When it comes to the world of pseudo-lesbian Russian teenagers in schoolgirl outfits, nothing is as it seems. But in fact, Lena Katina and Julia Volkova, the girls who perform the hit single “All the Things She Said” took their name from a shortened version of the Russian phrase pronounced “Ta lyhubit tu” (I’ll spare you the Cyrillic, but it translates as “This girl is loving that one”). There is also an organization called Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU), who don’t sing, but rather, offer up statements such as “I use my commitment to be tobacco-free to teach children to make the healthy choice not to smoke.” In contrast, the pop duo favors statements such as “We are singing about our love. Love between girl and girl.”

(Excerpted from the 2006 book Is Tiny Dancer Really Elton’s Little John?: Music’s Most Enduring Mysteries, Myths, and Rumors Revealed, published by Three Rivers Press, written by Gavin Edwards.)