Matthew Trzcinski

Music

The Beatles: Paul McCartney’s Dad Wanted Him to Change the Lyrics to ‘She Loves You’

Paul McCartney's father, James McCartney, appreciated The Beatles' music but "She Loves You" was too American because it used the word "yeah." John Lennon and Paul didn't change the lyrics and the song was a huge hit. A fan performance of the song moved Paul.

Music

Elvis Presley Sang a Song to Tom Jones While His Pants Were Down and Jones Was Naked

Elvis Presley wanted Tom Jones to record a song. He sang the song in the bathroom while Jones was showering. Elvis couldn't get his pants up and had to have his bodyguard help him.

Music

Elvis Presley: What Happened When He Sang 1 of Tom Jones’ Songs to Him

Tom Jones met Elvis Presley on the set of 'Paradise, Hawaiian Style.' Elvis sang Jones' "With These Hands" to him. Jones was shocked. "With These Hands" was a hit.

Music

The Notorious B.I.G.: Why Prince Declined to Make a Song With Him

Prince didn't want to record a song for The Notorious B.I.G.'s album 'Life After Death' because of the controversy surrounding the portrayal of women in hip-hop at the time. 'Life After Death' was more successful than Prince's 'Emancipation.'

Celebrity

Linda Ronstadt: The Story of Her Controversial Lingerie Photos in ‘Rolling Stone’

Annie Leibovitz photographed Linda Ronstadt wearing red lingerie for Rolling Stone. Ronstadt said she didn't want the photos published but Leibovitz contests this. Ronstadt chose to embrace a less sexy image afterward.

Music

Elvis Presley: Why It’s Hard to Hear Johnny Cash’s Voice on the Songs From Their Jam Session

Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis performed songs together only once. Cash stood away from the microphone, so it's difficult to hear his vocals. Cash, Perkins, and Lewis released collaborative albums.

Music

The Beatles Didn’t Have the Biggest Hit Song of the 1960s in the U.S.

"Hey Jude" was The Beatles' most successful song in the United States. In the U.S., it wasn't as popular as another 1960s hit: Chubby Checker's "The Twist." Checker's mother had a dream where an angel told her that her son would be a famous singer.

Music

Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man’: How Frank Sinatra Inspired William Shatner’s Bizarre Cover

William Shatner performed a version of Elton John's "Rocket Man" where he played Frank Sinatra, Captain James T. Kirk, and a rock singer. John's "Rocket Man" was a hit, whereas Shatner's cover was not.

Music

How Elvis Presley’s Daughter Reacted to Miley Cyrus Twerking and Singing ‘We Can’t Stop’

Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, said her daughter, Riley Keough, doesn't behave in controversial ways. Lisa Marie didn't understand Miley Cyrus' performance of "Blurred Lines" and "We Can't Stop" at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. "We Can't Stop" was a hit.

Music

The Beatles: Why Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain Preferred John Lennon to Paul McCartney

Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was a Beatles fan. He felt John Lennon was relatable while Paul McCartney was embarrassing. Cobain said John's life was like a prison. Cobain covered The Beatles' "And I Love Her."

Music

Elvis Presley: The Songs From His Jam Session With Johnny Cash Were Lost for Decades

Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash performed songs together during a jam session. A reporter called them the Million Dollar Quartet." Their jam session wasn't released until the 1980s.

Music

The Beatles’ ‘Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds’: Paul McCartney Felt William Shatner Was High When He Covered It

William Shatner combined The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" with a spoken-word piece called "Spleen." Paul McCartney loved this rendition, which was not a hit.

Movies

Matt Damon Could ‘Probably’ Quote Every Line of This Movie When He Was in College

Matt Damon loves the classic Robert De Niro movie 'Midnight Run.' He was "probably" able to quote it from memory when he was in college. The film inspired 'Good Will Hunting.' Midnight Run' lost a Golden Globe to 'Working Girl.'

Music

Kiss’ Gene Simmons Slammed the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for Snubbing These Bands

Kiss' Gene Simmons wants Iron Maiden and Rage Against the Machine to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello inducted Kiss into the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame's president and CEO, Greg Harris, explained why Iron Maiden hadn't been inducted.

Music

The Beatles’ ‘Ticket to Ride’: How the Carpenters’ Cover ‘Foreshadowed’ ‘(They Long to Be) Close to You’

The Carpenters' Richard Carpenter felt The Beatles' upbeat songs could easily be transformed into ballads. The Carpenters turned "Ticket to Ride" into a ballad. Their version wasn't as successful as the original.

Movies

Matt Damon Revealed This Steven Spielberg Movie Is His Favorite

Matt Damon cited Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws' as one of his five favorite movies. He said Spielberg did a great job shooting the film on a boat. Damon worked with Spielberg on the movie 'Saving Private Ryan.'

Celebrity

Linda Ronstadt Once Thought Her Pet Cow May Have Contributed to Her Health Issues

Linda Ronstadt's pet cow gave her a tick. She thought the tick gave her Parkinson's disease. She doesn't actually have Parkinson's disease. Rather, she has progressive supranuclear palsy.

Music

Bon Jovi’s ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’ Is an Intentional Rewrite of Another 1980s Song

Desmond Child wrote Bonnie Tyler's "If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)." He reused the melody for Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name." Ava Max used the same melody in "Kings & Queens."

Music

Dolly Parton Once Made an Album of Love Songs Inspired by Her Husband

Dolly Parton drew from her relationship with her husband, Carl Dean, to write an album of love songs called 'Pure & Simple." She made 'Pure & Simple' quickly. The album was a modest hit.

Music

Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’: How Mariah Carey’s Success Convinced Dave Grohl the Album Wouldn’t Sell That Well

Dave Grohl was convinced Nirvana's 'Nevermind' wouldn't sell particularly well because of the popularity of acts like Mariah Carey and Bon Jovi that sounded so different from Nirvana. Nirvana was surprised at the success of 'Nevermind,' which was critically acclaimed.