath Reunion
    Mar 5, 2025 – 00:23:42
  • Janda and Christian talk Becoming Led Zeppelin
    Feb 26, 2025 – 00:23:52
  • When Bowie turned to face the strange with “Changes”
    Feb 19, 2025 – 00:11:27
  • Janda and Christian's Top Classic Rock Love Songs
    Feb 13, 2025 – 00:26:56
  • Paul & Linda: The Love Story Behind “Maybe I’m Amazed”
    Jan 29, 2025 – 00:11:10
  • Janda and Christian talk movie soundtrack magic!
    Jan 22, 2025 – 00:13:11
  • Modern English: A Love Song For the Nuclear Age
    Jan 8, 2025 – 00:09:40
  • Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Rockin’ The Holidays with Al Pitrelli
    Dec 18, 2024 – 00:25:00
  • Janda and Christian talk "November Rain," GNR's lost summer in Chicago, and more!
    Nov 25, 2024 – 00:22:10
  • Guns N’ Roses “November Rain,” explained
    Nov 20, 2024 – 00:15:20
  • Janda and Christian talk Alice Cooper, Hollywood, and "Guitarmonies!"
    Nov 6, 2024 – 00:14:56
  • When Alice Cooper stopped playing nice
    Oct 30, 2024 – 00:15:09
  • Tears For Fears’ timeless dystopian hit
    Oct 8, 2024 – 00:10:13
  • How reflection is Bob Seger’s superpower
    Sep 18, 2024 – 00:11:30
  • Steve Miller Band, The Joker, and the "pompatous" of love
    Aug 28, 2024 – 00:10:36
  • The secret sauce in ZZ Top's biggest hit album
    Aug 7, 2024 – 00:12:50
  • How “Closer To The Heart” by Rush started with a friendship
    Jul 17, 2024 – 00:08:38
  • Bon Jovi's story that started in "Livin' On A Prayer"
    Jun 26, 2024 – 00:13:13
  • The emotional ride of The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses”
    Jun 5, 2024 – 00:11:20
  • Who was Heart's "Magic Man?"
    May 15, 2024 – 00:09:50
  • The year John Mellencamp took control
    Apr 24, 2024 – 00:09:38
  • The timeless appeal of Pink Floyd’s “Time”
    Apr 3, 2024 – 00:13:40
  • The ELO song scientifically proven to make you happy
    Mar 13, 2024 – 00:14:13
  • The inspiration behind Pete Townshend’s biggest hit
    Feb 21, 2024 – 00:08:52
  • The midas touch of Pat Benatar and “We Belong”
    Jan 31, 2024 – 00:09:42
  • The Rolling Stones’ hit song that almost never happened
    Jan 10, 2024 – 00:09:56
  • John Lennon’s message of peace at Christmas
    Nov 29, 2023 – 00:10:07
  • The mystery of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl”
    Nov 1, 2023 – 00:09:22
  • How “Devil Inside” helped make INXS rock gods
    Oct 11, 2023 – 00:09:38
  • How Bachman Turner Overdrive’s inside joke became a hit song
    Sep 20, 2023 – 00:08:38
  • The awesome story of Temple Of The Dog's "Hunger Strike"
    Aug 30, 2023 – 00:08:12
  • Blondie’s hit song inspired by a stalker
    Aug 9, 2023 – 00:09:03
  • How Paul McCartney landed the title theme for a James Bond film
    Jul 19, 2023 – 00:10:52
  • How Eddie Money’s Rock and Roll Dream Came True
    Jun 28, 2023 – 00:11:54
  • The long strange history of “Casey Jones” by the Grateful Dead
    Jun 7, 2023 – 00:14:14
  • How Tom Petty punched back at the music biz with “Refugee”
    May 17, 2023 – 00:12:06
  • How "On The Dark Side" became a surprise hit
    Apr 26, 2023 – 00:12:36
  • The inspiration behind David Bowie’s “The Jean Genie”
    Apr 5, 2023 – 00:13:02
  • How “One” unified U2
    Mar 15, 2023 – 00:13:32
  • The spellbinding story of “Black Magic Woman”
    Feb 22, 2023 – 00:13:47
  • The love song that started it all for Styx
    Feb 8, 2023 – 00:10:45
  • How Joe Walsh’s “In The City” went from Warriors to Eagles
    Jan 25, 2023 – 00:13:32
  • Why Van Halen took their time with “Right Now”
    Jan 11, 2023 – 00:11:22
Recent Reviews
  • Skye Quartermane
    More Women Artists Please
    LOVE the episodes. The research and stories are really interesting. please cover more women. There are so few episodes about the amazing musical women.
  • Spandex Stage Rat
    My music history!
    Janda digs into all of the music I grew up listening to, and in many cases played through many years of being in different “Bar Bands!” Each episode takes me back in time when rock radio was King, and MTV established the look and sound which all of us “Working Musicians” styled our set lists. This show is Definitely the best and most thorough breakdown of the music we all sang to and loved so much!
  • StratPlayer
    Amazing Info
    Thanks for the insight into some of my favorite music. When you reviewed Don’t Come Round Here No More, I thought of two all-time favorites of mine, Queen and Blondie, who had huge hits with uncharacteristic songs, Another One Bites The Dust and Rapture, with obvious funk and early rap influences. Keep the great work coming!
  • KShurt
    Thanks, Janda
    Back stories, drama, and new Intel is everything you’ll find in this podcast. Janda and Christian do a great job giving us bites of information that we can think about the songs we love from our past in a new and different way! Thanks guys!
  • adwerfg
    Great podcast
    Enjoy every episode. Keep’em coming.
  • 70s music person
    Behind the songs
    I love this podcast! I am looking for new stuff here. I think I have listened to everything here. You have great knowledge and a great love for this music. I was born in the 60s so music is a big part of my life. You have done such an awesome job, I simply I can say I want more. Thank you.
  • LostTrip
    Everything You Want to Know About Rock Classics
    All encompassing podcast that goes between the lyrics of classic rock songs to explain their meaning and message. I’ve downloaded the entire catalog and frequently “binge listen “ on long road trips. Great road companion with a fountain coke and a bag of Cheetos 🤗
  • GunsN’RosesFanMineCraftToo
    Great But Too Many Commercials
    I like how Janda explains the rock bands, Guns ‘N Roses are great, but WAY too many commercials.
  • Debster228
    Great podcast
    Janda is awesome. Her research is phenomenal. I highly recommend this podcast.
  • manayunk wall
    not good
    Far too many commercials to the amount of content. From the few I've heard so far, they just need a couple of more sentences added to each story/review on an episode! The facts are right but lacking a few major details in the ones I heard. They need to push it a bit more to 15-20 minutes and just get it right. This is by no means a History of Rock Music in 500 songs. I prefer that podcast for full accurate information!!
  • Brian Prahl
    Great Podcast!!
    I love the way Janda tells the story behind the classic rock songs!
  • Drea2550
    Could be great get a better host
    Janda’s voice is as fake as her name. This podcast has great potential but I can’t take the voice of the host a minute longer. Good luck I’m gone
  • Rosemary’s Herbs
    Great Podcast
    This podcast gives me a new perspective on familiar songs. The lives of musicians and the business of creating a hit song are both intertwined. Love the stories.
  • @DrivingForEllen
    Cool Stories in Music
    “I just discovered you Janda!” Your analysis of each songs lyrics is “absolutely splendid!” I enjoy the way you go line by line with the truth, or your take on the writers possible explanation. “American Pie” was very enlightening. Thanks.
  • __SWW___
    Meh
    Vapid rehash of gossip from old fan mags.
  • TimReading
    One was not played at Live Aid
    Great podcast, as usual. I really love these. FYI, One was not played at Live Aid. You might be thinking of Bad.
  • B'Town Hoosier
    Awesome
    Thank you Janda. I always look forward to your podcasts.
  • Christine Lecce
    Love it
    Wish they played just a little more of the song each episode. Will subscribe as soon as I figure out how. 🤔
  • Dan S. from Palos Hills
    Great show.
    I love the great stories, overview of the lyrics, and super short format. Perfect length of time to enjoy the show while doing something less enjoyable, like folding laundry.
  • RealTalkRyan
    Okay
    Just a lot of top soil stuff. Not good, not bad. Not surprising from a radio station.
  • Team Ridgeback
    Cool!
    Love It!
  • DM5669
    Know we know
    Great podcast, I will be listening to all episodes.
  • jrjbk
    👍
    Keep these coming! Love the background and details!
  • jd eggsjnf t
    Love the show
    All I can say is do more. Love The background of the songs. A ton of things I never knew. Please keep it up
  • moondoggy02116
    A little diversity would be nice
    Over 100 episodes and the only artist of color in the whole stack is Dobie Gray? That’s kinda sad.
  • musucliver
    Love the trivia
    Stumbled on to this great podcast, full of great trivia. Love the simplicity of it. Love this
  • Joeyo013
    Great show!
    Only one bad thing…. I have been singing the lyrics all wrong😂
  • Foxbody King
    Rock History Lessons
    Love the show. Helps me appreciate the music I have been listening to for years.
  • qb1knob
    Love it!
    Love the songs and the storytelling! Great show.
  • davegrz
    Love the podcast!
    Janda has a real gift for telling a story and her voice is money!!!
  • Mamaria70
    Wanted more
    After hearing the backstory, I would enjoy hearing the song in its entirety without any talking over it.
  • Carolyn Chambers
    Blown away by this Podcast
    I love the deep dives. Highly addictive & I binged right through it!
  • RNpink
    Most annoying voice
    Ugh! Good songs, but that flat nasal staccato delivery make it unlistenable. Just terrible , which is a shame sine the songs are good. And omg when she reads a lyric...misplaced emphasis on words, no musicality at all
  • cølleen
    Love this!
    ❤️each podcast is a gem 👍Then afterwards, When you hear each song again you remember all the new information you learned. The writing is really top notch. I feel like I am increasing my vocabulary as well.
  • joijoi
    Great song selection
    In addition to the great song selection, the content within each podcast is informative and entertaining.
  • KelsBell67
    More women rockers!
    I love your podcasts on digging deeper into the lyrics of classics. Let’s hear about some female singer/song writers too. Heart, Joan Jett, and some many great singers from the 90’s...I am looking forward to it!
  • Baseball1818
    Exquisite
    Janda’s through research coupled with her keen intuition cuts these iconic songs to the bone. You’ll be sure to learn something you didn’t know or had never occurred to you to consider before. And you get to hear it all spoken to you in a voice that’s dark, like tinted glass yet beautiful and rhythmic.
  • Johnius Caesar
    Guessing at the meaning of lyrics?
    Love the concept of the show and getting the scoop of what the song writer really meant when writing the song. Which does periodically happen in this podcast. But when this narrator of this show periodically says things like “hazarding a guess” about what a lyric means, I kind of feel that defeats the purpose of this podcast. I could guess all day what the lyrics mean and really don’t care what other people “guess” it means. Maybe skip those lyrics you don’t know or choose a different song.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.