Classic-Tracks
Classic Track: The Cowsills’ “Hair”
Carl Reiner was pulling together a television special called "Wonderful World of Pizazz," which celebrated the hippie styling of the day, and wanted The...
Classic-Tracks
Classic-Tracks
Classic Track: Semisonic’s “Closing Time”
If it had not been for producer Steve Lillywhite, Semisonic’s "Feeling Strangely Fine" and its hit single “Closing Time” would never have seen the...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: The Replacements’ “I’ll Be You”
“I’ll Be You,” became The Replacements’ biggest hit.
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Steve Earle’s “Guitar Town”
In this month’s Classic Tracks we take a look at sessions for the entire album, which included not only the Top 10 title track,...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Supertramp’s “Give a Little Bit”
By Matt Hurwitz. Though he no longer recalls precisely where or when “Give a Little Bit” was written, Hodgson explains, “I’ve always known that...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Metallica’s “Master of Puppets”
"Master of Puppets," Metallica’s third album, was released in March 1986 as the band’s major-label debut. Five years into their careers, they were maturing...
2017
Classic Tracks: A Tribe Called Quest’s “Can I Kick It?”
Everyone’s favorite hip hop anthem was the third single released off A Tribe Called Quest’s debut album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, released on Jive...
2017
Classic Tracks: The Dead Milkmen’s “Punk Rock Girl”
“Punk Rock Girl,” is a tale of two musical cities—the Dead Milkmen’s hometown of Philadelphia and Austin, Texas, where producer Brian Beattie is based.
2017
Classic Tracks: Katrina & The Waves’ “Walking On Sunshine”
The now-classic 1980s take on a 60s soul stomper didn't find its groove (literally) until the drums were re-recorded and the track got a...
2017
Classic Tracks: Cheap Trick’s “At Budokan”
In August 1977, Cheap Trick had the lead review in Rolling Stone magazine—the same issue marking Elvis’s death—for their new album, In Color. Though a...
2017
Classic Tracks: Dolly Parton’s “Here You Come Again”
Armin Steiner can’t say enough good things about Dolly Parton.He had never worked with her before she came to L.A. to record this month’s...
2017
Classic Tracks: Camper Van Beethoven’s “Pictures of Matchstick Men”
Camper Van Beethoven formed in the founding members’ hometown of Redlands, Calif., but it was in their college days, at the University of California...
2017
Classic Tracks: Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way”
“Walk This Way” likely would not have come to be if Aerosmith hadn’t gotten itchy in the studio and decided to go to the...
2017
Classic Tracks: Mr. Mister’s “Kyrie”
The band decided to create "Kyrie" part by part, yet endeavor to make it sound live, keeping that objective throughout the entire process.
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Jennifer Warnes’ “Right Time Of The Night”
“Right Time of the Night,” released in 1976, was all about firsts. It was the first hit by songwriter Peter McCann. It was artist...
2016
Classic Tracks: Rockpile’s “Teacher Teacher”
Rockpile—Nick Lowe (lead vocals, bass), Dave Edmunds (lead vocals, guitar), Billy Bremner (backing vocals, guitar), and Terry Williams (drums)—had a classic track on their...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: James Taylor’s “How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You)”
Recording JT's version of the Motown hit
2016
Classic Tracks: The Emotions’ “Best of My Love”
If The Emotions’ hit single “Best of My Love” sounds like a female version of Earth, Wind & Fire, that’s because it almost is....
2016
Classic Tracks: The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “An American Dream”
The story behind “An American Dream," which put the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band back on pop radio after 10 years, was nothing less than...
2016
Classic Tracks: Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself”
The completed track was seven and a half minutes long, with a piano interlude that changed keys four times...how to cut it for radio?
2016
Classic Tracks: k.d. lang’s “Trail of Broken Hearts”
Greg Penny and k.d. lang originally bonded over an Indian lunch. Producer/engineer Penny and his engineering colleague Joe Seta had signed on for some...
2016
Classic Tracks: Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”
When stars align and the right producer hears an artist, gets excited and shares a vision—even helps shape that vision—magic is often the result....
2016
Classic Tracks: Journey’s “Open Arms”
VH-1 named it the greatest power ballad of all time, and even though it only went to Number 2 on the Billboard charts in...
2016
Classic Tracks: REO Speedwagon’s “Roll With the Changes”
“Roll With the Changes” continues to be an REO Speedwagon fan favorite and a Midwestern mainstay—here's how it came into existence.
2016
Classic Tracks: Elton John’s “Honky Cat”
“Honky Cat” proved that John’s decision to record with his live band—bassist Dee Murray, drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone—was a good one.
2016
Classic Tracks: Elvis Costello’s “Veronica”
“We said, ‘Let’s do everything we can to make it undeniably great and infectious’; every decision was made to maximize that impact."
2015
Classic Tracks: Herb Alpert’s “Rise”
This is the story of a song that grew from the notion of Herb Alpert cutting his own disco record, but ended up being...
2015
Classic Tracks: Mary Hopkin’s “Those Were the Days”
Who could possibly predict that a five-minute recording of a Russian romance song composed in the early 1900s with English lyrics written in the...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Christopher Cross’s “Ride Like the Wind”
“Ride Like the Wind,” and Christopher Cross’s Grammy history-making debut album, might not have happened if Cross hadn’t discovered in time that Michael Omartian...
2015
Classic Tracks: Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy”
By the time 1974 rolled around, it had been five years since Glen Campbell had had a hit....
2015
Classic Tracks: Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Junior’s Farm”
Mix’s May 2015 issue included a feature story on the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum exhibit titled “Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville...
2015
Classic Tracks: Faith No More’s “Epic”
In early 1989, Matt Wallace almost quit being an engineer/producer. Nearly in tears, he called his mom to ask how to get into real...
2015
Classic Tracks: The Zombies’ “She’s Not There”
If one of the defining characteristics of a Classic Track is its immediate recognition, then The Zombies’ “She’s Not There” is as classic as...
2015
Classic Tracks: The Young Rascals’ “Groovin’”
“You’re creating a place for that song to exist,” Cavaliere says. “I mentioned that to Paul McCartney when I saw him after that and...
2015
Classic Tracks: The Dave Clark Five’s “Glad All Over”
"If we went through three takes and didn’t get it, we would just stop and go down to the pub for a beer, and...
2015
Classic Tracks: Smokey Robinson’s “Being With You”
“It was probably around 4 o’clock in the afternoon on a Friday when George talked Smokey into recording the song.”
2015
Classic Tracks: Tom Waits’ “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up”
“That’s a song that you can sing in the car. Those are the best ones. They come fast."
2014
Classic Tracks: LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue”
The story of the recording of “Blue” by LeAnn Rimes is one with many twists and turns, and has now become part of country...
2014
Classic Tracks: The Ramones’ “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School”
"We borrowed Joan Jett’s Les Paul for power chords."
2014
Classic Track: “You’re No Good,” Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt, producer Peter Asher, engineer Val Garay, session player Paul Stallworth and more recall the rollercoaster process of recording her trademark hit.
2014
Classic Tracks: “I Scare Myself,” Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks
One of the most interesting and engaging groups to burst onto the pop music scene in the early 1970s was a San Francisco Bay...