Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20200516 | 20200517 (BBC7) 20200518 (BBC7) | Paul McCartney, Emeli Sande, Randy Newman, Elvis Costello, Lily Allen, Corinne Bailey Rae, Paul Weller, Ray Davis, Benjamin Clementine, Sinead O'Connor and many more leading musicians give a masterclass in the art of songwriting. John Wilson has talked to 45 acclaimed songwriters for BBC Radio 4's series Mastertapes. In each episode, recorded with an audience of fans at the BBC Maida Vale Studios, the guest focuses a key album from their career, describing in detail how dozens of much loved hit songs were written. Now the Mastertapes guests are brought together to offer a unique how-to guide to writing the perfect song. Sir Paul McCartney demonstrates the building blocks of songwriting, reveals how a chord ‘borrowed' from a Picasso painting became the basis of a collaborative composition with Kanye West. McCartney also talks candidly about his songwriting partnership with John Lennon in The Beatles. Suzanne Vega and Emeli Sandé remember - and try to play - the very first songs that they wrote as children. Ray Davies reveals how the character studies he created for his songs with The Kinks - including Dedicated Follower Of Fashion - were based on real people. Paul Weller breaks down the words and chords to A Town Called Malice, and remembers how, as a younger songwriter, he would ritually destroy his latest lyric books after completing a new album. Randy Newman offers unique insight into the art of songwriting for the big screen, showing how the bittersweet sentiments of You've Got A Friend In Me from Toy Story won him an Oscar. Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra. | ||
| 01 | From Macca To Mclean | 20210901 | 20230415 (BBC7) 20230416 (BBC7) 20230420 (BBC7) | Sir Paul McCartney, Emeli Sande, Suzanne Vega, Natalie Merchant, Paul Weller, Corrine Bailey Rae, Richard Hawley, Jimmy Webb, Laura Marling, Billy Bragg, Ray Davies and Don McLean give a masterclass in the art of songwriting. In the first of three programmes, John Wilson looks back over his conversations with 45 acclaimed songwriters for BBC Radio 4's series ‘Mastertapes'. Recorded with an audience of fans at the BBC Maida Vale studios in London, each guest focuses on a key album from their career, describing in detail how dozens of much loved hit songs were written. Now, the ‘Mastertapes' guests are brought together to offer a unique how-to guide to writing the perfect song. Sir Paul McCartney demonstrates the building blocks of songwriting, reveals how a chord ‘borrowed' from a Picasso painting became the basis of a collaborative composition with Kanye West. McCartney also talks candidly about his songwriting partnership with John Lennon in The Beatles. Suzanne Vega and Emeli Sandé remember - and try to play - the very first songs that they wrote as children. Ray Davies reveals how the character studies he created for his songs with The Kinks - including ‘Dedicated Follower Of Fashion' - were based on real people. Paul Weller breaks down the words and chords to ‘A Town Called Malice', and remembers how, as a younger songwriter, he would ritually destroy his lyric books after completing a new album. And Don McLean is delightfully evasive about his greatest hit, ‘American Pie'. Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra - and first broadcast in May 2021. Leading musicians give a masterclass in the art of songwriting to John Wilson. Leading musicians give a masterclass in the art of songwriting. |
| 02 | Protest And Proclaim | 20210908 | 20230422 (BBC7) 20230423 (BBC7) 20230427 (BBC7) | Elvis Costello, Sinead O'Connor, David Crosby, David Hinds and Selwyn Brown of Steel Pulse, Billy Bragg, Benjamin Clementine, James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire of The Manic Street Preachers, Craig David, Robbie Williams, Guy Chambers and Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp and Tony Hadley give a masterclass in the art of songwriting. In the second of three programmes, John Wilson looks back over more of his conversations with 45 acclaimed songwriters for BBC Radio 4's series ‘Mastertapes'. Recorded with an audience of fans at the BBC Maida Vale studios in London, each guest focuses on a key album from their career, describing in detail how dozens of much loved hit songs were written. Now, the ‘Mastertapes' guests are brought together to offer a unique how-to guide to writing the perfect song. In this episode, Elvis Costello denies his role as a protest singer and David Crosby describes the process by which the song ‘Ohio' became an anthem for ‘70s American counterculture. Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in May 2021. Elvis Costello leads more leading musicians with a masterclass in the art of songwriting. Leading musicians give a masterclass in the art of songwriting. |
| 03 | Who's It For? | 20210915 | 20230429 (BBC7) 20230430 (BBC7) 20230504 (BBC7) | Randy Newman, Laura Marling, Lily Allen, Noel Gallagher, David Albarn [The Good, The Bad and The Queen], Elvis Costello, David Gray, Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook [Squeeze], David Crosby, Graham Nash, Emeli Sande and Sir Paul McCartney give a masterclass in the art of songwriting. In the last of three programmes, John Wilson looks back over more of his conversations with 45 acclaimed songwriters for BBC Radio 4's series ‘Mastertapes'. Recorded with an audience of fans at the BBC Maida Vale studios in London, each guest focuses on a key album from their career, describing in detail how dozens of much loved hit songs were written. Now, the ‘Mastertapes' guests are brought together to offer a unique how-to guide to writing the perfect song. In this episode, Randy Newman reflects on writing for films and Graham Nash recalls Neil Young's unique playback system. Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in May 2021. Randy Newman leads more leading musicians with a masterclass in the art of songwriting. Leading musicians give a masterclass in the art of songwriting. |