1

"Hound Dog" , Elvis Presley

Elvis made this song his signature, and it's hard to imagine it belonging to anyone else. But "Hound Dog" was written in 1952 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and was first recorded by Big Mama Thornton, a blues singer from Alabama. Her version was a raw, powerful blues track, and it was a genuine hit.

Elvis recorded his version in 1956 and turned it into something faster, rockabilly, electrifying . For anyone who grew up in the '50s or '60s, it probably takes you right back to a specific moment: a sock hop, a drive-in, a transistor radio on a summer night. It carries a kind of pure rock-and-roll energy: rebellious, playful, unstoppable.

2

"Livin' on a Prayer" , Bon Jovi

Pumping fists, packed arenas, everyone screaming "Whooooa, we're halfway there!", it's the kind of energy that doesn't age. Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora wrote it together in 1986, along with songwriter Desmond Child , pulling inspiration from the working-class New Jersey world around them.

The song hit number one in the U.S. and became an anthem for anyone who's ever had to scrape by and stay hopeful. It brings out something almost joyful in people: this defiant, communal "we're going to make it" spirit.

3

"I Will Always Love You" , Whitney Houston

Most people under 50 think this is a Whitney Houston song, but Dolly Parton wrote it back in 1973, sitting in Nashville. She was leaving her mentor and business partner, Porter Wagoner, to go solo, and the song was her way of saying goodbye: with love, but firmly.

Then Whitney came along in 1992 for The Bodyguard soundtrack and turned it into a stadium-sized emotional explosion. Where Dolly's version was warm and heartfelt, Whitney's was pure power. It connects to just about everyone, but especially to people who've ever had to let someone go. Which version do you like best?

4

"Respect" , Aretha Franklin

This is one of those cases where the cover so thoroughly eclipses the original that most people don't even know an original exists. Otis Redding wrote and recorded "Respect" in 1965, and it was a decent soul hit for him; a man asking his woman for a little respect when he comes home.

Then Aretha Franklin got hold of it in 1967, rewrote parts of it, added that now-iconic spelling-out of the word, and completely flipped the meaning . Suddenly, it was a woman demanding respect from men, from society, from everyone. It became an anthem of the civil rights movement, the women's movement, and basically every movement that involved people standing up and saying enough.

5

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" , Cyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper made this song her own so completely that it's almost shocking to learn she didn't write it. Robert Hazard, a Philadelphia-based musician, wrote it around 1979 as a kind of tongue-in-cheek song from a man's point of view, about his own desire to just have fun without commitment.

When Cyndi recorded it in 1983, she completely reframed it: it became a declaration of independence for young women who just wanted to live their lives on their own terms . If you had a daughter, a niece, or any teenage girl in your life in the '80s, you heard this song approximately ten thousand times.

6

"Nothing Compares 2 U" , Sinead O'Connor

Few music videos have hit people as hard as Sinead O'Connor, alone on screen, tears streaming down her face, singing this song in 1990. It felt impossibly raw and personal. But the song was written by Prince back in 1984, and was first recorded by a side project of his called The Family.

Sinead stripped it down and made it devastating. It became one of the most emotionally powerful recordings of the decade . You probably heard it on adult contemporary radio, or remember exactly where you were the first time you really listened to it. It's a song about grief and absence and not being able to fill a void someone left behind.

7

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll", Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

Few songs scream pure, unapologetic rock and roll like this one. But Joan Jett didn't write it: a British glam rock band called The Arrows did, back in 1975, in London. Lead singer Alan Merrill said he wrote it as a direct response to the Rolling Stones' "It's Only Rock 'n Roll," which he felt was a little too apologetic about loving the music.

Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform it on British TV in 1976 while touring the UK with The Runaways, and the song stuck with her . She recorded it in 1981, and it rocketed to number one, sitting there for seven weeks. You've heard it blasting from jukeboxes, at sports events, in movie montages, at pretty much every party where someone wanted to get the energy up fast.

8

"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" , Aerosmith

Tyler belting it out, that unmistakable raspy voice: it feels so Aerosmith. But the song was actually written by Diane Warren, one of the most prolific and successful songwriters in pop history , who penned it in 1998 specifically for the movie Armageddon. Warren has said she wrote it while watching her boyfriend sleep, thinking about not wanting to miss a single moment with someone you love.

Aerosmith recorded it, and it became their first number-one pop hit. It hits hard for anyone who's ever been deeply in love, or who's lost someone and wishes they'd paid more attention while they had the chance.

9

"Bette Davis Eyes", Kim Carnes

This was the biggest song in America in 1981, and it spent nine weeks straight at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 . Kim Carnes' raspy, smoky delivery made it feel completely hers. But the song was written in 1974 by Jackie DeShannon and Donna Weiss, both inspired by a classic old Hollywood film . DeShannon recorded her own version, but it barely registered.

Seven years later, Carnes took it into a Los Angeles studio, added a driving synth arrangement that was pure early MTV, and transformed it into the sound of an era. The real-life Bette Davis, then 73 years old, wrote personal letters to the songwriters and to Carnes to thank them for making her "a part of modern times." The song connected with anyone who'd ever been dazzled by someone they couldn't quite figure out, which is pretty much everyone.

10

"Blame It on the Rain" , Milli Vanilli

You probably remember the Milli Vanilli scandal: in 1990, it came out that Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus, the two beautiful, dreadlocked faces of the duo, hadn't actually sung a single note on their records . The real vocals were by studio singers. Their Grammy was revoked. It was a whole thing.

But before all that exploded, "Blame It on the Rain" was a legit #1 pop hit in 1989. It was written by Diane Warren (yes, the same woman who wrote "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"), and it's a smooth, sweet ballad about blaming the weather for a relationship going wrong. You probably heard it on pop radio, maybe slow-danced to it without knowing what you were slow-dancing to.

1

Titanic (1997)

James Cameron’s Oscar-winning blockbuster frames the tragic 1912 sinking around the fictional romance of Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet), while depicting real-life First Officer William Murdoch (Ewan Stewart) accepting bribes, shooting passengers, and taking his own life.

When the film premiered in 1997, the portrayal of Murdoch caused significant outrage. Survivor accounts prove the First Officer acted heroically, working tirelessly to launch lifeboats and saving hundreds of lives before dying in the freezing Atlantic. Additionally, third-class passengers were not locked below deck by armed guards as portrayed in the movie. _Titanic_’s producers eventually traveled to Murdoch’s hometown of Dalbeattie, Scotland, to issue an official apology to his descendants.

2

Braveheart (1995)

Mel Gibson’s epic depicts William Wallace leading a 13th-century Scottish rebellion against English rule, wearing belted plaid kilts and seducing Isabella of France (Sophie Marceau).

Many details in the film are inaccurate. For example, Scots didn’t wear kilts until the 16th century, nearly 300 years after Wallace’s death. Furthermore, Isabella was roughly three years old and living in France during Wallace’s rebellion, making the affair impossible.

3

Pearl Harbor (2001)

In Michael Bay’s romantic war drama, Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck) and Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett) face Japanese Zero fighters, join the British Eagle Squadrons before the U.S. enters World War II, and witness direct attacks on civilian medical units.

In real life, U.S. Army Air Corps officers like Rafe were legally forbidden from joining Britain’s Eagle Squadrons while the United States remained neutral. During the December 7, 1941 raid, the Japanese prioritized attacking battleships, airfields, and fuel depots, and they didn’t target field hospitals or civilian nurses as depicted in the film. Also, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s (Jon Voight) dramatic moment where he stands up out of his wheelchair to inspire his cabinet never occurred.

4

Pocahontas (1995)

Disney’s animated film famously tells the story of a young Powhatan woman named Pocahontas who falls in love with the English explorer Captain John Smith, helping to promote peace between their two cultures.

When John Smith arrived in Virginia in 1607, Pocahontas (whose actual name was Matoaka) was only around 10 to 12 years old, while Smith was a 27-year-old soldier, and there was no romantic relationship between them. Smith’s famous account of Pocahontas saving his life by placing her head over his is debated by modern historians, who view it as either a misunderstanding of a tribal adoption ceremony or an invention in his later writings. Pocahontas was later captured by English settlers, held for ransom, converted to Christianity, and married tobacco merchant John Rolfe before dying in England at age 21.

5

Gladiator (2000)

The plot of Gladiator revolves around Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) when he witnesses Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) being smothered to death by his son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who seizes the throne, rules as a tyrant, and is later killed in gladiatorial combat inside the Colosseum.

In reality, Marcus Aurelius was never murdered by his son; he died of an infectious illness in 180 AD. Commodus had already been co-emperor for three years before his father’s death. Far from an usurpation, Commodus ruled Rome for 12 years. He didn’t die in the sands of the arena either: he was strangled in his bath by his wrestling partner, Narcissus, during a palace coup. Moreover, Roman gladiatorial fights were officiated sporting events, not chaotic deathmatches.

6

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

A young William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) suffers from writer’s block until he meets aristocrat Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow), who disguises herself as a man to act on stage, inspiring him to write Romeo and Juliet .

Almost the entire narrative is historical fiction. Viola de Lesseps never existed, and Romeo and Juliet wasn’t inspired by a secret love affair. Women were indeed banned from performing on the Elizabethan stage, but monarchs like Queen Elizabeth I never attended public theaters, which were considered unsafe and unhygienic. Instead, theater companies were hired to give private performances at court. Furthermore, by the mid-1590s, Shakespeare was already married to Anne Hathaway and was an established playwright in London, not an impoverished unknown struggling for ideas.

7

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Ron Howard’s biopic presents John Nash (Russell Crowe) battling schizophrenia. In the film, the Nobel Laureate mathematician has vivid visual hallucinations of a college roommate, a young girl, and a secret government handler.

It is true that John Nash lived with paranoid schizophrenia, but his hallucinations were auditory and delusional (he heard voices and believed extraterrestrial beings were communicating through newsprint). Filmmakers acknowledged altering his symptoms because visual figures were easier to convey on screen. The film also sugarcoated Nash’s personal life, omitting his first child born out of wedlock, his divorce from his wife Alicia, and his intimate relationships with other men.

8

JFK (1991)

Director Oliver Stone follows New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) as he uncovers a conspiracy behind President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination involving the CIA, FBI, military leaders, and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Historians criticize JFK for presenting discredited conspiracy theories as historical facts. Key characters in the film (such as Donald Sutherland’s "Mr. X") were complete fabrications. Garrison’s actual prosecution of businessman Clay Shaw was based on dubious testimony and resulted in Shaw’s acquittal in under an hour. The narrative of a multi-agency coup remains unsupported by official evidence, yet the film prompted the release of classified records under the JFK Records Act.

9

The Sound of Music (1965)

In the iconic film The Sound of Music , governess Maria (Julie Andrews) teaches naval Captain von Trapp’s seven children to sing and helps the family escape the 1938 Nazi annexation of Austria by hiking over the Alps into Switzerland.

Had the von Trapp hiked over the mountains behind their house in Salzburg, they would have walked straight into Nazi Germany near Hitler’s mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden. In real life, the family walked to their local train station and boarded a train to Italy before emigrating to the United States. Also, the personalities were reversed: the real Captain von Trapp was warm and musical, whereas Maria was strict. What’s more, the couple had already been married for over ten years before leaving Austria.

10

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

The opening D-Day landing sequence in Saving Private Ryan is praised by military veterans for its technical realism, but the film’s core premise is fictional. Following the invasion at Omaha Beach, Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) leads a U.S. Army Ranger squad into enemy territory in Normandy to find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers were killed in action.

The plot is loosely inspired by the real-life Niland brothers, but the U.S. military never dispatched an entire squad on a dedicated search mission through enemy lines to extract a single private. Additionally, the final battle in the fictional town of Ramelle overstates the ability of infantry small arms against heavy German armor, which in reality was neutralized by artillery and tactical air strikes.

1

George Washington

Image: Alonzo Chappel, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Founding Father and first president of the United States, George Washington, enjoyed many recreational activities during his free time. He was a true outdoorsman—he loved hunting and fishing and was a devoted gardener and farmer .

It’s common knowledge that after deciding not to run for a third term, he retired to his Virginia farm and dedicated the rest of his life to farming. But one fact you may not know is that, in his youth, Washington was a frequent dancer —and rumor has it, he was even extremely good at it! He considered dancing an important social interaction, describing it as "so agreeable and innocent an amusement."

2

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Image: National Archives and Records Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Franklin D. Roosevelt, the only president to be elected to four consecutive terms, led the country through the critical years of the Great Depression and World War II. To maintain a clear mind while navigating such tumultuous times, Roosevelt embraced a number of pastimes. He collected books , stamps , and ship models , for example.

In addition, he was an avid swimmer . After losing the ability to walk due to polio, Roosevelt began swimming three times a week to strengthen his muscles. Following his election, the New York Daily News donated a swimming pool to the White House so he could continue his practice.

3

James A. Garfield

Image: Unknown; part of Brady-Handy Photograph Collection., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Before becoming the 20th president, James A. Garfield enjoyed fishing , hunting , and playing billiards . But he was also exceptionally intelligent and studious.

Though many people may know Garfield for serving just four months in office, he was also the first ambidextrous president of the United States . Not only could he write with both hands, but when asked a question, he could simultaneously write the answer in ancient Greek with one hand and Latin with the other. Pretty impressive, don’t you think?

4

Calvin Coolidge

Image: National Photo Company Collection, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The 30th president of the United States liked riding horses so much that he had an electronic horse installed in the White House. The device had two speeds—trot and canter—and he rode it every day.

That said, Calvin Coolidge was a taciturn man of few words, who enjoyed taking afternoon naps, earning him the nickname "Silent Cal." He also had a very particular sense of humor . He reportedly enjoyed pressing the alarm buttons in the Oval Office or hiding in the garden shrubbery to startle his Secret Service agents.

5

Jimmy Carter

Image: Tuntematon, Valkoisen talon valokuvaajat (01/20/1977 - 01/20/1981), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter was a curious man who never stopped doing things. He studied nuclear physics in college, could read two thousand words a minute, wrote numerous books, and even won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

But what did this brilliant man like to do in his spare time? Carter had a variety of hobbies, including painting , poetry , tennis , cycling , fly fishing , and skiing . However, the one activity in which he perhaps excelled most was woodworking . After retiring, the 39th president of the United States set up a garage workshop on his Georgia ranch, where he built furniture that was later auctioned to benefit the Carter Center.

6

John Quincy Adams

Image: Pieter Van Huffel, 1769 - 1844, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

John Quincy Adams was notoriously meticulous and kept a diary detailing his daily routine. Thanks to this, we now know that the sixth president of the United States liked to relieve the stress of the presidency with an early morning swim .

After waking up around 4 or 5 a.m., Adams would walk two miles to the Potomac River and leave his clothes on the shore before taking a swim. According to lore, one morning, a reporter named Anne Royall snatched his clothes and demanded that the president give her an interview. Adams had no choice but to answer her questions while standing deep in the river, completely naked.

7

Harry S. Truman

Image: Abbie Rowe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Harry S. Truman governed the United States from 1945 to 1953, right after World War II—a difficult and stressful time, to be sure. To blow off some steam, the 33rd president liked to immerse himself in one of his two long-time passions: reading and music .

Truman had eye problems, which prevented him from participating in sports. As a result, he became an avid reader from an early age—in fact, he once boasted of having read every book in the library by the age of 14. He was also a very skilled piano player , having started lessons at the age of seven.

8

Lyndon B. Johnson

Image: Yoichi Okamoto, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Living up to the legacy of one of the most popular presidents in American history can't be easy. But it appears that the 36th president of the United States knew just how to maintain a good balance between responsibility and leisure. During his five-year administration, Lyndon B. Johnson spent 490 days —about a quarter of his presidency— at the LBJ Ranch in Stonewall , Texas, combining work and vacation so seamlessly that the place became known as "The Texas White House."

At this ranch, Johnson had an extensive collection of vehicles . Among them was the Amphicar, an amphibious passenger car built in the 1960s, which he used to play pranks on his visitors.

9

Richard Nixon

Image: White House Photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Not many people know this, but Richard Nixon was an artistic man. He enjoyed theater—he even met his future wife during a community theater audition—and he could play five musical instruments : piano, saxophone, violin, clarinet, and accordion.

But he was also into sports. In addition to being a huge football fan, he and First Lady Pat Nixon enjoyed bowling . In fact, the Nixons were responsible for moving the White House bowling alley back to the Executive Mansion after it had been relocated to a nearby building years earlier.

10

George W. Bush

Image: Series: Photographs Related to the George W. Bush Administration, 1/20/2001 - 1/20/2009Collection: Records of the White House Photo Office (George W. Bush Administration), 1/20/2001 - 1/20/2009, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

During his free time, George W. Bush enjoyed golfing, biking, attending baseball games, and reading American history. He was also a very competitive runner .

However, when the 43rd president of the United States left office, he was only 62 years old—plenty of time to acquire a new pastime. In the years following his time in the White House, Bush surprised many by turning to painting . "I’m a painter," he told Jay Leno on The Tonight Show .

11

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Image: ddd

To relieve the stress of leadership, Dwight D. Eisenhower maintained a number of hobbies that he cultivated throughout his life. One of his main passions was golf , which he played during and after his presidency. He even kept a small putting green in the White House garden and had a four-hole practice course installed at Camp David.

But that’s not all. Ike enjoyed fishing, hunting, shooting, watching Western movies, and playing bridge. He was also an avid painter who often captured natural landscapes and gave them as gifts to friends. After leaving the White House, Ike settled on a farm near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he raised Black Angus show cows that won blue ribbons at state and county fairs.

12

John F. Kennedy

Image: Robert LeRoy Knudsen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

John F. Kennedy was an exercise enthusiast and something of a jock. He played many sports : golf, tennis, swimming, baseball, and football. Despite being an athletic man, he enjoyed smoking between four and five cigars a day—his favorite brands were Upmanns and Monticellos!

But perhaps the hobby that most helped him relax from the tensions of the presidency was boating. Like many members of his family, John F. Kennedy loved to sail and was often photographed at sea with his wife and young children.