music "Monster Mash" has weird background vocals about tennis shoes and nobody knows why David Pescovitz

music Paul McCartney tells the story of writing Eleanor Rigby David Pescovitz

music History of Prisencolinensinainciusol, the gibberish English song that charmed Italy and the world Thom Dunn

music Listen to the darker, original "Born in the USA" David Pescovitz

music The most self-obsessed rappers, according to their own lyrics Rob Beschizza

music Are pop lyrics getting more repetitive? (hint: yes) Andrea James

love songs John Lydon pens love song to his wife, who has Alzheimer's Jennifer Sandlin

lawsuits Rick Astley suing imitator for "theft of voice" Mark Frauenfelder

books Lumpen: the politically infused funk music band of the Black Panther Party Elías Villoro

politics Senators engage in a bipartisan attempt to go viral Jason Weisberger

America loves junk food Les Jones releases "Burger," an homage to /mocking of America Jennifer Sandlin

There is power in a union Billy Bragg joined striking nurses in England Jennifer Sandlin

Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris to headline 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival Jennifer Sandlin

music Take a look at the science behind J Cole's lyrics Devin Nealy

ghost stories Billy Bragg tells a ghost story Jennifer Sandlin

Possum by Night A live version of The Mountain Goats' Possum by Night, and an essay celebrating the song Jennifer Sandlin

music 1974 anti-fascist version of "Space Oddity" sung in Spanish by Hermanos Calatrava Elías Villoro

music 90s hip hop trio Digable Planets' "The Art of Easing" still out of this world Elías Villoro

christmas music Run-DMC's lesser-known holiday track 'Christmas Is' asks listeners to 'give up the dough' Rusty Blazenhoff

music Bunburying: to write in the style of Spanish lyricist Enrique Bunbury Elías Villoro