Frances and Stephen were unlikely friends. For one thing, she was seventeen years his senior. Beyond the obvious difference in their ages, the two could not have been more different.
The Hymn Writer and the President
Listen to One of the Hardest Piano Pieces Ever Written
If you are looking for a piece of piano music that will test your skill and patience, you would be hard-pressed to find anything that compares to Opus Clavicembalisticum. Written by English […]
Prisencolinensinainciusol — The Nonsensical Hit Song that Sounds Like English to Non-English Speakers
Italian pop star Adriano Celentano wrote a song that rose to hit No. 1 on Italy’s music charts but wasn’t in Italian. It was inspired by English, but its words weren’t from […]
The Hopeless Tale of Lazy and Unruly Students
Harry and Francis were not cut out to be scholars. It’s not that they were stupid — far from it. They simply were not the type of students who fit within the […]
The Unlikely Origin of One of the Best-Loved Christmas Songs
It is almost impossible to imagine Christmas without thinking of all the songs that go with the day. There are enough holiday tunes to fill the season, and many are so beloved […]
Saddam Hussein Used ‘I Will Always Love You’ As His Campaign Theme Song
Political campaigns and popular music seem to go together. Whether it is “Happy Days Are Here Again” in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1932 campaign, John F. Kennedy’s use of “High Hopes” in 1960, […]
Why Is That Song Stuck In Your Head and What Can You Do About It?
You know the experience. You hear a song on the radio or remember a catchy tune and it enters into an endless loop in your head. Mentally, the song plays over and […]
Listen to the Song Written to Usher in the End of the World
In the movie Bill & Ted Face the Music, all of space and time is unraveling, but one song manages to correct the catastrophe and restore order. Alexander Scriabin was a composer […]
How Much Do You Know About Santa Claus?
One of the most recognized people in the world is that jolly, old elf, Santa Claus. Everything about him — his beard, hat, coat, belly, and even his distinctive laugh — immediately […]
Catalonian Children Celebrate Christmas By Bludgeoning a Pooping Piece of Tree
Christmas. The very word brings to mind countless images, such as the birth of Christ, religious traditions, family gatherings, gift exchanges, Christmas carols, tasty morsels, and poop. Wait… was that last word […]
Dreams So Powerful That They Shaped History
Scientists, philosophers, and theologians have long pondered and theorized about dreams. What are they? What causes them? What purpose do they serve? The debates about dreams continue, but one thing is certain: […]
The Secret Code That Was Hidden in a Pop Song
Many people find comfort in music. They find encouragement in the lyrics, or they allow the upbeat tempo of the music to lift their spirits. In one case, there was a message […]
Singing These National Anthems Will Leave You Speechless
Readers of Commonplace know about the world’s shortest national anthem, and the longest national anthem. When it comes to learning the official lyrics for national anthems, there are four countries that make […]
Worst Christmas Song Earns Big Money Each Year
Type the words “worst Christmas song ever” into any search engine, and you are guaranteed to see “Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney. Some critics have even gone so far as to label […]
Did This Singer’s Lyrics Predict His Abduction By Aliens?
In 1969, a musician named Jim Sullivan recorded an album called U.F.O., which featured strange lyrics about leaving his family and being abducted by aliens. Sullivan disappeared six years later without a […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 