No American song has been so thoroughly misheard by so many people, and no misunderstanding has been so revealing. When “Born in the U.S.A.” exploded out of the speakers inContinue readingThe Meaning of “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen

Some songs arrive with a drumroll and some arrive with a hush, and “Vienna” belongs to the second kind: a piano ballad tucked into the second half of The Stranger,Continue readingThe Meaning of “Vienna” by Billy Joel

Here’s the thing about Billy Idol: everybody thinks they know him. The sneer, the bleached spikes, the fist pumped like a punk Elvis who got lost on the way toContinue readingThe Meaning of “Eyes Without a Face” by Billy Idol