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Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Navigating The Influence Of Maps

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Discover the influence of 'Maps' from Yeah Yeah Yeahs debut album Fever to Tell.

'Maps' only took about five minutes to write

The song has inspired Beyoncé and beyond, but 'Maps' only took Karen O about five minutes to write.

I remember it was like a daydream making that song, it just happened so effortlessly and so incidentally.

Karen O

Speaking to 6 Music in 2019, she described the song writing process for 'Maps' - and how it came together naturally, with the flick of a switch.

"I'm endlessly curious about that song because it's just strange to me" Karen O told Matt Everitt, "It was one of the earliest songs that we wrote for the record. I remember it was like a daydream making that song, it just happened so kinda effortlessly and so incidentally.

"Like Nick just had this sample, just kinda playing in his room and I was in the hallway... I was walking past his door, I heard the sample and came in and I was like, 'What is that?' And then five minutes later I was singing basically the lyrics to it then it was there. It was like one of those songs that wrote itself in like five minutes."

The influence of 'Maps' is vast, and genre-spanning

'Maps' has left an indelible mark on the music industry.

Just that guitar that's like [hums guitar riff] all the way through the song, just phenomenal, the way it builds... Yeah, love it.

Adele

Indie artists love it, pop stars sample it, and Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig even tweeted a line from the chorus that would eventually lead to 'Maps' being interpolated on a Beyoncé track.

'Maps' has played a part in a number of pop hits. That instantly recognisable drumline and ringing guitar from the intro of the song was sampled on Black Eyed Peas' 'Meet Me Halfway'. Kelly Clarkson's hit-single 'Since U Been Gone' also took inspiration from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' track. After noticing the similarity of the latter, Karen O told Rolling Stone it was "like getting bitten by a poisonous varmint"

Eight years after 'Maps' was released, Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig tweeted a line from the chorus. A couple of years later while in the studio with Diplo, Ezra remembered this tweet and the two began work on a song which eventually led to the chorus of 'Maps' being used in Beyoncé's track 'Hold Up'.

Many celebrated artists have covered the song including The White Stripes, Anderson .Paak, and Macy Gray. Adele even chose it as one of her Desert Island Discs. The pop megastar told Lauren Laverne that 'Fever to Tell' was a "wild album, it was like chaos... And to have this tender moment blew me socks off,". As the iconic intro to 'Maps' began playing she went on to say "and just that guitar that's like [hums guitar] all the way through the whole song, just phenomenal, the way it builds, the way it just – yeah, love it."

Karen O's emotional performance in the song's music video was genuine

Widely regarded as one of the best alternative love songs of all time, 'Maps' hits hard - and it's enough to make anyone cry, including Karen O herself.

In fact, the tears she shed in the 'Maps' music video were 100% genuine. She told NME: "They were real tears. My boyfriend at the time was supposed to come to the shoot – he was three hours late and I was just about to leave for tour... I didn't think he was even going to come and this was the song that was written for him. He eventually showed up and I got myself in a real emotional state."

In the end, she didn't mind the raw emotion featuring in the video, and the end result was definitely worth it.

More Yeah Yeah Yeahs on 6 Music

Garbage Cancels 2024 Tour Dates As Shirley Manson Requires Surgery Following European Tour Injury

The Scottish and American rock band were due to play a number of festivals in the US and Mexico, but have now announced they will be cancelling all dates for the rest of the year

Garbage cancels 2024 tour dates as Shirley Manson requires surgery following European tour injury (

Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Garbage have just dropped the bombshell that they'll be scrapping the remainder of their 2024 tour dates due to an injury sustained by frontwoman Shirley Manson during their recent European leg.

Devastated fans received a heartfelt message from the group on social media, where they shared, "You know we would push through if we could."

Garbage left their followers with heavy hearts as they broke the news on Instagram, stating: "It is with great and sincere regret that we announce the cancellation of all of our remaining dates for the rest of the year, due to an injury that Shirley sustained on our recent tour in Europe that will require surgery and rehabilitation to correct."

The band expressed their apologies: "This is not a decision we have taken lightly and we apologise wholeheartedly to our amazing fans and supportive promoters." Despite the setback, Garbage sent out positive vibes, promising, "We look forward to playing for you all again in 2025. Sending so much love as always, stay kind."

Among the axed shows are headline spots at Mexico City's Festival Hera, Washington DC's HFCtival, and California's Ohana Festival where Devo is now set to fill their slot. Well-wishes for Manson's swift return to health have been pouring in since the announcement. Meanwhile, the specifics of the 57 year old singer's injury remain unknown; she last performed with the band at London's OVO Arena Wembley on July 20.

Fellow artists have been quick to send their support, with personal comments coming from yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner, ex-Cramps guitarist Kid Congo Powers, and Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill fame. Powers responded to the post, saying: "Health comes first, a must. Here's to a complete recovery."

Formed in 1994, Garbage consists of Scottish vocalist Manson and her American bandmates Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, and Steve Marker. They boast six UK top 10 singles and albums to their name. They've made waves with hits like 'Stupid Girl', 'Only Happy When It Rains', and the 1999 James Bond theme 'The World Is Not Enough'.

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5 Real-Life Rock Ballads About The Love Lives Of The Artists Who Wrote Them

Who doesn't love a good rock ballad? Even the most vapid of operatic rock love songs are still quite good songs in their own right. However, there's something so emotional and raw about a song that was written about the real-life love lives of the rock stars. Let's dive into five rock love ballads that are real-life reflections of the musicians who wrote them.

1. "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney

He's a master songwriter with a real gift for expressing the more complex of human emotions. "Maybe I'm Amazed" is a love song that McCartney wrote for his then-wife, Linda Eastman, in 1970. The pair were married and had three children together. They remained married until Eastman passed away from breast cancer in 1998.

[See Paul McCartney Live In Concert]

2. "Don't Speak" by No Doubt

A lot of ska-punk pop band No Doubt's music was written about their actual lives. One notable example is their hit track "Don't Speak" from the 1995 album Tragic Kingdom. The song was written by Gwen Stefani and was initially supposed to be your typical love song. However, after her relationship with No Doubt bassist and ex-boyfriend Tony Kanal fell apart after seven years together, she decided to revamp the track into a breakup song. You can hear the tragedy in Stefani's voice on this track; it's clear that the breakup really hit her hard.

3. "Songbird" by Oasis

"Songbird" was the very first Oasis song written (allegedly) by Liam Gallagher. Released in 2002 on Heathen Chemistry, "Songbird" is a love song about Gallagher's then-fiancee (then wife, then ex-wife) Nicole Appleton. It is a sweet love song, and even Liam's often critical brother Noel considered the hit single to be "the perfect song."

4. "Maps" by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The song "Maps" from The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' 2003 album Fever To Tell is quite a moving track. The subsequent music video is also pretty emotional. According to singer Karen O, the rock love ballad was based on her failed real-life relationship with Liars' lead singer Angus Andrew. Some fans even believe that the title "Maps" is an acronym for "My Angus, Please Stay", though that has never been confirmed.

"They were real tears," Karen O said of her role in the song's music video. "My boyfriend at the time was supposed to come to the shoot. He was three hours late and I was just about to leave for tour."

5. "Something" by The Beatles

Depending on which era of The Beatles you're listening to, much of their music was based on real-life experiences. One example of real-life emotions making their way into the Fab Four's music would be the 1969 song "Something" from Abbey Road. 

The song was written by George Harrison as a love song for his then-wife, Patti Boyd, whom he eventually divorced in 1977. The promotional video for "Something" actually features each of The Beatles' wives at the time, including Boyd.

Photo by Keystone/Getty Images

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