“A Message to You Rudy” is familiar to me because of the cover by the Specials from 1979.

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Amazing cover of the cantina music from Star Wars

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The film scene:

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“Your True Love” is a 1957 Carl Perkins song.

“John Henry”, like some other old folk songs, was based on a real person.

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“We Shall Overcome” has gospel roots,

#ResistanceRootsToday in history, 1960: Folk musician Guy Carawan introduces “We Shall Overcome” to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in Raleigh, N.C., popularizing it as a civil rights protest anthem. The song has its roots in a gospel hymn that was adopted by striking workers. /1

— Shooti (@bambooshooti.bsky.social) 2025-04-15T18:01:08.844Z

I recently watched A.K.A. Doc Pomus about the songwriter who wrote the lyrics for “Save the Last Dance for Me” among many songs. Pomus had polio and needed crutches. The song was apparently based on his wedding. He couldn’t dance with his wife but she went home with him, not the guys she danced with.

“Lonely Avenue” was written by Doc Pomus and a hit for Ray Charles in 1956.

The best-known version of “Good Lovin'” is the Young Rascals 1965 cover.

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“Mr. Lee” was a 1957 record by the Bobbettes,

“Suspicion”, originally recorded by Elvis Presley, was a big hit for Tery Stafford in 1964. Check out the bizarre cover by Vivian Stanshall of the Bonzo Dog Band.