Archive on 4-Singing Together BBCRadio4

Subject: RE: Archive on 4-Singing Together BBCRadio4
From: GUEST,Paul Hannigan
Date: 08 Jul 20 - 06:11 PM

Hi

I was wondering if you could help me re and old song from Singing Together around 1969/70.

I can't remember the name of the song however, I remember some of the words. The song is about a man who had two wives.

The lyrics kinda go like this..

'A man had two wives. One was was old and one was young'

later lyrics go like this..

'.. but she was wretched, thoroughly wretched..'

Can any one recognise those lyrics? It's driving me bonkers,

Thanks

A man had two wives - Singing Together 1969/1970 ish

Subject: RE: Archive on 4-Singing Together BBCRadio4
From: GUEST,Jish
Date: 02 Dec 14 - 02:08 PM

I once found some old song books for sale on eBay, singing together produced these in the fifties

Subject: RE: Archive on 4-Singing Together BBCRadio4
From: GUEST,David Milburn
Date: 30 Nov 14 - 05:37 AM

I have read these related threads with great interest. I was at primary/junior school between 1958-64. Has anyone any information about the music chosen for broadcast between 1961-4? I'd love to know exactly what the items were for these years. I seem to recall some American-themed music around 1963, like 'Home on the Range' and do well remember 'Rule Britannia' being very popular a year later. In fact I think it was voted favourite. Our teacher used to turn off the radio at the end of the broadcast then move to the piano ( she was a very competent player) and she'd run through one or more songs with us that we'd just heard.

Subject: RE: Archive on 4-Singing Together BBCRadio4
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 28 Nov 14 - 07:38 AM

There also a nice article on the BBC News site to accompany the programme.

Subject: RE: Archive on 4-Singing Together BBCRadio4
From: Rain Dog
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 04:44 AM

I got the day right but the date wrong. Saturday 29th at 20.00 hours

Subject: RE: Archive on 4-Singing Together BBCRadio4
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 04:37 AM

Unmissable for people of a certain age (e.g. me).

Subject: Archive on 4-Singing Together BBCRadio4
From: Rain Dog
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 03:44 AM

Due to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Saturday 28th at 20.00


Singing Together

Archive on 4


Jarvis Cocker sets out on a musical journey to trace the history of Singing Together, the long-running BBC Schools radio programme which got generations of children singing. 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 - 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 BBC 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.

Archive on 4 - Singing Together