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Mark Kurlansky's book Ready for a Brand New Beat is a history of the song "Dancing in the Street." It was the soundtrack for the summer of 1964, when race riots and war protests spread across the United States.

As part of our ongoing coverage of the civil rights movement and the summer of 1963, NPR Music has created a stream of more than 100 songs inspired by that era.

Perry is among the world's biggest pop singers, but fans know her current career is actually a second take. She speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about failing to break out as a Christian artist, and how she rose again as the star we know today.

The cobra was likely kept as a pet. Authorities warned residents to watch their children closely and tell them to avoid snakes.

Dooley became a campus celebrity as an undergraduate at Columbia University. She won over Internet critics with a comedy Web series. She combines sweetness and irony in some irreverent lyrics.

Also in this week's roundup, Amazon's $1 billion purchase surprises some tech watchers. Yet we're most excited about finding a way to avoid physical exertion at lunch.

Monsoonal rainfall caused massive flash flooding in Phoenix on Tuesday, turning roads into raging torrents. One area recorded 1 inch in 14 minutes.

Phil Collins got hooked on the 1835 battle as a kid in the 1950's watching Davy Crockett on TV. Crockett was among the 200 Americans who defended the Alamo against 1,500 Mexican troops.

More than 715 million people watched the final of the World Cup in South Africa. FIFA collected $1.6 billion from its sponsors between 2011-2014.

The brightest star of constellation Leo will be obscured by an asteroid for about 14 seconds. People in the New York metro area will be able to watch it with the naked eye if weather permits.

Also being removed from the widely watched index: Hewlett-Packard and Bank of America. Being added: Visa and Goldman Sachs. The changes reflect not only the companies' fortunes, but also the changing nature of the U.S. economy.

The Shanghai Composite ended 7.6 percent lower and below 3,000 for the first time since December. European markets, however, seemed to shrug off the Chinese rout.