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The life of a song: When the Levee Breaks
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From recordings by Memphis Minnie and Led Zeppelin to sampling by Dr Dre, Eminem and Massive Attack, David Cheal traces ... Read more
20 Feb 2015
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The life of a song: Misirlou
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Peter Aspden tells the story of 'Misirlou', the swaying Anatolian love song that was reinvented as a 1960s surfers' anth... Read more
29 May 2015
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The life of a song: Watermelon Man
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The life of a song: Me and Mrs Jones
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The Life of a Song: Lady Marmalade
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The Life of a Song: This Land Is Your Land
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Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" has been used in the campaigns of George HW Bush, Obama and, most recently, Ber... Read more
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The coolification of Phil Collins is among pop's most curious turnarounds. Richard Clayton explains what the song owes t... Read more
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Peter Aspden visits the basement treasure-house where recordings of Florence Nightingale, 1940s electronica and other ra... Read more
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The Life of a Song: Grandma's Hands
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How did Bill Withers' little blues inspire a 1990s R&B hit and a Simon Cowell-produced football anthem? Ian McCann c... Read more
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The Life of a Song: Stairway to Heaven
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David Honigmann follows Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway' from its origins in a Welsh cottage to 'Wayne's World', the White Hous... Read more
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Peter Aspden deconstructs the creation of Bob Dylan's legendary song over the course of a single day in the studio. This... Read more
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The Life of a Song: Hallelujah
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Life of a song: Ice Ice Baby
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Ludovic Hunter-Tilney uncovers the back story of Vanilla Ice’s hit Ice Ice Baby. Credits:Ultra, EMI Hosted on Acast. See... Read more
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Richard Clayton on how Tracy Chapman's searing ballad of low income life carried her to global acclaim.Credits: Elektra,... Read more
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The Life of a Song: Hotel California
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Peter Aspen looks at how The Eagles turned a few improvised chords into one of the most iconic, and enigmatic, rock song... Read more
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The Life of a Song: So What
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Miles Davis' "So What" is one of the most famous compositions in jazz. Ian McCann explores its many incarnations, from R... Read more
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The Life of a Song: Dem Bones
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This song has its roots in an ancient refugee crisis and the more recent struggle for racial equality. Over the years, i... Read more
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The Life of a Song: Every Rose Has Its Thorn
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"Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison's Bret Michaels was the last popular flourish of transvestism in rock. Ludovic Hunt... Read more
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