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

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

December 16, 2025  ·  22 min →
Reggae
you watch the corn grow
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  ·  22 min
December 16, 2025 →
you watch the corn grow
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  ·  7 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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