FROM THE VAULT: How Creedence Clearwater Revival Dominated Then Disappeared: The Story of "Have You Ever Seen the Rain"
Sibling rivalry, band-member infighting, and an ongoing wrestle for creative control all led to the break up of today’s featured band. Creedence Clearwater Revival... Theirs was a bottled lightning career, but they were no one hit-wonder. In fact, they kicked out 9 Top 10 hits in the space of two years… John Fogerty and his band never landed a #1, but they did have a record 5 #2 hits. Today’s song was certainly worthy of a #1. It is a true standard of the rock canon. It was also prophetic… predicting the collapse of this illustrious band. Have You Ever Seen the Rain predicted what was about to happen. But only Fogerty knew what it meant. The rest of the guys had no idea. Find out how one of the biggest bands in the world went from clear blue skies to pouring rain almost overnight and then they were gone forever… Enjoy this classic, 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.
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Songs You Know, Stories You Don’t: The Wild Truth Behind 4 Classic Hits
Coming up…Some massive hits with unbelievable stories, including the story of Elvis, who had to record a cheesy middle section in “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” that was so bad he had to do two dozen takes because he would burst out in laughter. The song went on to become a #1 smash. As well as the song I'm Sorry that was delivered by Brenda Lee, a remarkably mature 15-year-old who many scorned because they didn’t think a teenager should tackle such mature subject matter. Then there’s the #1 hit “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini” that a man claimed to have written for decades, it got him free drinks and fame, and the New York Times even said he wrote it in his obituary until the truth came out. He had just made the whole thing up. and finally a strange novelty song “Alley Oop” that was written in 10 minutes, that was recorded on the fly by random people hanging around the studio, including the Janitor. It’s a countdown you don’t want to miss 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.
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Hold Me Now: How a Breakup Sparked the Thompson Twins’ Most Iconic Song
The Thompson Twins, an up-and-coming band, were trying to finish their second album and needed one more song to fill it out. They had a tight deadline and were running out of time. So that night, frontman Tom Bailey wrote one in a jiffy called Hold Me Now. He knew it was filler, but he could tack it on the end of the album and their record would finally be finished. Hold Me Now ended up being a #1 smash, and it turned the band inside out. It actually ended up changing their musical direction as they put their guitars in storage and embraced synthesizers. This set them on the course to dominate America as one of the best hitmakers of the 80s. Their biggest was born out of real-life heartbreak. The bandmates who became lovers had just gone through a painful breakup. Writing “today’s song together became a form of therapy, turning their raw emotions into one of the most powerful pop ballads of the ’80s, and they did it in real time as they were talking out the problem and happened to record it in the process. We have one of them here 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.
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How an ’80s Candy Jingle Accidentally Became a Cultural Phenomenon
Get ready for a good one. Today, we’re telling the wildest stories behind the television tunes that ruled the 80s. The ones that played in between your favorite shows. They’re those quick bite-sized hits that were permanently burned into your brain, and you’ll know them when you hear them. It’s nostalgia overload. You may know them even more than the biggest hit songs of the time. So one was a throwaway song, intentionally written to fail… but it sold so much candy, the company had to build an extra factory just to keep up with the demand. Then there were those coffee commercials with a wholesome morning tune… but later that same song was used in an infamous ad about a brother and sister with way too much chemistry. Or how about the song from a cola shoot where a megastar’s hair caught on fire. And then there was the catchy song that came from a guy accidentally stuttering the product name cuz he was drunk, and it became legendary… If you lived through the 80s, you’re gonna love this one. The best bite-sized hit of the neon decade, 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.
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Revisiting the Top 10 of 1983: Def Leppard, The Police, Bonnie Tyler & More
Coming up, it’s the latest edition of our Series, The Hit Song Redux. We haven’t done one of these in a while! It’s the show where we go behind the Top 10 songs from a great week in the rock era, which, for this week, we choose 42 years ago in 1983. But counting them down isn’t enough. After we reach #1, we re-rank them according to all-time streams and views… to see what the real #1 hit is. Today we’ve got a massive lineup in store, with some of the most iconic tracks the 80s have to offer. But who will claim the top spot? Could it be The Police, a Jim Steinman special, maybe Def Leppard or ZZ Top or Bonnie Tyler, or even maybe a one-hit wonder, or the big movie soundtrack hit of that moment, or the 95-year-old senior citizen who had a #1 hit in the middle of new wave and hard rock? Stick around to find out and make your guess in the comments. It’s all happening… 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 ultimate rock music history podcast for fans of the greatest era of music. If you’ve ever wondered about the true stories behind your favorite songs, or wanted to hear directly from the legends who made them, Professor of Rock is your new go-to podcast. Hosted by music historian and superfan Adam Reader, this show brings the golden era of music back to life with exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and deep dives into the songs that shaped our lives. This podcast uncovers how timeless tracks were made, the creative breakthroughs, the near-breakups, and the powerful moments that defined music history. Each episode is a masterclass in rock culture and nostalgia—whether it's a chart-topping ‘80s anthem, a one-hit wonder with a wild backstory, or a candid conversation with the legends themselves. Hear the Stories. Relive the Music. Only on Professor of Rock.
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