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Songs of the Humpback Whale

The story of Roger Payne’s best-selling environmental album, released 50 years ago.

Songs of the Humpback Whale was released in 1970 and went multi-platinum, becoming the best selling environmental album of all time. But it also became emblematic of the West’s shifting attitudes towards environmentalism, inspiring a global movement to save the whales which continues to this day.

Marking the 50th anniversary of bioacoustician Roger Payne’s unlikely smash hit, this programme considers the legacy of sounds that caught the imagination of the world.

With contributions from the world of music, science and ecology, including the folk singer Judy Collins, Greenpeace Oceans Campaigner Willie Mackenzie, Greenlandic musician Peter Tussi Motzfeldt, marine biologist and electronic musician Sara Niksic, music writer Simon Reynolds and Roger Payne himself.
Including archive courtesy of Radio Canada international
With music by Duotone.

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Sat 3 Oct 2020 10:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Tue 29 Sep 2020 01:32GMT
  • Tue 29 Sep 2020 08:06GMT
  • Tue 29 Sep 2020 14:06GMT
  • Tue 29 Sep 2020 15:32GMT
  • Tue 29 Sep 2020 19:06GMT
  • Sat 3 Oct 2020 10:32GMT