Singing Together
Jarvis Cocker traces the history of the 麻豆社 Schools radio programme that taught generations of children to sing. From 2014.
Singing Together was the long-running 麻豆社 Schools radio programme which got generations of children singing.
Jarvis Cocker sets out on a musical journey to trace its history.
He uncovers the stories of those who made the programme, listened as children, and used it in their classrooms. Together they remember Monday mornings at 11am, when pupils up and down the country opened their song books and gathered round as teachers wheeled out their classroom radios.
He delves into the archive to uncover the origins of the programme, hearing the first presenter, Herbert Wiseman, describe how he started the series at the outbreak of the Second World War as a way of reaching out to children at a time when many had been evacuated. Wartime teacher Brenda Jenkins, who used Singing Together with her class of evacuees, remembers how 'singing always helped'
Jarvis explores the power of singing to bringing people together. He also uncovers the origins of the folk songs used in the programme and traces how it changed though the 1960s and 70's, opening up to musical traditions from around the world.
He reflects on the impact of the long running series 鈥� which gave many their first introduction to folk heritage- with award winning musician Eliza Carthy.
And he asks why recordings of this hugely popular series were not preserved for posterity. Only a handful of episodes survive in the 麻豆社 archive but, with the help of a small community of collectors, he sets out to find some of the missing episodes.
Producer: Ruth Evans
Editor: David Ross
First broadcast on 麻豆社 Radio 4 in November 2014.
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Singing Together: The radio show that got schoolchildren singing
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Watch the full clip of Lessons from the Air
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Clip
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Singing Together In 4 Minutes
Duration: 03:58
Music Played
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Jarvis Cocker
Molly Malone
- Singing Together, Autumn 1974.
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singers and schools unknown
Skye Boat Song
- Singing Together, 1950.
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Green Grow the Rushes O!
- British Council Film 聭Lessons from the Air聮. Script by Harold Purcell, produced at Merton Park Studios..
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Maurice Bevan, Wilfred Parry & choir unknown
Brennan on the Moor
- Singing Together, January 1961.
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M茅av N铆 Mhaolchatha
Shenandoah
- The Calling.
- Warner Classics International.
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Maurice Bevan, Wilfred Parry & choir unknown
Michael Finnegan
- Singing Together, January 1961.
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Elvis Presley
All Shook Up
- 1957 British Hit Parade: Britain's Greatest Hits Volume 6 CD4.
- Music Factory Mastermix.
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Sophie Aldred, Grant Baynham & choir unknown
Smuggler's Lullaby
- Singing Together, Spring 1995.
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Melinda Davies, Stephen Varcoe, Wilfred Parry & Norman Taylor
Jesu is Crying
- Singing Together Request Programme, Autumn 1974.
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John Strachan
Wark O'The Weavers (field recording, 1952)
- School of Scottish Studies Archive.
- Tobar and Dualchais.
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Melinda Davies, Stephen Varcoe, Wilfred Parry & Norman Taylor
Wark O' The Weavers
- Singing Together Request Programme, Autumn 1974.
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Christopher Keyte, Kingsmead Singers, June Seaward & Wilfred Parry
Here Come The Navvies
- Singing Together, Summer 1973.
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Sophie Aldred, Grant Baynham & St Albans High School choir
Island In The Sun
- Singing Together, Spring 1995.
- Words and music by Harry Belafonte and Lord Burgess.
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Blain Fairman & singer and choir unknown
Linstead Market
- Singing Together, Summer 1978.
- From "Folk Songs of Jamaica" edited and arranged by Tom Murray 聳 Reprinted O.U.P..
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Blain Fairman & singer and choir unknown
Farewell my own true love
- Singing Together, Summer 1978.
Jarvis leads a singalong
Broadcasts
Sat 29 Nov 2014 20:00麻豆社 Radio 4- Sat 27 Aug 2016 20:00麻豆社 Radio 4
- Sat 30 Mar 2019 08:00麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Sat 30 Mar 2019 15:00麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Tue 6 Sep 2022 11:00麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Tue 6 Sep 2022 21:00麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
Featured in...
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Jarvis Cocker
All about Jarvis.
Let's Sing Together
Click here to join in the singalong at the end of the programme.
