Lyric Drop: Name That Classic Hit (2)

[C] I Will Survive | Gloria Gaynor recorded this disco anthem after recovering from spine surgery, turning personal triumph into the ultimate breakup power ballad for generations.

[B] Billie Jean | Michael Jackson insisted on keeping the distinctive drum pattern against Quincy Jones's advice, creating the sonic foundation for moonwalk history.

[D] Brown Eyed Girl | Van Morrison claims he originally wrote this about a Jamaican woman, recording it in just three takes during his first American studio session.

[C] Time After Time | Cyndi Lauper co-wrote this gentle pledge of devotion for her debut album, and it became her first US number one and a defining 1980s slow-dance staple.

[C] Dancing Queen | ABBA's only US number one hit was inspired by George McCrae's disco moves, written specifically to capture the euphoria of teenage dancing.

[C] Smells Like Teen Spirit | Nirvana's noisy single from Nevermind dragged grunge into the mainstream, even as Cobain shrugged off fans' attempts to pin down the song's deliberately cryptic lyrics.

[A] Super Freak | MC Hammer later sampled this funk classic for "U Can't Touch This," earning Rick James millions in royalties from MTV's constant rotation.

[B] Fast Car | Tracy Chapman performed this poverty escape ballad at Nelson Mandela's birthday concert, selling six million copies after one televised performance changed everything.

[B] Like a Virgin | Madonna's breakthrough title track framed emotional rebirth as a dance-floor confession, locking in her image as the 1980s pop provocateur in chief.

[D] Respect | Otis Redding's original was about demanding respect from his woman, but Aretha flipped the script into a feminist anthem that defined an era.

[C] 9 to 5 | Dolly Parton composed this workers' anthem using her acrylic nails as percussion instruments, clicking them together to create the song's rhythm.

[D] Easy | The Commodores' Lionel Richie wrote this smooth ballad in just 45 minutes, creating their first crossover hit that topped both soul and pop charts.

[D] Lady in Red | Chris de Burgh wrote this cheesy classic about his wife wearing red at a party, never imagining it would soundtrack millions of slow dances.

[A] Beat It | Michael Jackson turned gang violence into a pop-rock showdown on "Beat It," complete with Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo powering the middle of Thriller.

[C] Bills, Bills, Bills | Beyoncé's group launched their career complaining about broke boyfriends, establishing the independent woman persona that would define her solo success.

[B] Tracks of My Tears | Smokey Robinson conceived this masterpiece after his guitarist hummed a melody that reminded him of carnival music and circus clowns who smile through sadness.

[A] Uptown Funk | Mark Ronson's collaboration with Bruno Mars bottled '80s funk swagger into a 2014 blockbuster, topping charts worldwide and ruling dance floors and halftime shows.

[D] Hound Dog | Big Mama Thornton sang this first in 1952, but Elvis's hip-shaking version scandalized TV audiences and sold ten million copies by 1959.

[C] Piano Man | Billy Joel based this barroom chronicle on his six-month stint playing under the pseudonym Bill Martin at a Los Angeles cocktail lounge.

[A] 1999 | Prince recorded this apocalyptic party anthem in 1982 when nuclear war seemed imminent, somehow making doomsday sound like the ultimate dance floor celebration.

[B] I Want It That Way | This 1999 Max Martin ballad became Backstreet Boys' signature song, its tangled breakup lines carried by an undeniable chorus from the album Millennium.

[A] It's Not Unusual | Tom Jones's hip-thrusting debut hit sold poorly until a London pirate radio station played it repeatedly, launching his underwear-catching career overnight.

[C] Tears in Heaven | Clapton channeled unbearable grief over his son Conor's tragic balcony fall into this gentle questioning of whether they'd reunite in the afterlife.

[A] Hotel California | The mysterious hotel has sparked countless theories, though Don Henley insists it's simply about excess and disillusionment in 1970s Los Angeles.

[A] Imagine | John Lennon admitted this peace anthem's idealistic vision was "virtually the Communist Manifesto," though Yoko Ono deserved co-writing credit he never gave.