Ian Hardy
@ianinkblot
Author

Ian Hardy

Created Lyrically. At 52, Ian just became interested in music and went down a deep rabbit hole. He writes about the stories behind the song: the inspiration, the love, the heartbreak, the politics, the absurdity, and everything in between. Every Tuesday, a deep dive on one new song.

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Deep Dives

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Rock
throw gasoline on the fire
Bruce Springsteen  ·  Dancing in the Dark

Bruce Springsteen — Springsteen wrote it in 30 minutes on Valentine's Day 1984. The woman he pulled from the crowd was Courteney Cox. The real meaning e…

December 16, 2025  ·  23 min →
Reggae
don't worry is an instruction
Bob Marley & The Wailers  ·  17 min
Country
a message to the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical, bigot boss
Dolly Parton  ·  9 min
Pop
it was written from a male point of view
Madonna  ·  14 min
Alternative
this is not a love song
The Temper Trap  ·  7 min
throw gasoline on the fire
Bruce Springsteen  ·  Dancing in the Dark  ·  Rock  ·  23 min
December 16, 2025 →
don't worry is an instruction
Bob Marley & The Wailers  ·  Three Little Birds  ·  Reggae  ·  17 min
December 7, 2025 →
a message to the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical, bigot boss
Dolly Parton  ·  9 to 5  ·  Country  ·  9 min
November 28, 2025 →
it was written from a male point of view
Madonna  ·  Like a Virgin  ·  Pop  ·  14 min
November 21, 2025 →
this is not a love song
The Temper Trap  ·  Sweet Disposition  ·  Alternative  ·  7 min
November 12, 2025 →
his character took flight
Marvin Gaye  ·  What's Going On  ·  R&B  ·  11 min
November 10, 2025 →
Aretha had to spell it out
Aretha Franklin  ·  Respect  ·  R&B  ·  8 min
October 29, 2025 →
"It’s a song for children"
John Lennon  ·  Imagine  ·  Rock  ·  20 min
October 23, 2025 →
have more fun than your haters
Taylor Swift  ·  Shake It Off  ·  Pop  ·  9 min
October 16, 2025 →
two days of peace with the Crips and Bloods
Michael Jackson  ·  Beat It  ·  Pop  ·  10 min
October 9, 2025 →
a pretty neat philosophy in four words
Bobby McFerrin  ·  Don't Worry, Be Happy  ·  Pop  ·  10 min
October 7, 2025 →
Ric Ocasek listened to Maxanne Sartori
The Cars  ·  You Might Think  ·  Rock  ·  9 min
October 2, 2025 →
the modern version of Beethoven
Queen  ·  Bohemian Rhapsody  ·  Rock  ·  12 min
September 24, 2025 →
life is better when you live this way
Oasis  ·  Don't Look Back in Anger  ·  Rock  ·  9 min
September 19, 2025 →
the love triangle figured itself out
Elvis Presley  ·  Suspicious Minds  ·  Rock  ·  10 min
September 15, 2025 →
Wicked Game played a wicked game
Chris Isaak  ·  Wicked Game  ·  Rock  ·  8 min
September 4, 2025 →
i'm so tired of being here
Evanescence  ·  My Immortal  ·  Alternative  ·  12 min
August 25, 2025 →
the grandmother had it going on, and Stacy's mom
Fountains of Wayne  ·  Stacy's Mom  ·  Pop  ·  10 min
May 22, 2025 →
I know, I know, I know, day by day is the way
Bill Withers  ·  Ain't No Sunshine  ·  R&B  ·  10 min
May 20, 2025 →
now, how does it taste?
Don McLean  ·  American Pie  ·  Rock  ·  12 min
April 23, 2025 →
the details matter, so does patience
Guns N' Roses  ·  November Rain  ·  Rock  ·  10 min
April 17, 2025 →
Ventura Boulevard is where the free fallin' started
Tom Petty  ·  Free Fallin'  ·  Rock  ·  8 min
April 16, 2025 →
how the dream was born under a piano in 1951
Aerosmith  ·  Dream On  ·  Rock  ·  13 min
April 16, 2025 →
how Abel Tesfaye became a Starboy
The Weeknd  ·  Starboy  ·  R&B  ·  17 min
April 16, 2025 →
she did and wrote about it
Katy Perry  ·  I Kissed a Girl  ·  Pop  ·  13 min
April 2, 2025 →
Chris Martin transformed his scars into stars
Coldplay  ·  A Sky Full of Stars  ·  Pop  ·  7 min
March 30, 2025 →
living that fantasy
Lorde  ·  Royals  ·  Pop  ·  11 min
March 25, 2025 →
Eminem, Kanye and Mary J. Blige missed this shooting star
Rihanna  ·  Diamonds  ·  Pop  ·  17 min
March 24, 2025 →
it was a Ford Falcon
Steppenwolf  ·  Born to Be Wild  ·  Rock  ·  8 min
March 21, 2025 →
everyone should feel this way
Lynyrd Skynyrd  ·  Free Bird  ·  Rock  ·  14 min
March 20, 2025 →
the voice. the person.
Rick Astley  ·  Never Gonna Give You Up  ·  Pop  ·  13 min
March 20, 2025 →
Chrissy Amphlett made the act into a song
The Divinyls  ·  I Touch Myself  ·  Rock  ·  10 min
March 20, 2025 →
rebel against the machine
Elvis Costello  ·  Radio, Radio  ·  Rock  ·  13 min
March 19, 2025 →
how Stanley Kirk Burrell became untouchable
MC Hammer  ·  U Can't Touch This  ·  Hip-Hop  ·  14 min
March 18, 2025 →
their sunshine was not stolen
Len  ·  Steal My Sunshine  ·  Pop  ·  7 min
March 18, 2025 →
the burden of lending a hand
The Band  ·  The Weight  ·  Rock  ·  7 min
March 17, 2025 →
a great question to ask
The Clash  ·  Should I Stay or Should I Go  ·  Rock  ·  4 min
March 17, 2025 →
it's a culture
War  ·  Low Rider  ·  R&B  ·  5 min
March 16, 2025 →
a voice and choice are offered
The Beatles  ·  Revolution  ·  Rock  ·  6 min
March 14, 2025 →
the convergence of many
Wu-Tang Clan  ·  Method Man  ·  Hip-Hop  ·  6 min
March 12, 2025 →
the May Queen arrives halfway
Led Zeppelin  ·  Stairway to Heaven  ·  Rock  ·  6 min
March 11, 2025 →
"I wanted to be a song"
Sophie B. Hawkins  ·  Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover  ·  Pop  ·  6 min
March 10, 2025 →
the words on the wall came to life
Nirvana  ·  Smells Like Teen Spirit  ·  Alternative  ·  10 min
March 4, 2025 →
Britney's magnum opus
Britney Spears  ·  Work B**ch  ·  Pop  ·  4 min
March 4, 2025 →
the greatest song ever written survived rejection
Bob Dylan  ·  Like a Rolling Stone  ·  Rock  ·  24 min
March 1, 2025 →
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