SongWriter turns stories into songs
Ben Arthur
SongWriter is a storytelling and songwriting podcast where stories become brand new songs. In each episode, a celebrated writer shares a story, and a musician writes and performs a song inspired by it — revealing how narratives turn into music, lyrics, and emotion.Hosted by Ben Arthur, SongWriter features conversations and performances from artists including Questlove, Joyce Carol Oates, George Saunders, Steve Earle, David Sedaris, and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. The show blends the craft of writing, the creative processes of art, and intimate connections between authors and musicians.If you love great stories and great songs — and want a behind-the-scenes look at creativity from some of today’s most influential artists — this is your next listen.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 15, 2019 • 14min
Aura Hernandez + Denise Reis
Aura Hernandez has been living in a church on the Upper West Side for more than a year. She tells the story of how she came to take sanctuary in the church, and about her hopes for the future. Brazilian songwriter Denise Reis performs a song written in response to Aura's life story.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
Oct 1, 2019 • 18min
Rita Mullaney + Byron Isaacs
Retired police captain Rita Mullaney tells a story about two dislocated people who secretly lived for years in New York City police precincts, and veteran musician Byron Isaacs, of the Lumineers, shares a song he wrote in response.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
Sep 17, 2019 • 18min
Kurt Andersen + Vienna Teng
Public radio's Kurt Andersen reads from his critical history of America, Fantasyland. He tells the story of colonist Anne Hutchinson and the singular religious rebellion she started, which led to her eventual banishment and death.Vienna Teng plays a song written in response, using a looper pedal and backwards vocals to depict an argument between the complex truth and simplistic jingoism.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
Sep 3, 2019 • 23min
Rick Moody + Xenia Rubinos
Bestselling author Rick Moody reads a chapter from his novel Hotels of North America, about love, marriage, and an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction. Xenia Rubinos talks about transience on tour, and plays her answer song, "Three Stars."https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
Aug 20, 2019 • 22min
Roxane Gay + Aya Aziz
Bestselling author Roxane Gay reads her short story "Baby Arm," about love, friendship, and a women's fight club. Songwriter and playwright Aya Aziz performs "Push," and talks about how she came to write the song in response to Roxane's story.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
Aug 6, 2019 • 28min
Joyce Carol Oates + Ted Leo
In the fifth episode of SongWriter, legendary author Joyce Carol Oates reads "Deceit," from her collection Black Dahlia & White Rose, about a young mother dealing with allegations of abuse made about her teenage daughter. Songwriter Ted Leo talks about his reaction to the story and reflects on his own history of abuse, and shares his song "Deceit," which was written in response.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
Jul 23, 2019 • 24min
Dolan Morgan + Emily Hope Price
Brooklyn author and illustrator Dolan Morgan reads a story called "The New Middle Class," and cellist Emily Hope Price plays a song she wrote in response. Price talks about the recent loss of a friend, and how that loss informed the song, also called "The New Middle Class."https://SongWriterPodcast.com/Joyce-Carol-Oates-Katie-MeluaTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
Jul 9, 2019 • 26min
Deborah Copaken + Tommy Siegel
In the third episode of SongWriter, Deborah Copaken reads an excerpt of her upcoming book Ladyparts, and Tommy Siegel (of Jukebox the Ghost) performs his song "Dear Science," which he wrote in response.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
Jun 25, 2019 • 27min
Gary Shteyngart + Elissa LeCoque
Gary Shteyngart reads from his novel Lake Success, about the flame out and subsequent freak out of hedge fund manager Barry Cohen, and Elissa LeCoque shares her song written in response, "Weak Wrists."https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
Jun 11, 2019 • 11min
Susan Orlean + Ben Arthur
This is the first episode of SongWriter, featuring a story from bestselling author Susan Orlean, and a song written in response by host Ben Arthur. Ben and Rob Reinhart, of the syndicated radio program Acoustic Cafe, introduce the series and briefly discuss inspiration and answer songs.https://SongWriterPodcast.comTwitter.com/SnogWriterInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
