Mental Floss

MUSIC HISTORY

Vice President Charles Dawes.

Long before he was Calvin Coolidge’s vice president, Charles Dawes wrote an instrumental piece called “Melody in A Major” that later became a #1 hit.

Stacy Conradt
Leonard Cohen, Chelsea Hotel, Phoebe Bridgers.

From Leonard Cohen’s “Chelsea Hotel #2” to Jesse Jo Stark’s “Chelsea Hotel,” these songs capture the mythos of the inimitable Hotel Chelsea.

Ellen Gutoskey






Chris Kelly and Chris Smith of Kris Kross.

Featuring rappers Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith, Kris Kross rose to international fame with their infectious 1992 debut single, “Jump.” The duo rocked mega-baggy jeans, baseball caps, and oversized sports jerseys—all worn backward.

Kenneth Partridge


Smokey Robinson, Dolly Parton, and Bruce Springsteen.

You’ve hummed along to them in the car, belted them out in the shower, and performed them on karaoke night. But do you really know what the lyrics to even some of your favorite songs are talking about?

Jennifer M Wood, Ellen Gutoskey


Taylor Swift is just the latest in a long line of musicians who like to employ a “fade-out,” where the song gets gradually quieter in the closing seconds.

Kenneth Partridge














Despite what you might have heard (or seen on the big screen), famed composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart probably wasn’t poisoned by Antonio Salieri—but he did spend time with a young Marie Antoinette and keep a starling as a pet.

Ailsa Ross
Those Illuminati rumors still haven't gone away, HOV ...

Whether it's about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce or Jay-Z’s part in the Illuminati, these music conspiracy theories are good for a laugh—and maybe a deep-dive on Reddit (or two).

Rudie Obias