Jim Beviglia

The title of the song is "True Love Waits," so the concept of patience is sort of baked right into it. Radiohead certainly took that to the extreme, as they finally gave this lovely ballad its definitive recorded version more than 20 years after if it was first written. What's the song about? And why did it take the band so long before it finally decided to give it a proper release on a studio album? Here's the story of "True Love Waits," which went from one of Radiohead's most coveted cutting-room floor tracks to a haunting album-closer.

It's always fascinating to think hypothetically of the paths that musical careers might have taken if not for pivotal turning points. For example, would Billy Joel hold the same esteemed place within the singer/songwriter genre if it hadn't been for The Stranger , the 1977 album that turned him into a household name.

Well, they pretty much had the same color hair. But aside from that, the three men who comprised The Police couldn't have been more different. It's perhaps no surprise then that theirs was a volatile band history, one that almost ensured they wouldn't last all that long. But the interpersonal separation didn't stop them from possessing incredible musical chemistry. That's especially true on these five songs, which are the biggest chart hits The Police managed in the United States.

Forced to leave their own country because of tax issues, The Rolling Stones decamped to Keith Richards' French villa, where they set up shop in a dank basement to record their album scheduled for a 1972 release. Exile on Main St., a double album influenced by the debauchery of the scenario and chaos of the recording process, yet rife with heart and soul, was the masterful result. There are 18 songs from which to choose, none of which are unworthy of praise. But we've narrowed down this double album to the five choicest cuts.

Tom Petty believed wholeheartedly in the power of the formative music he grew up listening to as a kid. That meant that he collected a ton of 45s, but he also picked up the albums of the acts he loved. When he became an artist in his own right, he constructed his albums with the utmost care so his fans could enjoy the same kind of impactful experience. That meant always trying to make sure the second sides of his LPs came loaded with a killer song right off the bat. Let's look at the five best songs from Petty's catalog that sat in the position of side two, track one.

You can go on all day talking about the various reasons why the music of The Beatles is so special. Some of it can just be credited to fate. For example, there was just something magical about the vocal blend of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, something that occurred naturally when the two men sang together.

As if they weren't iconic enough as individuals, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson formed a group in 1985. It was almost like a myth come to life, these four country music legends combining their talents and setting aside their egos.

The Eagles endured one of the most acrimonious breakups of any popular band, one so bad they couldn't possibly imagine a time when a reunion would be forthcoming. But time has a way of healing all wounds, especially when accompanies by lots of cash from record companies and promoters.

Needing the name of a prototypical winner, Steely Dan ‘s Donald Fagen and Walter Becker went to the world of college football. When they needed to contrast that, they borrowed the name of a famous pro football player.

“Just Like a Woman,” which was first released on the 1966 masterpiece double album Blonde on Blonde , has proven to be one of Bob Dylan's most enduring ballads. The country-tinged arrangement and the lilting melody were home to both a telling character sketch and a heartsick lament.