It’s time to jump in the Time Machine and change Music History with the songs that deserved to be #1 in an amazing year from the 80s. Today we have some great songs, including the shy, unknown singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, who was asked to sub in for a legend who was having technical difficulties… The only problem was it was at a sold-out Wembley Stadium with tens of millions watching via satellite. She only had a guitar and a mic, but one song from her called Fast Car blew the audience away and took her record to #1 overnight. Plus the classic GNR track Welcome to the Jungle that was a failure because neither MTV nor radio would touch it. Not until a desperate plea to play it 1 time at 4 in the morning turned it into the biggest rock album of the 80s. Plus the fast song that was hell to record until the band kept slowing it down. And then it became a revelation. Plus the band Information Society that ruled the charts with 3 straight hits but then vanished without a trace. But today we track them down 38 years after they disappeared. Let’s rewrite history.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let’s travel back to 1975 and rewrite history. In 75, 36 Songs hit #1, but as we look at the songs that missed #1 but hit the top 10, I would bet my life on the fact that most of these songs were better than the #1 hits. So let’s give them their due with Lady by Styx, the song that invented the power ballad. It was a song that was a total bust on the charts a few years earlier but a Top 40 DJ heard the song on a jukebox at a pizza joint, and played it on his show, and saved the career of one of classic rock’s most successful bands… plus the musical genius Jeff Lynne who was severely criticized by his own father, who told him his music was rubbish. He retaliated by composing his first top 10 hit in America… plus the sexualized rock song Feel Like Making Love that the singer joked may have caused the birth rate to skyrocket in the 70s. Plus the classic hit Low Rider that came from a drummer playing the wrong beat it could’ve been a disaster… Instead, it inspired the lead singer to throw out a joke lyric that became a pop culture phenomenon, and that story is where our countdown starts.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, a new show where I give you 3 unbelievable rock and roll stories straight from the legends themselves in 10 minutes or less that will make you laugh, cry, or both. It’s our premier episode of Zingers including the young icon Young MC who wasn’t old enough to buy alcohol but he wrote 3 massive hits in about the time it takes to watch a movie and those 3 songs have generated many millions of dollars for him and set him him up for life generating 85% of the his total income as a musician for the rest of his life, he’s here to tell the story. Plus the 80s icon Patty Smyth, who had one of the most popular music videos in MTV history, but she detested every second of it... Having to wear heavy makeup and costumes that made her unrecognizable. It gives her anxiety just speaking about it, and she’s here to tell the story. And finally the odd new wave icon Gary Numan, who had one big hit that didn’t sound like anything on the radio, but he began to loathe it with every fiber of his being. He hates it so much he refused to play it, but one day he got his comeuppance when a legend called him out on his behavior, and he realized he was being a huge baby. Let’s get into it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A few weeks ago, I introduced a new show where I did a pop culture crossover of Rock and Roll Meets Star Wars, including a story of how Terri Nunn, the Lead singer of New Wave band Berlin, was a frontrunner for the role of Princess Leia…She even had a final screen test with Harrison Ford, who did not like her. So, getting rejected by Star Wars, she became a new wave icon with the #1 hit, Take Me Breath Away well I got so many requests for more Star Wars and rock, but this time around we’re doing Star Wars as well as expanding our coverage to other science fiction franchises. From Star Trek to ET to Alien including how The Who Saved the RIdley Scott movie Alien and How Micheal Jackson’s Label sued ET and Then ET turned around and Sued Neil Diamondas well as the crazy story about Sting’s Space underwear from the movie dune…and One of the funniest Williams Shatner stories you’ll ever hear and it has to do with he band KISS it’s my top 5 Sci-Fi rock and roll crossovers… So let’s get it started: at #5, I have a special guest to tell the story about the time that a famous voice actor fooled William Shatner into believing he was Gene Simmons of KISS and all hell broke loose… It’s a Gag that is still going. Ok, so Star Trek was created by Gene Roddenberry, and it debuted on NBC in 1966. And although it was canceled after just three seasons, the show found sustained success in syndication during the 70s and built a passionate fanbase.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the story behind Ac/DC’s classic rock hit Big Balls, a song with a dual meaning that made parents angry and the goody-two-shoes blush, but it made every Gen-X kid fall down on the floor laughing. It was written by rock icon Bon Scott, who was always the life of the party to his detriment. In a drunken daze, Bon turned his fascination with his body part into a song meant as filler for an album, but Big Balls became a surprising classic rock standard. One that everyone who has come of age since the 70s has laughed about with their friends for days on end! Hey also came up with a song later about his wife that could be taken as good or bad, and she divorced him for it. We’re gonna loosen up the shackles of self-righteousness and have some fun telling the story of this track. NEXT on Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is the full uncut interview with Rick Beato… a Classic Rock Masterclass. Actually, it’s more of a 90-minute geek-out on music. We just kick back and discuss all our favorites in music from Boston to Led Zeppelin to Pink Floyd to everything in between. I’ve received a lot of requests for the uncut interview, so here it is.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, we continue our treasure hunt, tracking down the greatest #3 hits in music history, and this time we got to arguably the best era in music history 1965-1969. Including songs by the Beach Boys, the Beatles, and the Stones, including California Girls, a song that popped into the mind of Brian Wilson after he swallowed his first tab of LSD… You could honestly say that the song that came from that trip started a musical revolution that inspired everything that came after. Plus a track that saved the career of future legend Stevie Wonder during a time when his label wanted to drop him because he was going through puberty. In fact, they had labeled him a novelty act; he would go on to prove them wrong as one of the last living musical geniuses... Plus one of the most prolific lyricists of all time, Jimmy Webb, captured the image of a man working on a telephone pole and turned it into a hypnotic classic… And lastly, the angry song Fortunate Song that stood up for the common man that became one of over a dozen huge hits for John Fogerty whose historic run in music was thrown off course by one of the biggest scumbags in music history. It’s a special countdown of the Top 10 Greatest #3 Hits released between ’65 & ’69, NEXT on Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's take it back!

As a father of 3 daughters this was the most difficult song that Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, one of America’s great rock bands ever had to write… It actually took him 9 months to finish, then a record exec made him censor his own song fearing it wouldn’t get played on pop radio because of 1 word that wasn’t even a swear word… Would he change it? It would be the biggest hit on an 80s hard rock masterpiece. Pump an album that had a pretty good chance of being the first hard rock record to have 3 #1 hits from one album… would it happen … THE ROAD WOULD BE TOUGH… Janie’s Got A Gun got banned and had to compete with a smash hit starring a cartoon cat... find out if this …provocative and haunting song pulled it off next on Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The catchiest song of the 80s...Some songs are earworms that crawl into your brain and are so annoying you beg for mercy. Some are great, but they get so overplayed you tire of them and hope you never hear them again. But every once in a while, a song is so catchy and satisfying you're on cloud 9 when they get stuck in your head because even if you hear them 100 times, you never get sick of them… Today we celebrate those treasures as we travel back to the 80s to capture those perfect songs and the stories behind them, including the Cheers theme song that puts a lump in our throats every time because it sounds like home or a bygone era. Plus the Frankie Goes to Hollywood song Relax, that was so catchy and dangerous a DJ banned it in the middle of the first time it was played on the radio. Plus the cover song Cum On Feel the Noize that took Quiet Riot and metal to the top of the charts... but the singer behind it ruined his career in one dumb interview.…. And an otherworldly scream that saved a rock band’s career.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up...The story of the greatest TV THEMES of the 60s. Last year we covered some of the greatest TV themes of the 70s, 80s and 90s. But today we're counting down the best TV themes from what many consider the golden age of television… the 60s and 50s. And there’s some wild stories here. First, one of the most recognizable pieces of music in TV history was stitched together from two obscure stock tracks, and the composer had no idea his work was being heard by millions of people in the TV show The Twilight Zone. It would be years before he ever found out, and he only ever took home $700 for one of the most iconic intros of all time. Then… one of the most beloved TV Western themes in history: Bonanza was so perfectly constructed that when a music legend added lyrics and released his own version, it completely bombed. And finally… an Academy Award-winning composer recorded a terrible, throwaway vocal demo about a talking horse… just to show producers what he had in mind for the theme. He was horrified when they loved it and used it as the finished product. Let’s get started. Plus the TV theme that a talented songwriter tried dozens of times. It was sung, it was done with guitar… Nothing was working, so he got so frustrated he just whistled it in 1 take, and it became a classic. Let’s do it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, an interview with a band that, no joke, had 16 hits in the 80s but, for some strange reason, they are always passed over, and many under the age of 50 don’t remember them. Why have they been forgotten? Well, all you have to do is play someone Hold On Loosely or Caught Up in You, and all of a sudden the light bulb goes off. I’m talking about Southern Rock Royalty 38 Special. Today, I have the uncut Don Barnes interview. Don sang and helped write those hits and made the band a classic rock staple. Coming up, we have the stories of many of their biggest hits straight from Don, including the story of how the band got their name when they had to break into their own rehearsal space and the police surrounded them thinking they were criminals. Plus much more. Here’s Don with the stories of some classics.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

About a month ago, I started a new show where I talked about the catchiest songs of all time. But they are the good catchy, where you love it when they get stuck in your head. Well, I chose 7 from the 70s, and most of you agreed with them, but many said, Well, you have to include this one and this one. Well. We’re gonna do it again. We’re counting down the 7 catchiest songs of the 70s. It’s Round 2, and these songs and the stories behind them are even better than our last list. First, there’s Van Halen, who covered a 60s Kinks classic and so thoroughly reinvented it that fans of the band thought that they had written it. This mix-up led to fans approaching the original band after shows and at airports to compliment them on their cover version of their own song. It made them livid. Then there’s the thoroughly misunderstood rock anthem Sweet Home Alabama that was calling out a corrupt politician, but everyone thought they were cheering him on... leading this corrupt leader to hijack the song and make it his personal campaign track. And finally, there’s the burned-out rock frontman Bon Scott who snapped at his producer and dared him to get in the booth and sing this future hit song better than he could. He had to eat crow as he watched in stunned silence as this producer hit every screaming note perfectly. It’s all coming up next on POR.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, it’s time for a POR throwback. Back in the early days of the channel, we had our regular series #1 in Our Hearts where we honored songs that were so unbelievably great, they should've been #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. But for whatever reason, whether it was lack of radio play or marketing, or maybe the label just wasn’t behind the track… these songs came up short. Well, now we are going to zero in on a specific year and look at the top 10 songs that didn’t quite make it to #1, and we’re going to give. Today we're heading back to the late 70s. Let’s see if you can guess the year. It was the year that rock made a huge comeback and decimated Disco on the strength of several big hits, including Sultans of Swing that was inspired by the most self-delusional band in town. This band played in an empty pub, and it inspired a Dire Straits’ breakout hit. Then there’s the two-hit wonder Nicolette Larson, who found her biggest hit in a dusty cassette tape that was being stepped on as it sat on the floor of a rock legend's truck. And finally, there’s the Toto keyboardist who wrote an iconic hit on his piano in his apartment… he couldn’t stop messing with the catchy tune until he figured it out. It took him three days, and his neighbors were banging on the door for him to stop. He even got evicted due to the noise.” But in the end, it paid off, going top 5 and making his band a household name. Let’s get into it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's run it back!

Up next two principals from the classic Reggae group UB40, original singer Ali Campbell and toaster the late Astro tell us the compelling story of a song that took 5 years to get to #1! Red Red Wine was originally composed and sung by Neil Diamond. In 1983 Red Red Wine went to the top of the charts in the UK but stalled at #34 in America then 5 years later a DJ played it by accident confusing this band with another one and people started requesting it. Other stations followed suit and it went viral before the internet. Word of mouth took it to #1. Now all these years later UB40 has broken up into two different bands using the same name! Ali’s brother took over the other group and they’re rivals. Find out the story of the song and the latest from this legendary group who had another #1 hit in the 90s with the Elvis cover, Can’t Help Falling in Love next on Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the worlds of rock and roll and history’s most beloved sci-fi franchise collided in ways nobody ever expected. That’s right, on this episode of Professor of Rock, we’re counting down the greatest rock meets Star Wars stories around. And from the casting room to the recording booth, popular musicians and Star Wars have a surprisingly in-depth history. Including members of NSYNC who got their greatest wish... to be cast as Lightsaber-wielding JEDIs. They went out and filmed and were excited to see themselves in Star Wars but were crestfallen when George Lucas cut them out of the film after fan backlash. Plus, the iconic future front-woman Terri Nunn was almost cast as Princess Leia. She made it to the final round of auditions, impressed the director, but was turned away because Harrison Ford didn’t like her. So she had to settle for music stardom instead. Then there is Joseph Williams, the son of one of the greatest composers in Hollywood history and the replacement singer for one of the biggest rock bands of the 80s. He penned the lyrics to two of The Return of the Jedi’s original songs… only to have them later replaced in the 1997 Special Editions. And finally, the King of Pop personally lobbied George Lucas for a role in the most anticipated film of a generation… But he got nixed too. But he dodged a bullet…

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next, Kenny Loggins, the Co-Captain of Yacht Rock and the King of the Movie Soundtrack, tells the story of his first big movie hit from Caddyshack, I’m Alright! First, this legendary singer-songwriter was told by a big-time movie producer his movie song would be used for a dancing puppet, which he thought would be lame… Secondly, during the recording of the song, this singer invited another famous rocker to do background vocals, but he forgot to give him credit when the song became famous, which started a decades-long rivalry. Lastly, to make matters worse, they had a mediocre drummer who could only play a basic beat… It actually made this song the classic it is. An entertaining story of the song everyone knows next in Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's take it back with this POR Classic!

Celebrating the power of Summer, Donna Summer, one of the most influential artists of any era and my Top 5 Donna Summer Songs. Many know her as the Queen of Disco, but she was so much more than that, inspiring artists from every genre including New Wave, R&B, and Dance pop. Featuring appearences from Peter Hook formerly of New Order, Narada Michael Walden producer/songwriter behind some of Whitney Houston's biggest hits, and Limahl former lead singer of Kajagoogoo.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’re a rockstar. There’s nothing quite as brutal as watching the song you despise become the one the world won't let you forget. Today we're counting down the musicians who built their legacies on songs they absolutely could not stand. Including a teenage rock prodigy whose debut smash turned him into an overnight rockstar. But he spent the next two decades refusing to perform it and stating that no amount of money would ever make him play it again. Then there’s one of rock's hardest-hitting bands that buried a soft, sentimental love ballad so deep in their back catalog that even the man who recorded it can’t remember the words. Also, there’s a singer-songwriter whose biggest hit made him a global superstar who walked onto American television specifically to tell millions of viewers he was not coming to America to perform it… and that he wanted nothing to do with it! And finally, there’s the band that accidentally created the best-selling 12-inch single ever, but lost money on every copy sold, racking up 70,000 pounds of dollars in debt from their signature song.

Go to https://buyraycon.com/professorofrock... to get 20% off. Thanks to Raycon for sponsoring!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rock history is full of legendary songs that almost never existed. Today we're counting down the most jaw-dropping near-miss disasters in rock history… songs that were almost derailed by decisions and incidents that should have designated them to garbage heap. And the world would have never heard them! First… The Clash's roadie was handed the demo recordings for one of the greatest double albums ever made: London Calling. But after stopping at a pub, he got drunk and fell asleep on the subway. When he jolted awake at his stop, he sprinted off the train, but left the tapes sitting on the seat behind him, and they were lost forever! Then there’s the story of a last-minute mixing session for a Led Zeppelin hard rock masterpiece. While working on it, two engineers discovered a phantom voice haunting that was bled into the tape. With no time to fix it, their split-second decision created one of the most iconic moments in rock. And finally, a Heartbreaker Mike Campbell's dream song was rejected by Tom Petty before getting picked up by another rock legend, Don Henley… But while working on it in the studio, the master tape began physically disintegrating. And he knew that if he lost it he would never be able to reproduce the magical session. Plus, the song that was a disaster and thrown away by Kenny Rogers till a bubbly blonde named Dolly Parton, who was recording next door, walked in and made the song a duet... becoming 1 of the biggest hits of the year. These are the stories of songs saved from oblivion… Let’s get into it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To me the definition of great hit song is one that is so catchy and undeniable that whenever it comes on you feel like your 50 Feet tall and invincible. Some decades just hit different — and the 90s produced a run of songs so irresistible that the world still hasn't gotten over them. It’s time ro count down the catchiest sings of the decade! The greatest earworms of the 90s that you’re grateful to have stuck in your head and the stories behind them that nobody ever told you… including how one production assistant placed the master tapes for the Smashing Pumpkins' 1979 music video on top of his car and drove off… scattering them across the Los Angeles freeway. The band was forced to fly back across the country on a red-eye and reshoot the entire thing from scratch. Then there’s the Verve's Richard Ashcroft, who spent years pouring his grief into Bittersweet Symphony, a song that became a global anthem, but was strong-armed into signing away every dollar it ever earned. And there's one of the decade's most celebrated music videos, Waterfalls, that was delivered by a singer who was under house arrest, hiding an ankle monitoring bracelet underneath her costume the whole time. Plus the Cranberries' Linger that was originally about underwear. But a shy girl who was mocked by her bandmates turned into the most enduring song of the decade. Let’s do it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The story of the #1 hit Eye of the Tiger from Rocky 3. In the early 80s this Survivor co-founder Jim Peterik came home for Lunch and checked his answering machine. He couldn’t believe what he heard, Sylvester Stallone asked him to call him back. He thought it was a prank call. but when he called back it was really him… Sly Stallone wanted an unknown band Survivor to write the Anthem to a sequel to one of the greatest franchises ever, Rocky 3-apparently Queen had turned down the use of their #1 hit Another Bites the Dust… In a very cool interview, Jim tells us how he and guitarist Frankie Sullivan wrote Eye of the Tiger for the opening montage of rock 3 when he went up against Clubber Lange (Mr. T) and went to #1 for 6 weeks because Stallone was willing to give his rookie band the chance even though they’d never had a hit. They couldn’t get the lyrics down so they ended up stealing a line from the movie and it became a classic! The song was nominated for an Oscar and the band had to be humiliated when the Temptation did a Cringe version of the song. How they created the perfect 80s classic rock anthem that still rules.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… Van Halen, Ratt, and more as we skip the one hit wonders to talk about the topic of top 2-Hit Wonders. ...But today I wanted to shake it up. What about those artists who actually followed up their huge hit with another one of equal impact? A second legitimate hit but then never had another one? The Two Hit Wonders. It’s a special countdown of the Top 5 '2 Hit Wonders' of the 80s! Including Ratt, Icehouse, White Lion and how Tone Loce ruled 1988 by stealing his two biggest hits from several legendary bands including Van Halen. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, We’re going back in time to a perfect year in music and setting it right. Taking some top 10 hits and giving them their due at #1. Including some great stories, including a tragic internal conflict between long-time collaborators Daryl Hall and John Oates, one that led to the issuance of a restraining order, splitting the most successful two-some in rock history. Hey, how are ya gonna write songs together if there's a restraining order?! Then there’s a story of the highest-charting song by Bruce Springsteen that came from a place of real anger because his manager told him he needed to write a hit, even though he had written 70 songs for his forthcoming album. Then, on another classic song, during the making of the video of the mysterious ballad Eyes Without a Face, the singer had a medical emergency when his contacts fused to his eyeballs…and it led to a policeman holding a gun to his head. Plus, Billy Joel apushed the boundaries of his voice to an all-time high in a song that became a classic, only he was never able to hit those notes again and had to have a backup singer do it live when it became a hit. Plus, Prince's Purple Rain, the song ripped offits title and solo from 2 other hits, but the two bands didn’t care because the genius behind it was so respected. Let’s do it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's run it back with this classic!

Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon...Imagine if you will an album so legendary.. So in Demand that there were factories working around the clock to manufacture it and still couldn’t keep up.. or so the legend goes or urban legend that is. . And it'’s still selling like hotcakes. It spent almost 20 years on the charts but never went to #1 in its native land..It has spawned more folk tales than any album ever.. Led by a provocative and talented lyricist/ singer Roger Waters as well as a true guitar legend in David Gilmour. Today we un peel the endless sonic layers of the song Time and the Great Gig in the Sky… Songs so stunningly true to life and space they have the power to stop time. With incredible contributions from Rick Wright and Nick Mason and with Commentary from the great Alan Parsons… The Dark Side of the Moon is a true 70s classic rock manifesto and the breakdown is next.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up…we take the time machine back to a year that changed everything with songs that were all over the map. We’ll tell the tale of Time of the Season that became a massive hit after the Zombies, the band that recorded it, broke up, and they had no idea that the song was soaring around the world. As well as Sugar Sugar, a song that was one of the catchiest of all time, but it was recorded by a fictional kids' band, and it became the biggest hit of the year even though the man who sang it was a mystery for a decade. And... the drama behind Tommy James, who battled a mobster who threatened to take him out rather than pay him the 10million he’d stolen from him. So the Singer had to produce his new song Crimson and Clover himself and when he took it to a local DJ to show him a rough demo, the DJ played it on his radio show and it became a #1 hit overnight. It’s all coming up next.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I'm counting down the top 5 most cringe-worthy 80s novelty tracks that are “so bad, they’re good.” We’re talking songs like Pac-Man Fever, Party All the Time, and the Super Bowl Shuffle. But on the other hand, some of these songs killed it on Billboard Hot 100. So someone must have thought they were good back in the day. Will you admit to liking them? I have to admit I’m a sucker for Bad B-Movies and Bad B-Songs… Is that a thing? Get ready for a trip into the quirky, the bizarre, and the truly awful. But be warned… after you go down this rabbit hole, you will never be the same again… including Geddy Lee of Rush's biggest hit. A novelty song! NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up on today’s episode, we're back at it again. We’re counting down the most dangerously alluring song about females in rock history … These songs were written about real women who did a real number on some of the most famous rockstars ever. We’re gonna tell the story about a notorious woman known only as “Wildcat” who made a surprise late-night call to Chris Isaak. He knew she was trouble but told her to come over anyway. But before she arrived at his door, he picked up his guitar and wrote one of the most seductive songs of its time. But when she got there, he was more enamored with the song than her, and he was grateful she’d inspired him to write what would become his biggest hit. Then there’s the volatile couple Ian Astubry of The Cult and Renee Beach. They kept a pet goldfish on their tour bus and were so obsessive about it that they pissed off the other band they were touring with… To get revenge, they pulled off the most epic goldfish prank in history. And finally, there’s the iconic 70s femme fatale song Killer Queen that may or may not have actually been written about a man. Will get both sides of the story next!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What is it about Mondays that gets us all down? It’s as if that day casts a shadow over us all, shifting the mood of the universe for a full 24 hours. With that in mind, one of the most talented yet volatile bands of the Rock Era, the Mamas and the Papas, created Monday Monday, a song that unintentionally summed up their brief but brilliant run and gifted us with a breathtaking classic. Monday Monday was written in 20 minutes, and nobody in the band liked it. Especially singer Denny Doherty... Some even hated it with a passion, so imagine their surprise when it hit #1. Then everyone wanted to know what the song was really about. Well, as it was not even the writer, John Phillips had a freaking clue what it was about…decades later it turns out the song was an eerie prediction for what would happen to the band. When Michelle Phillips and Mama Cass Elliot, Denny and John fractured. The story is NEXT… on Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the music business, there’s a thin line between iconic and ironic. Some artists spend decades building a legacy, only to watch the internet reduce it to a dumpster fire. While others were the first to strike the match. Coming up, we're counting down the musicians and their songs who became everybody's favorite joke — whether they meant to or not. It’s our latest edition of Punchlines, and this episode has a few musicians who weren’t afraid to throw the first punch… including the genre-bending rocker Kid Rock, who was at the center of a Waffle House beat-down. The incident ended with him being arrested after he tried to flee the scene in his tour bus and flashed a “Jr. Police Badge” when the cop pulled him over. There’s also the female pop star Paula Abdul who conquered the charts, survived tabloid chaos, and racked up 6 consecutive #1s with a little help from a cheesy animated cat. Plus, a famous Radio Personality who tried to make a mockery of the famous comedy band Steel Panther, but this band of jokesters turned the tables on him and made him the punchline. These stories and more are stealing the headlines next on POR. Let’s get into it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All eyes were on this legendary band after they released their megalithic fourth album Led Zeppelin IV. Championed by many as the greatest rock record ever written… Everyone was clamoring for a sequel. But they wouldn’t get it. Instead, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham took a sharp left turn into unexplored territory… kicking out a bold collection of songs that tapped into a diverse selection of genres: House of the Holy. The rock press eviscerated them for it. But time would prove that they knew what they were doing. An essential entry into the compendium of rock, House of the Holy also boasts today’s featured song, No Quarter. And I’m telling you, we’re zeroing in on a haunting masterpiece. Written by the band’s most underrated member. This foreboding track is a work of sheer genius and will engulf your soul. It was also part of a cut-throat moment when two of the members reunited, leaving him out while naming their project after his song! Find out next on Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… It’s nostalgia overload in a trip back to a perfect year in music. Including the provocative hit Whip It by Devo that sparked controversy so intense, actress Lily Tomlin refused to host a major late-night show unless the band was CUT. Plus, legendary guitarist Neal Schon was told his guitar solo for Who's Cryin' Now was too complex… he was told to simplify it. So he played the dumbest lead he could think of... it made the song a classic. Then there’s the famous TV theme song Beleive It or Not from a beloved comedy-drama whose lead character’s name was changed to dodge a link to the infamous man who tried to take out our leader.… Plus the #1 hit Rapture by Blondie that has gotten away with the mother of all profanities for 45 years and the rock icon Pat Benatar who erased her biggest hit from existence over one lyric line. And a Dan Fogelberg's deeply moving tribute to his father written just before he passed away. …

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we’ve got 10 tracks that were going for the gold but came up just short… bringing home the bronze instead. That’s right, it’s another edition of our #3 Hits Countdown, but this time we are counting down the greatest #3s of the 1970s songs that peaked at just two spots from the top on the Hot 100. On this episode you’ll hear the story of Navy veteran Bill Withers, who spent years installing toilet facilities inside commercial airplanes for $3.50 an hour. And when he scored a record deal he refused to quit his day job. It wasn’t until his debut single Ain't No Sunshine sold a million copies, and his label gave him a gold-plated toilet seat, that he changed his mind. Then there’s Fleetwood Mac's John McVie, who spent nearly 4 decades performing the song Don't Stop live — night after night — without ever realizing his ex-wife had written it about their divorce. And finally… The tale of a hotshot rookie band Foreigner who got a slot at a highly coveted rock festival, but they ran out of songs. 50K fans were screaming for an encore, so they took a brand new idea they’d been tinkering with that was totally unfinished…They weren’t even sure it was a song yet, but they ad-libbed it, and the crowd went insane, so they knew what their next single was gonna be… Let’s do it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up next… a song that was so offensive, the Doors were fired on the spot for performing it. Here’s what happened: Jim Morrison, was playing one of The Doors's new songs "The End" as the house band for one of California’s most happening clubs... when Jim suddenly went off on a creative tangent that hearkened back to a story from Greek mythology. But the audience had no idea what was going on… Jim Morrison took a song that was already about death, birth, freedom, madness and a bunch of other words I can’t say on here plus, whatever else you can think of and put some relish on it. He screamed out a profanity-laced desire that would shock every generation thereafter who would hear the story or the song. and that’s not all. There are some insane stories that go with this epic 12-minute song… including how Morrison was fired for performing it and how he got buck-naked and hosed down a recording studio with a fire extinguisher. And there’s plenty more where that came from… It’s all coming up NEXT on the Professor of Rock. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The 80s gave us some of the most irresistible, inescapable songs ever put to tape. And today we're going all in on the neon decade, counting down my picks for the Top 8 catchiest 80s songs. These are the songs that you’re grateful when they get stuck in your head. On this episode, we have the story of Jonathan Cain, the broke and broken musician who lost his record deal, his girlfriend, and nearly his dog when it was hit by a speeding car. Desperate and ready to pack it in, he called home to his father to ask if he should give up on his music dreams. But his father’s 3 word response gave him the courage to keep going and became the title for the biggest rock song in history: Don't Stop Believin'. Plus, one of the most beloved music videos of all time almost never happened… Take On Me by a-ha. Two earlier versions of the song had already flopped, and almost no one on earth had heard them. But it turns out the third time is the charm… because the next release gave us one of the defining songs of the 80s and one of the greatest videos, but then decades later the band’s own video got blocked from YOUTUBE in the US by their old label. Plus, a song title that Tears For Fears stole from The Clash, and then when it became a hit, that singer from the ripped-off band only asked for 5 bucks for it. The stories are next on POR.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's run it back!

Coming up, an interview with one of the 80s great hitmakers. The most successful duo of the rock era, Daryl Hall and John Oates Everything they touched turned to Gold and Platinum. Here, John Oates tells the story of a number-one hit from the mid-80s that came at the crossroads of Analog and digital… Out of Touch, it was their final #1 hit after ruling the neon decade with 11 hits, and this one was one of their biggest and they almost gave it away. To put it all in perspective this song was actually a huge accident. Also on this same 1984 record, they had another hit where they spelled the chorus and if you were anything like me you were a little thrown by this… the story is next on Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… We took a little break from this show but due to popular demand, we’re back. We take the time machine back to the 70s in a year full of classics, where Neil Young, one of rock's most cantankerous icons, had serious back issues but altered his style to create his lone #1 single, Heart of Gold. Instead of celebrating the song’s success, Neil decided to defy commercialism and purposefully write music that wouldn’t chart. Then America was accused of intentionally imitating this same notorious curmudgeon’s song by critics and the artist alike. It got worse when their song, A Horse with No Name, replaced said song at #1. Then there’s Harry Nilsson, the former bank worker who argued with his producer about transforming Without You into one of the first power ballads. He tried to sabotage the song at every end but it still hit #1; Without You would end up being a curse when he lost his voice after singing it so many times. Plus, a story of Gilbert O’Sullivan, a 21-year-old kid who wrote one of the most introspective masterpieces ever that no one thought was a hit, after it became one of the best-selling singles of all time.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To me the definition of great hit song is one that is so catchy and undeniable that whenever it comes on you feel like your 20 feet tall and invincible. It’s a song that you are grateful when it get stuck in your head because it never gets old. Today we’re gonna celebrate the 7 catchiest songs of the 70s that are sonic masterworks… including the tale of a struggling songwriter who was surviving on food stamps. But when her phone rang out of nowhere and Earth, Wind and Fire's Maurice White asked her to co-write his next album… she was saved from the brink. And the hit song September they wrote together is a guaranteed bad mood killer. Then there’s The Hollies, who released their biggest US hit after their frontman had already quit. Sitting at home, he had to watch their song climb the charts while another singer performed his parts on tour. Would he get back with the band? And finally… right in the middle of tracking the all-time feel-good classic Come and Get Your Love, the studio door swung open, and the drummer’s wife walked in and served divorce papers while he was behind the kit. But he didn’t slow down or even miss a beat. Find out what happened next on Professor of Rock. Let’s get started.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The music industry has never had a shortage of shady handshake deals. What many have learned is to have a lawyer look over it and get it in writing. So many musicians were pushed out, had their royalties stolen, & screwed over every which way but loose... Today we have some of the biggest backstabbing stories in rock history. Including Supertramp co-founder Roger Hodgson, who walked away from his band with a gentleman's agreement. He had written a lot of hits, and his co-singer promised not to play his hit songs in exchange for the band name.… But then, when ticket sales plummeted, he reneged on the deal and toured under the name, played the hits, and then wouldn’t let the fans see a final reunion. Then there’s the Iron Maiden heavy guitarist who was fired from the band after his manager caught him listening to the Eagles on their tour bus. Plus the tragic story of Badfinger, a band of gifted songwriters who trusted the wrong guy. Too little too late they discovered their business manager had stolen all their money and bankrupted the band, and the damage was enough to end their lives… Victims of the biggest fraud in history. Let’s get into it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How Led Zeppelin threw this song away is beyond me. Next we break down a classic rock hidden gem Hey Hey What Can I Do which was the B side to the 45 of Immigrant song Written by the world’s biggest rock band Sadly, it never made it onto its intended album, Led Zeppelin 3 or any of the six that followed. And yet it has been hailed as a top-notch tune, living for decades as a holy grail rarity. A status reinforced by the fact that Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham never played it live. It’s a 70s hidden gem for the ages. One that was forgotten to almost everyone aside from avid record collectors and classic rock DJs. Would fans ever get their hands on this incredible track? Find out... NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I am heartbroken to hear the news about Bonnie Tyler’s passing. Bonnie died in a hospital in Portugal, where she was being treated for an illness, according to a statement, which was posted on her official social media channel. Bonnie was a force to be reckoned with, one of the distinct and emotional voices of the last 50 years. She will continue to blow the minds of listeners for the next 500 years with songs that are not only powerhouses of the last half century but standards of their times like Holding Out for a Hero, It’s a Heartache, and of course, the 80s classic Total Eclipse of the Heart. Today I wanted to share a show we did about 5 years ago, but we put in this one an uncut video of our story behind that perfect song. Rest In Peace, Bonnie. Thank you for the music.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I was thinking the other day, it’s hard to believe that the year 1986 was 40 Years ago. Talk about a Phenomenal year for music. There were so many classic Hits that a lot of them missed out on hitting #1, but they deserved to be. Today we are going to fix that, as we take the time machine back and put it right, with 10 songs that are #1 in our hearts. Including the making of the Dream Academy classic Life in a Northern Town, mentored by one of rock’s greatest lyricists, and produced by a guitar legend, yet passed over by dozens of record labels who wanted NO part of it. Plus the futuristic 1986 song Silent Running that describes our day to a tee but got banned years later because it was deemed too dangerous for us to hear. What were they hiding? Plus the perfect song that was, unsurprisingly, a 1 hit wonder because no band in history could’ve followed it up. It was just too perfect. And Danger Zone that was turned down by half a dozen legends, so the producer, in a panic, called a singer in who was working in a studio close by and he laid it down and it became his biggest hit. And to think it was co-written by a guy who fixed the producer's brakes on his car. And finally the greatest song of all time, Level 42's Something About You, at least in my humble opinion.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we cover a decade that produced some of the catchiest, most enduring songs ever recorded — tracks so deeply embedded in our psyches that you can hum them just by hearing their song titles… without even trying. We have a brand new show today about the most addictive songs ever. But these are the Songs we love having stuck in our head… and they have some incredible stories, including one legendary athlete who was so furious about being immortalized in Simon and Garfunkel's Mrs. Robinson, one of the biggest songs of the decade, that he wanted to sue the songwriters for dragging his name through the mud. Then there’s the struggling songwriter who wrote a song in just a few minutes asjoke to himself a chuckle… in fact when he finished recording the demo he felt on the floor laughing because it was so dumb… the song, Wild Thing, was a code word for Sex and he was certain it would never get played... instead it became one of the biggest songs ever and it made him 10 grand a day for years but he blew it all gambling in vegas. Plus, we have the forgotten The Association, a band that 6 hits in 2 years and were competing with the Beatles during this peak, but they vanished forever. Decades later, three of those 6 hits were amongst the most played songs in history and still are, but nobody under 50 really knows this band’s name or knows they sang these massive hits. Let’s do it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up, the story of the epic 70s rock track with so many dramatic subplots, it should’ve been made into a full feature bio-pic- like Bohemian Rhapsody or Walk the Line. Derek and the Dominos classic Layla The roots of Layla go back to the the writings of a romantic tragedy by a 12th century poet that was a foreshadowing to Romeo & Juliet. Hundreds of years later, an adaptation of his work found its way to an all-time legend…Eric Clapton... a man who stole his best friend George Harrison’s wife! and that’s just the start... of a song shrouded in murder, drug abuse, tragedy, and despair. The tangled web of one of the all-time greatest songs of the Rock Era is NEXT on Professor of Rock... and it’s a doozy.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we’re going back to the 70s for another helping of great TV theme songs. This time we’ve got some perfect themes that will take you back, including a gritty, action-packed cop show Starsky & Hutch, that was named as an “accessory to the crime” in a highly publicized court case… And because of public outcry, the show had to completely rework its theme song. In fact, the hit show changed its theme song every single season! Then on the other end of the spectrum, there’s a wholesome family sitcom, The Brady Bunch, with one of the most recognizable theme songs ever. But they had the cast sing it, and one of the main kids was so tone deaf they had to secretly MUTE his mic during the recording. He didn’t find out for decades. Plus, one of the actors on the show who was 15 at the time asked his 36-year-old TV mom out on a date. And she actually said yes… but you gotta hear the story. And then there’s the Saturday morning show Land of the Lost where they had to rewrite the theme song because the lead actor quit after a disagreement over a lunchbox. Let’s get started.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone talks about the Runner ups… The #2 hits the one that almost got to #1, but what about the #3s? Today we are doing something nobody does… Counting down the greatest #3 Hits in history. Including the legend of a cabin that sparked the iconic smash Love Shack, but was left in ashes by an arsonist. Then there's the haunting song Luka that many believed was about a made-up little boy, but decades after the song hit the top of the charts, the singer behind it revealed the devastating secret it was actually about her own years of abuse by her stepfather. Plus Dirty Laundry a song well before its time, giving the middle finger to the media…but was it inspired by a famous anchorwoman in the LA news media?…. And finally, the piercing journey of Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, a song born from poverty and sleepless nights—an out-of-work, down-and-out songwriter turning despair into a melody that refuses to fade. He had no money, no interest, and no place to live and he wrote it about his Wife’s Best friend who didn’t know of his feelings, but 5 years later he recorded the song in the middle of that marriage, and then a few years later the song finally came true… It’s all next on POR.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We All Love This Legend But He Wrote THE MOST IRRITATING Song of the 70s & Even He Admits It!

For many artists and bands the song that makes you famous is the one that you wish you had never written. Some artists spend decades dodging their biggest hits, cringing every time they hear them on the radio and refusing to play them in concert. Today, I’ve got another Fiver for you. For this episode, we’re counting down the Top 5 artists who hated their own songs and the strange stories behind them. First… Pete Townsend dashed off Pinball Wizard in a blind panic… as a straight-up bribe to win over a single newspaper critic. He later called it an embarrassment, even as it climbed to the top of the charts in his home country. There’s also the cryptic frontman, Michael Stipe, who was mortified by his band's bubbliest hit: Shiny Happy People. He turned down a deal to make it one of the biggest TV theme songs of all time… His hatred for the song cost him a fortune. And finally, we’ve got the story of a guitarist who passed on a songwriting credit for The Turtles' Happy Together... which would have set him up for life and his kids and their kids. But he refused the writing credit, all because he thought it sounded too simple. Let’s get into it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’ve got a special treat for you today. It’s an interview I released years ago but got taken down within a few hours over copyright claims… Well I worked it out and Now I can put it back up. Clive Davis helped bring it to life. It’s a happy singalong classic that everyone adores. Brandy (you're a Fine Girl) by Looking Glass from a singer songwriter who look and sounds like Dustin Hoffman. the song is about Girl that many have wondered if was based on a real person… Well it was such a popular song it made the girl’s name blast toward the top of the rankings of baby names for the next 5 years and as you’ll find out from the singer… it has great story first of all the song was too long for radio to play so he fudged the actual running time on the record he send to radio stations saying it was 2:55 when it was longer than that. Then it was merely an album track as part of a muti song acetate that sent to stations and the DJ played the A side but it floundered but the DJ was talked into hearing the other songs and he turned the record around and play the b side or album track and the phones lines lit up and practically overnight the song was a #1 smash. then he was called decades later by Filmmaker James Gunn who wanted to use the track in his big superhero movie Guardians of the Galaxy 2…today’s artist thought it would be cool to have a few seconds of his song in the film but was shocked when most of the song was used, multiple times and even became a plot point and made the song a smash all over again. Let’s get into it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alright, it’s been a long while since we covered one of these. Today, we’re coming back to a channel favorite: Female Hidden Gems! For this countdown, we’re highlighting some incredible songs sung by amazing female artists that have just gotten lost in the shuffle, and it’s time to dig ‘em up and add them to our playlists. Coming up, we’ve got the story of the Cowboy Junkies, a band so desperate to record their album in a historic church building that they invented a fake but wholesome band name and lied to church officials to get approval. They had to do a top-secret recording. Find out if it was worth it. Then there’s Brandi Carlile, who was stricken with laryngitis while recording her signature song. As she belted out the track’s climactic finish, her voice cracked under the strain… giving us one of the most “technically wrong but emotionally right” vocals ever. And finally, there’s the artist Anne Preven, who wrote a global chart-topper called Torn, but nobody knows who she is… because when she released her original version of the song, it flopped. But when another singer gave it a pop makeover, it became 1 of the biggest hits of its time, but I’m telling you… Nobody knows this song is a cover. Let’s do it. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coming up… It’s our final TIME IN BOTTLE COUNTDOWN for now. I’ve really enjoyed doing this series of songs that take us right back to the moment these song were on radio Today we are traveling back to a big year in the 70s with so many classic songs that will take you back including a song that was written after a member of a legendary band lost his beloved dog it was a sad song but it would end up causing a ruckus on the air when the most famous DJ in America flipped out in the middle of his famous show in a profanity laced rant when it was played during his most listened to segment.

There is also the famous 17-minute overtly sensual song that came from its iconic singer having multiple AHEM peaks while recording it. It was banned pretty much everywhere, but still hit #1. We also have a rock band that had 15 hits and influenced every band that came after, but they’ve been erased from history for no good reason, plus the song that one of the greatest songwriters of all time got from his 3 year old song. He wrote it as a joke, and it became his biggest hit… Let's do it. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's run it back!

The 80s classic hit In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins has arguably the most famous urban legend behind it in rock history. Told and retold thousands of times. Did Phil Collins of Genesis really witness a potential murder and then write about it to haunt the killer? Or is it a total farce? The story of a song that has become one of the biggest of its time only to stall outside of the top 10 back in the early 80s. we give it it’s due as a #1 in our hearts and find out the real story next.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.