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Soul Music

Series about pieces of music with a powerful emotional impact

Radio 4,207 episodes

Episodes

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Porcelain by Moby
The ethereal sound of Moby's massive hit from 2000.
03 Jan 2026,28 mins
Soul Music at 25
A special programme marking 25 years of the award-winning series.
27 Dec 2025,57 mins
Bésame Mucho
Stories of one of the most recorded Spanish-language songs of all time.
26 Apr 2025,28 mins
May You Never
John Martyn's most enduring song, from 1971.
19 Apr 2025,28 mins
Ae Fond Kiss by Robert Burns
Ae Fond Kiss: one of Robert Burns' most famous poems set to music.
12 Apr 2025,28 mins
I Feel Love
Stories of love, loss and legacy surrounding Donna Summer's iconic 1977 hit I Feel Love.
05 Apr 2025,28 mins
Sailing By
Stories about a piece of light music which became interwoven with the Shipping Forecast.
01 Jan 2025,28 mins
Benedictus
With its message of peace, Karl Jenkins's Benedictus brings solace in hard times.
09 Nov 2024,28 mins
America
America, Anita's big number from the musical West Side Story.
02 Nov 2024,28 mins
Lovely Day by Bill Withers
The deceptively simple song that is a mantra for people.
26 Oct 2024,28 mins
Tender
Stories of what Tender, from Blur's 1999 album 13, means to people around the world.
19 Oct 2024,28 mins
Diamonds and Rust
Stories of love and loss surrounding the song Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez.
12 Oct 2024,28 mins
Tiny Dancer
Elton John's slow burner of a song is now one of his most loved tracks.
04 May 2024,28 mins
Northern Sky
Exploring why Nick Drake's song from the album Bryter Layter means so much to so many.
27 Apr 2024,28 mins
I Can See Clearly Now
Stories of what Johnny Nash's 1972 hit means to people around the world.
20 Apr 2024,28 mins
Someone to Watch Over Me
The much-loved and much-recorded song by George Gershwin.
13 Apr 2024,28 mins
Sweet Thing
Exploring why Van Morrison's iconic song means so much to so many.
06 Apr 2024,28 mins
Songs My Mother Taught Me
Dvorak's best known song from his Gypsy Cycle composed for voice and piano in 1880
11 Nov 2023,28 mins
Fire and Rain
James Taylor's song of suicide, loneliness and addiction, which somehow remains hopeful.
04 Nov 2023,28 mins
Pata Pata
Stories of what Miriam Makeba's iconic song means to people from around the world.
28 Oct 2023,28 mins
Defying Gravity from Wicked
The power of the anthem from the hit musical.
21 Oct 2023,28 mins
I Will Always Love You
Written by Dolly Parton... sent stratospheric by Whitney Houston.
14 Oct 2023,28 mins
Fast Car
Stories of personal connection to Tracy Chapman's hit song.
01 Jul 2023,28 mins
I Say a Little Prayer for You
Stories about the Burt Bacharach classic.
24 Jun 2023,28 mins
Ghost Town
Stories of what this iconic song by two-tone band The Specials means to different people.
17 Jun 2023,28 mins
I Only Have Eyes for You
The hypnotic beauty of a Tin Pan Alley song made famous by The Flamingos.
10 Jun 2023,28 mins
Dancing in the Dark
Stories of what Bruce Springsteen's iconic song means to people around the world.
03 Jun 2023,28 mins
I Believe In Father Christmas
Is it a protest song? Is it anti-religious? Or is it just a song of joy and hope?
24 Dec 2022,28 mins
Nessun Dorma
Stories of what this powerful Puccini aria means to people from around the world.
17 Dec 2022,28 mins
Killing Me Softly with His Song
Stories of what Killing Me Softly with His Song means to people around the world.
10 Dec 2022,28 mins