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Presenting music with Pierre Bensusan.
Terkel comments and presents musical performance of Gershwin program.
Ollie Gilbert, folk musician, and Jimmie Driftwood, folk songwriter and musician, discuss and folk music. They also discuss instruments such as banjos, guitars, and musical bows. The two musicians also talk about how music evolves over time and as it is passed through generations.
Ollie Gilbert, folk musician, and Jimmie Driftwood, folk songwriter and musician, discuss music including how Gilbert's family has passed down music through the generations.
Martin Gottfried discusses his book "Broadway Musicals" and the history of the musicals by evaluating the different big name composers, lyricists, and directors of Broadway.
They briefly discuss coal mining in Appalachia, specifically Blackey Kentucky. Includes an interview with Joe Begley a coal miner from Blackey, Kentucky.
The opening song is a rebroadcast from a previous recording with Studs Terkel. John Prine talks about his family history in Paradise, Kentucky and when he was born and raised in Maywood, Illinois (Chicago Greater Area). Prine is known for humorous lyrics about love, life, and current events, as well as serious songs with social commentary, or which recollect melancholy tales from his life. All the songs are played in the studio from his albums "John Prine" and "Diamonds in the Rough"
Studs interviews Harry Chapin about his music and career. They discuss Chapin’s style of writing songs. Chapin describes some of his songs such as “Cats In the Cradle,” “Sniper,” “WOLD,” and “Mr. Tanner.” He stresses that his songs tell stories and often are influenced by real-life events. For example, “30,000 Bananas Pounds of Bananas” came from a trip he took on a Greyhound bus through Pennsylvania where there was a truck accident.
E.Y. (Yip) Harburg explains how songwriting needs to use and elevate street language to be successful, why he likes rainbows, and what creators of art and music owe the world. He also reads from his book "Rhymes for the Irreverent". Music is played from Finian's Rainbow: "When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich" and "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?", original Broadway cast recording. Part 2. Music has been removed from this recording for copyright reasons.
E.Y. (Yip) Harburg talks about the challenges in writing songs for characters, specifically Og in "Finian's Rainbow". He also discusses the craftsmanship of lyric writing and reads from his book "Rhymes for the Irreverent". Music is heard throughout: "When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love" performed by David Wayne and "The Eagle and Me", performed by Dooley Wilson. Part 1 Music has been removed from this recording for copyright reasons.
E.Y. (Yip) Harburg and Studs Terkel read from the book "At This Point in Rhyme". E.Y. Harburg also discusses his thoughts on humanity, how to properly write a song, and the importance of light verse and humor as a basis for everything he creates. Excerpts of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" by the Weavers, and a Broadway recording of "How Are Things in Glocca Morra" are played in the original airing but have been removed from this version for copyright reasons.