All You Need Is Love: The Story of Popular Music

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It is generally assumed that American popular music comes from the coastal regions of Africa; that the slaves brought drums to the United States; that jazz originated, somehow, in New Orleans; that the blues developed in the Mississippi Delta, and later became the cornerstone of everything from rock n roll to ragtime. All of these assumptions are untrue, and this episode with seek to uncover the real story – in Africa, on the edge of the Sahara; in Austria and the Salzkammergut; in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas; in New Orleans and in Texas. featuring Duke Ellington Ginger Baker James Brown LeRoi Jones Lightnin' Hopkins Rufus Thomas The Platters Tina Turner

Thanks to the hit movie, “The Sting”, everyone reckons they know about Ragtime. But do they? This Episode includes the oldest known piece of film (1898) showing what the cakewalk was really like. Also extracts from The Royal Ballet production based on Scott Joplin’s music, “Elite Syncopations”. Also extracts staged by the Houston Grand Opera of Joplin’s only surviving opera, “Treemonisha”. There is also rare early film of Irving Berlin (Alexander’s Ragtime Band) as well as film of Joplin’s birthplace and of the madhouse where he died. Although reference is made to other early ragtime composers, this episode is essentially the story of Scott Joplin – an extraordinary tragedy of failure, frustration, pride, of the black man’s struggle to achieve for himself a proper place in American society. featuring Christies Ethiopian Serenaders Eubie Blake Houston Grand Opera and the music of Scott Joplin Irving Berlin Monica Mason Rudi Blesh Terry Waldo

This episode takes a look at the origins of jazz and challenges the theories that it is a black music form which was created in New Orleans. Featuring contributions and footage from Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus and Louis Armstrong.

Exploring the origins of the blues, with contributions and performance recordings by Memphis Slim, Ray Charles, Muddy Waters, Billie Holiday and BB King.

The history of suggestive songs and their vaudeville and music hall beginnings, with artists featured including Judy Garland, Liberace, Mae West, Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich.