The Mastertapes Guide To Writing The Perfect Song

THE MASTERTAPES GUIDE TO WRITING THE PERFECT SONG (320kbs-m4a/393mb/2hrs51mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 1st to 15th September 2021

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 focusses a key album from their career, describing in detail how dozens of much loved hit songs were written.

Presented and produced by John Wilson.

Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in May 2021.

THE MASTERTAPES GUIDE TO WRITING THE PERFECT SONG - 1. FROM MACCA TO MCLEAN (320kbs-m4a/131mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 1st September 2021

Sir Paul McCartney, Emeli Sande, Suzanne Veja, 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.

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'.

THE MASTERTAPES GUIDE TO WRITING THE PERFECT SONG - 2. PROTEST AND PROCLAIM (320kbs-m4a/131mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 8th September 2021

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.

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.

THE MASTERTAPES GUIDE TO WRITING THE PERFECT SONG - 3. WHO'S IT FOR? (320kbs-m4a/131mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 15th September 2021

Randy Newman, Laura Marling, Lily Allen, Noel Gallagher, Damon 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.

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.