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Ron “Pigpen” McKernan: A Brief Biography
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan’s story is a fascinating blend of musical brilliance and personal struggle, encapsulated within the transformative era of the 1960s and early 1970s. His life, though brief, left...
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The Meaning of the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Ten Crack Commandments”
Most people who lived through the 90s are familiar with the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Ten Crack Commandments.” As a song from his 1997 posthumous album Life After Death, released two two weeks after he was...
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The Story of 50 Cent Getting Shot Nine Times
In the realm of hip-hop, few stories resonate with the gritty rawness of survival and resilience as that of Curtis James Jackson III, globally recognized as 50 Cent. His trajectory from a street-savvy...
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The Meaning of Neil Young’s “Powderfinger”
“Powderfinger” by Neil Young is a classic song that has had fans debating its meaning ever since its release on the Neil Young & Crazy Horse album Rust Never Sleeps in 1979. Today, I’m going to...
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Jam Master Jay: A Brief Biography
Jason William Mizell, better known as Jam Master Jay, stands as an emblematic figure in the evolution of hip hop. Born on January 21, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York City, his journey from a musical...
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Bo Diddley: A Brief Biography
Bo Diddley in 1957. Ellas Otha Bates, the man who would come to be known as Bo Diddley, was an architect of rhythm that bridged the blues with rock and roll. Born on December 30, 1928, in the deep...
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The Meaning of the Grateful Dead’s “Truckin'”
Truckin’ Up to Buffalo, featuring the show from July 4th 1989 – an official release from July of 2005. “Truckin'” is one of the defining songs in the Grateful Dead canon. Released in November 1970 on...
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Bradley Nowell: A Brief Biography
Bradley James Nowell, an influential figure in 1990s alternative music, made a huge impact on the music industry as the lead singer and guitarist of the legendary ska punk band Sublime. His life,...
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The Timeline of “Scarlet Begonias”>“Fire on the Mountain”
In my journey to build a rabbit hole of information for modern fans of the Grateful Dead, I have thought long and hard about two of their pillar songs: “Scarlet Begonias” and “Fire on the Mountain,”...
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The Meaning of Sublime’s “Garden Grove”
As the opening track to Sublime’s 1996 self-titled album, released just two months after the death of frontman Bradley Nowell, “Garden Grove” has become one of the group’s definitive songs. Not only...
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The Meaning of Green Day’s “Basket Case”
“Basket Case” is the most well-known Green Day song from the Dookie era (1994). This track was all over the place in the mid 90s, and it has since grown to be recognized as a classic from a band who...
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The Meaning of the Grateful Dead’s “Black Muddy River”
“Black Muddy River” is the final song from the Grateful Dead’s second-to-last studio album, In the Dark (1987). It entered the Grateful Dead repertoire on December 15th, 1986, during the band’s first...
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The Meaning of Nickelback’s “Photograph”
Nickelback’s hit song “Photograph” has been etched into the minds of millions worldwide, not only for its catchy tune but also for its role in pop culture as a global meme. The song, released in 2005...
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The Meaning of the Grateful Dead’s “So Many Roads”
“So Many Roads” is one of the most well-known Grateful Dead songs from the final years of the band, unfortunately for bittersweet reasons. Making its debut on February 22nd, 1992, the song never did...
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The Meaning of Noah Kahan’s “Growing Sideways”
Noah Kahan’s “Growing Sideways” comes from his 2023 album Stick Season that took the world by storm through the viral wave of TikTok. It’s a deeply personal song about struggles with mental health — a...
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The Meaning of Green Day’s “Burnout”
Kicking off Green Day’s famous 1994 album Dookie is “Burnout,” a song about dissatisfaction with life, probably due to drug addiction, but not really caring as your life slips on by. As the opening...
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The Meaning of The Who’s “Squeeze Box”
“Squeeze Box” by The Who is a classic rock song that has gotten a lot of attention over the years for its double meaning. Released on the group’s 1975 album The Who By Numbers, the track’s title is a...
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The Meaning of Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean”
As the closing track to Led Zeppelin’s 1973 album, Houses of the Holy, “The Ocean” brings with it one of the crispiest guitar leads in the band’s entire discography. That riff drives the whole energy...
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The Meaning of Jerry Garcia’s “Run for the Roses”
Jerry Garcia’s “Run for the Roses” is one of only a handful of his songwriting collaborations with Robert Hunter that never made it into the Grateful Dead repertoire. This one, appearing on Garcia’s...
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The Meaning of My Morning Jacket’s “Phone Went West”
One of the deepest cuts and fan-favorites from My Morning Jacket is “Phone Went West,” from their 2001 sophomore album, At Dawn. While they have released a ton of excellent music since then, “Phone...
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