Classic Tracks
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.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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: 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: 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....
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...
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?
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.
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.
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."
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...
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...
Classic Tracks: Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good”
Linda Ronstadt, producer Peter Asher, engineer Val Garay, session player Paul Stallworth and more recall the rollercoaster process of recording her trademark hit.
Classic Tracks: Big Star’s “September Gurls”
Big Star never had anything close to a hit record, yet here we are writing about them in Classic Tracks. Why?
Classic Tracks: “My Life,” Billy Joel
'The Stranger' was Billy Joel's breakthrough album, but it was the follow-up, '52nd Street,' which kicks off with "My Life" that cemented his...
Classic Tracks: Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl”
Whether you label it power-pop, rock or AOR, Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl" is a classic mix of a memorable hook, taut storytelling and producer...
Classic Tracks: INXS’s “Need You Tonight”
With "Need You Tonight," INXS wrote a hit, and had the help of an all-star production team with Chris Thomas and Bob Clearmountain to...
Classic Tracks: Bill Withers, “Ain’t No Sunshine”
Bill Withers said that “Ain’t No Sunshine,” was inspired the toxic relationship of an alcoholic couple—an unlikely source for such a loving song, but...
Classic Tracks: The B-52s, “Love Shack”
“Love Shack,” The B-52s’ campy, happy dance song from their 1989 album Cosmic Thing has become the alternative, tongue-in-cheek equivalent of Kool & The...
Classic Tracks: George Harrison’s “Got My Mind Set on You”
The last solo single by a Beatle to top the charts, George Harrison's "Got My Mind Set On You" was an anomaly in that...
Classic Tracks: Bonnie Raitt’s “Thing Called Love”
The late, great engineer Ed Cherney discusses the recording of Bonnie Raitt’s rambunctious, John Hiatt-penned commercial breakthrough, “Thing Called Love.”
Classic Tracks: Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World”
A staple of Neil Young's live sets since 1989, "Rockin' in the Free World" remains as relevant as ever, simultaneously doling out catharsis and...
Classic Tracks: Bruddah Iz’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World”
His full name was Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, but almost everyone called him “Iz” or “Bruddah Iz” (“Bruddah” being pidgin for “Brother”). A gentle giant who...
Classic Tracks: John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Watching the Wheels”
John Lennon's top-10 hit, “Watching the Wheels,” was among producer Jack Douglas' favorite songs on 'Double Fantasy.'
Classic Tracks: The Smiths’ “What Difference Does It Make?”
The Smiths made quite an impression when their first album was released in 1984, bringing great guitars back to the synth-drenched New Wave era.
Classic Tracks: Bobby McFerrin “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
While largely seen as a novelty hit, "Don't Worry Be Happy" was an undeniable smash, eventually winning Grammys for Song of the Year, Record...
Classic Tracks: The Pretenders’ “Don’t Get Me Wrong”
Recording The Pretenders' second post-classic-lineup album took multiple studios in multiple countries, but Bob Clearmountain and Bruce Lampcov captured the collection's biggest hit in...
Classic Tracks: Patti Smith’s “Gloria”
It's one of the most haunting openings of any debut album. Soft, almost mournful piano and bass set up a slow rhythmic foundation. Then...
Classic Tracks: Talking Heads’ “Road to Nowhere”
Written in the same creative cycle as songs for 'True Stories,' "Road To Nowhere" marked a return to Americana for the group
Classic Tracks: Blue Oyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”
Blue Oyster Cult talks about recording "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," keeping the vibe of the original demo...and that SNL "More Cowbell" skit.
Classic Tracks: Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side”
Engineer Ken Scott talks in detail about the recording of Lou Reed’s 1973 hit “Walk on the Wild Side”
Classic Tracks: Classics IV’s “Traces”
Cover-band mates cum pop stars: As old as rock itself, this dream, born from endless hours spent woodshedding hits of the day, can come...
Classic Tracks: Tommy James & The Shondells’ “I Think We’re Alone Now”
The Tommy James classic came just in time for the singer, who needed to follow-up a fluke hit as fast as possible.
Classic Tracks: Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana”
The tale of Lola the showgirl may be tragic, but it's also a disco classic; here's how the dark and the light were mixed...
Classic Tracks: Bow Wow Wow’s “I Want Candy”
Bow Wow Wow's cover of "I Want Candy" centers around the Burundi Beat and explosive bass, but the secret ingredient behind its guitar...
Classic Tracks: Sinéad O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Sinéad O’Connor took a forgotten album track by The Family—that just happened to be written by Prince—and turned it into one of the biggest...
Classic Tracks: John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Pink Houses”
Early one summer morning in 1983, a 32-year-old John Mellencamp, dba John Cougar, drove himself home to Bloomington, Ind., from the Indianapolis airport.