Simon Barber and Brian O’Connor of the Liverpool-based songwriting team Sodajerker presented a one-hour BBC World Service radio documentary called The Secrets of Songwriting.
The programme, deriving from the duo’s hugely popular podcast Sodajerker On Songwriting, featured some of the world’s most renowned songwriters talking about their working processes and sharing the stories behind their biggest hits.
The show included contributions from a range of guests heard on the Sodajerker podcast such as Motown legend Lamont Dozier, Brill Building-era hitmakers Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Andy Partridge of XTC and singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading.
The Secrets of Songwriting was broadcast in most parts of the world via digital radio on Saturday May 7, 2016 at 13.06 (14.06 in the UK because of daylight saving) and streaming online via the BBC website. It was also made available thereafter as a BBC World Service podcast.
BBC News produced a feature recounting some of the stories told on the podcast.
The BBC World Service is the world’s largest international broadcaster, reaching an average of 320 million people per week during 2016. The service broadcasts radio and television news, speech and discussions in approximately 30 languages via analogue and digital platforms, internet streaming, podcasting, satellite and radio.
Photo credit: Simon Barber and Brian O’Connor of Sodajerker at Liverpool’s Parr Street Studios. Photo by Matt Thomas.