“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.” Wells had started writing the lyrics on a hot California day; when Tormé showed up, the two finished the song in less than an hour.
“Norwegian Wood” was John Lennon’s attempt to “write about an affair without letting my wife know I was writing about an affair,” and has the distinction of being the first pop song to use a sitar. Hank Williams Jr., Count Basie, and P.M. Dawn have all covered the song off th...