Ft Life Of A Song

A Motown classic and Beatles favourite that went on to become perhaps the first postmodern pop song: David Cheal on the many lives of 'Money (That's What I Want)'. Credits: Motown Records Inc., EMI, Simitar.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Cheal digs into the story of the Britney Spears hit Toxic finding Bollywood samples, acoustic deconstruction and a role as currency in an imagined apocalyptic future. Credits: Jive, Saregama, Beeswing Records  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“I had to phone someone so I picked on you-hoo-hoo”: David Cheal on the song that gave David Bowie his breathrough moment. Credits: Parlophone UK, RCA Records, EMI Records  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Hobart tells the story of Jimmy Forrest’s 1952 hit, an R&B smash that and crossed over to the pop charts with James Brown’s reinvention.Credits: Maarten Eilander, Soul City Blues, The Island Def Jam Music Group  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Written for a 1935 romcom, this song complies with the strict moral codes of the time, but turns Hollywood convention on its head, says Mike Hobart. Credits: 4:Squared Entertainment, Nostalgia Music Catalog, Universal Island Records  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nat King Cole's 1948 hit made an unlikely celebrity of its back-to-nature songwriter, and established Cole's solo career - but, says Mike Hobart, it also lived through racial bigotry and legal action before covers by Sinatra, Bowie and Lady Gaga. Credits: The Restoration Project, Columbia Records, Interscope Records  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It may have been written by a man who never even set foot in the state, but that hasn't stopped 'Georgia on My Mind' becoming a Southern anthem. Mike Hobart looks back on the song's origins. Credits: Rendez-Vous Digital, The Island Def Jam Music Group, Not Now Music and EG Jazz  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Hobart traces the Rodgers and Hart tune's journey from Broadway musical number to ubiquitous torch song to mood-changing jazz masterpiece  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Podcasts have existed for more than 10 years but have recently seen a surge of interest, spurred by the success of the true crime drama Serial, which has been downloaded more than 70m times. What is driving the so-called “podcast renaissance”? How are they different from radio shows? And do they pose a threat to traditional broadcasting? FT technology editor Ravi Mattu is joined by literature professor Sarah Churchwell, veteran podcaster Helen Zaltzman and Mark Friend, who is responsible for BBC Radio online. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown and Lily Le Brun  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Herbie Hancock's soul jazz classic 'Watermelon Man' originally drew on his 1940s Chicago childhood but went on to be given funk, disco, ska, pop and hip-hop makeovers, says Mike Hobart. Credits: Roslin Records, Columbia/Legacy, Salt & Pepper, History Of RnB Records  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The rousing spiritual from folk opera 'Porgy and Bess' has become one of the most recorded tunes of all time, says David Honigmann, with Miles Davis, Janis Joplin and Peter Gabriel among the artists who covered it. Credits: Columbia/Legacy, Mercury Records, Hallmark  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Honigmann on why Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Dolly Parton and Saint Etienne have all been drawn to Silver Dagger's cautionary tale of heartache and "wicked loving lies". Credits: Sugar Hill, Saint Etienne, Columbia/Legacy  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Specials' 'Ghost Town' became the soundtrack to the 1981 Brixton riots. Thirty years on, its message of disaffection remains relevant, says David Honigmann. Credits: Chrysalis Records Ltd, Hyperdub, Tru Thoughts.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Honigmann explores one of the handful of songs recorded by the blues singer Robert Johnson, in which he is pursued by the Devil, society or his own demons. Credits: UMG Recordings, Inc., Blue Note Records, Universal Island Records Ltd., Not Now Music Ltd  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Elvis Costello wrote the song during the Falklands War yet, David Honigmann says, its specific political subtext didn't deter Suede, The Unthanks and others from covering it. Credits: Domino Recording, Universal Music Catalogue)/Elvis Costello, Topic Records Ltd, RabbleRouser Music  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Honigmann on the Louis Armstrong blues song that inspired a poem by WH Auden and recordings by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and others.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Recorded by musical perfectionists Steely Dan, sampled by hip-hop trio De La Soul and recycled in other pop songs, the story of 'Peg' is one of originality and appropriation, Peter Aspden says. Credits: MCA Records Inc, Rhino, The Echo Label Limited  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Aspden tells the story of 'Misirlou', the swaying Anatolian love song that was reinvented as a 1960s surfers' anthem before gaining a massive audience with Pulp Fiction and sampling by The Black Eyed Peas. Credits: Parker Street Records, JB Production, Universal Music Group  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From heartfelt but humble song to all-conquering power ballad, Peter Aspden tells the ultimately tragic story of 'Without You'  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ludovic Hunter-Tilney looks back 50 years to the time of the British Invasion and Petula Clark's evocation of Anglo-Americana. Credit: Sanctuary Records/BMG; Universal  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.