Songs of true stories that happened to the songwriter(s)

 Ok, I cheated. I had this one written down back in the day of this thread and didn't post it before.

 One Toke Over the Line - Brewer & Shipley (70) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNKL9onYB_8 

 Ok, we know what it means. It came about just like you think it would. The statement was said and the rest is history. When it was released some radio stations wouldn't play it due to the drug reference. Some did play it, they didn't care or didn't get it.

 Gail Farrell and Dick Dale of the Lawrence Welk Show performed it on the show. When the performance was over, Welk said "There you've heard a modern spiritual by Gail and Dale."

  That video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKslYBMycHM&list=RDeKslYBMycHM&start_radio=1 

 When I decided to post this, I checked the videos to make sure there were still available. (The Welk one wasn't, so I found another) Then I happend to find a video of Brewer & Shipley from 2018.

Here is that video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdpSfYrUfxA&list=RDPdpSfYrUfxA&start_radio=1 

Coal Miner's Daughter: Loretta Lynn

Maggie May: Rod Stewart   (A reminiscence: a young student and an older woman).

Same Old Lang Syne. Dan Fogelberg.

Renegade - Steppenwolf

In his autobiography, John Kay tells the story of how his mother escaped with him, first from Prussia, then later from East to West Germany. He was just a small boy, about age 5. The men helping them cross into West Germany were worried that the little boy might get frightened and start to cry, giving away their position. He remembers being told to be very quiet, to keep his head down, and to run as fast as he can when he gets through the fence or men with guns might shoot them down. He did exactly as he was told. He remembers hearing gun shots, and never knew what happened to the men who helped them escape.

Blackout - Scorpions

Scorpions drummer (1977-1995), Herman Rarebell, tells a story about the band being on tour in America, 1980, with a couple of other bands. In the evenings, they would get together at the hotel bar. Some tended to party a little more than others, and in this case, it was into the wee hours of the morning. Scorps’ band leader and primary composer, Rudolf Schenker was one of them on this occasion. Herman, a big time party guy by his own admission, found Rudolf wandering around the hotel parking lot around 4 am. Rudolf didn’t know where he was. Earlier, being quite drunk, he had bashed in a tv set in the hotel bar, and they had thrown him out. He had also wandered into a nearby grocery store, but had no recollection of it. The Chicago police had been called about him. Herman’s English was pretty good having lived in England a few years, He spoke with police and assured them that he would see Rudolf back to his room. The next day, Rudolf asked Herman what happened. He told him, “you had a blackout.”  Later, they sat down and wrote the song Blackout, which became a big hit for the group in 1982 from their album of the same name.

"I'm Just a Singer in a Rock n Roll Band" - Moody Blues

"About how people can think musicians and their songs are more than they seem. One fan held up a sign many days before one of their concerts, that the Moody Blues would save the world. The day after the concert, they were leaving the hotel and the man shouted that they were fakes cause nothing changed. John Lodge shouted back that he was just a singer in a rock and roll band and wrote the song later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_J-hmyAS6c  

Love this song.

"Please Be Happy" - Tears For Fears - 2022 

Roland Orzabal married Caroline Johnston in 1982. Sometime in the 2010's she was diagnosed with alcohol-related dementia. He took care of her until her death in 2017. During her illness, he wrote this song and others. They are on the new album "The Tipping Point". After her death, he suffered with his own health problems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kINUsOD1rk0 

Wind Of Change - Scorpions 

Klaus Meine wrote this song in 1989 when Scorpions played at the Moscow Music Peace Festival. The bands were given boat ride on the Moscva River, traveling with fans, press, and Red Guard soldiers. Everyone was having fun, talking, laughing, even the soldiers.

He wrote the song over the next two days. By the the time the song was published in 1991, the Soviet Union had collapsed along with the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall. The single sold an estimated 14 million copies world wide, making it one of the best selling singles of all time, and the Scorpions biggest hit. 

Sadly, in light of recent events, the band felt they could no longer play the song that Meine said “romanticized Russia.”  So for this years’ tour, he wrote a new set of lyrics as a song of peace for Ukraine.

The new lyrics are not as well developed as the old ones, but Klaus writes and sings from the heart. Perhaps, one day, he will be able to write new lyrics as a peace anthem for the world. Lord knows, we need one.

Link to article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/31/scorpions-say-they-changed-wind-of-change-lyrics-as-they-romanticised-russia

Link to new song: https://youtu.be/XZKDON-M3-Q

"Run-Around" - Blues Traveler - 94

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ousaiByU1ko 

About John Popper having a crush on their at-the-time bass player Felicia Lewis and her not returning his feelings. She went on to become a doctor and Bobby Sheehan took over bass.
The video is interesting, beside a great song. John Popper stands behind a curtain and sings while another guy is on stage mouthing the words. John did this to show how stereotypical looks instead of talent can work in the entertainment industry. ( real life too 🐱 )