Sir Karl Jenkins' Benedictus is the penultimate movement from his anti-war mass, The Armed Man. Written twenty-five years ago this year and performed over three thousand times, Sir Karl dedicated it to the victims of the 1998-1999 Kosovo war. It was originally commissioned by The Royal Armouries Museum and premiered for the millennium. The Armed Man as a whole reflects the descent into war, but the movement of Benedictus' emerges as a message of hope and peace in the aftermath. Benedictus is recognised for its haunting cello theme, in a register unusually high for this resonant instrument. The cello solo gradually expands into a full choir and orchestra. Benedictus has given solace to listeners through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. We hear some of their stories. Featuring: British Armed Forces Veteran Michael Young, who served in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan; Reverand Charles Thody, Priest in Lincolnshire and chaplain for the NHS; Dane Coetzee, cellist in Cape Town, South Africa; And the composer of Benedictus himself, Sir Karl Jenkins and his wife, Lady Carol Jenkins. Producer: Eliza Lomas for BBC Audio Bristol Sound Engineer: Ilse Lademann Editor: Emma Harding

America is Anita's all singing, all dancing number from the musical West Side Story. The Puerto Rican Sharks gang argue over whether America is a great place to live, an argument still being played out by migrants today. With contributions from young migrants to the US as well as an actress who has performed the song in a UK production and a Puerto Rican man who watched Rita Moreno performing the role growing up, and went on to study the musical as an academic in the United States.Including an interview with Rita Moreno originally broadcast on BBC 100 Women in Conversation in 2023Produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Sally Heaven

"Lovely Day" was released in 1977. Its simple blissful melody masks profound lyrics which on closer examination offer hope and solace to many fans of the song. Some of them share their stories here of what it means to them, including two people who had the privilege of meeting and working with Bill Withers. Taro Alexander was a shy insecure young man with a stutter who founded an organisation for children like him who struggled with speaking in public. As a boy he would listen to Lovely Day in his bedroom. Often it was the only way he could get himself out of that bedroom and off to school. To his surprise he learned that Bill Withers had also had a difficult time throughout his childhood because of his stutter and invited him to meet the young people of SAY (The Stuttering Association for The Young). Taro was deeply moved by Bill Withers' reaction to the young people and says the song speaks to so many of us in our daily struggles. Bass player John Inghram met and worked with Bill twice at the Music Hall of Fame in West Virginia where both men are from. He organised a tribute concert to him on his 80th birthday and played Bill Withers songs exclusively to honour the man he describes as generous and 'utterly hilarious'. Sunita Harley had Lovely Day on her playlist when she went into hospital for the birth of a much longed for IVF baby. On a snowy April day after a long arduous labour she held her daughter in her arms for the first time and the sun shone through the window as Lovely Day came on the playlist. Philippa King and her daughter Milly have a special place in their hearts for the song. It came on the car radio on a beautiful sunny drive along the coast near Brighton. It was Milly's first trip outside of the hospital where she'd been for many months dangerously ill with Crohns Disease. The song gave mother and daughter hope that things would get better and it became their victory anthem when Milly was finally able to leave hospital. Karen Gibson MBE founded the Kingdom Choir and has conducted and mentored many young singers. Their gospel version of Lovely Day is a thrillingly uplifting reminder that we can all choose to make it a lovely day no matter what else is going on in our lives while we either listen to or sing that song.Producer: Maggie Ayre

This conversation features Chris Lightfoot, a professional guitarist and music teacher in Zurich, who links 'Tender' to a poignant past love. Damon Albarn, Blur's lead singer, reveals how his breakup with Justine Frischmann shaped the song's emotional depth. Graham Coxon shares his creative process influenced by his journey to sobriety, while Catherine Anne Davies, known as The Anchoress, offers her literary perspective on the song. Together, they explore themes of love, loss, and the transformative power of music.

Joan Baez, the iconic folk singer and activist, reflects on her transformative relationship with Bob Dylan, which inspired the legendary song ‘Diamonds and Rust’. Music writer Kevin EG Perry reveals the song's backstory, while Judy Collins reminisces about their performances together and the Newport Folk Festival. Classicist Edith Hall shares how the song helped her through a tough divorce, connecting its themes of nostalgia and loss to personal experiences. This heartfelt conversation celebrates music's power to evoke memories and healing.

Elton John's slow burner is now one of his most beloved tracks. Released in 1971 during a prolific period for Elton and Bernie Taupin, many people see themselves in the lyrics.Eliza Hewitt grew up in a strict household in Pennsylvania. During the tumultuous early 70s, her brother introduced her to the music of Elton John, and she's still a tiny dancer in her late 60s.Lee Hall wrote the screenplay for Rocketman, the Elton John biopic. He sees the song as a conversation between Elton and Bernie.Podcaster Kirk Hamilton takes us through the song's slow build to a chorus which feels as though it's never going to come.Judith Sibley's daughter Lily-Mae received a terrible diagnosis when she was just 4 years old. Along with her brother Paul and friend Steven, she channelled her efforts into recording a charity single for her ballet loving daughter, and Tiny Dancer was the obvious song.When Ava Forte Vitali and Drew Wood met and exchanged playlists they realised how much they had in common. So much so, that Tiny Dancer had to play a part in their wedding.Produced by Sally Heaven for BBC Audio in Bristol Technical Producer: Ilse Lademann Editor: Emma Harding.

"I never felt magic crazy as this....."For some it's a beacon of hope, for others a metaphor for love. 'Northern Sky' is the penultimate track on Nick Drake's 1971 album 'Bryter Layter'. The sound was shaped by the Velvet Underground's John Cale who added the piano, organ and celeste. His records didn't sell well much to Nick's disappointment, but after his death in 1974 his music and genius became much better-known. These are just some of the stories from whose lives have been profoundly touched by this iconic track. Gordon Hunter had a difficult childhood and says hearing 'Northern Sky' brought a meditative sense of calm to his life, like "finding treasure."Nick Drake's producer Joe Boyd remembers how John Cale became involved in the recording, and his sadness that Nick never got the recognition he deserved in his own lifetime.Singer-songwriter Alex Hart took a job on the Covid-19 111 helpline during the first lockdown and listened to 'Northern Sky' on the drives home. Alex covered the track for one of her albums.Musicians Neil MacColl and Kate St John fell in love on the 'Way To Blue' tour in 2011 and discuss their performance of 'Northern Sky' and Kate's string arrangements. Neil walks us through Nick's guitar tunings and the song's lyrics.It's a song that reminds Laura Barton of spring and the first rush of love which she experienced as a student in Oxford."Brighten my northern sky."Producer: Toby Field for BBC Audio Bristol Technical Producer: Michael Harrison Editor: Emma Harding

"I can see clearly now the rain is gone / I can see all obstacles in my way / Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind / It's gonna be a bright / Bright sunshiny day"I Can See Clearly Now was written by the Houston-born singer-songwriter Johnny Nash. First released in 1972, it became a huge hit and the song has been covered by hundreds of artists, from the Jamaican singer Jimmy Cliff to the Irish rock group Hothouse Flowers. For recording engineer and producer Luke DeLalio the original of the song is 'a masterpiece', with a sublime vocal performance and an arrangement that is surprisingly experimental for such an apparently simple song. Professor Kathy M. Newman of Carnegie Mellon University tells us about Johnny Nash's life and career, from his early years as a clean-cut crooner and teen idol, to his time recording in Jamaica and his later years, living on a ranch in Texas. For author and psychologist Peggy DeLong it's a song of hope, resilience and love. It was once meant to be her wedding song but took on new significance after she lost her fiancé as a young woman in the 1990s. The song appeared in Brenda Drumm's life when she needed it most. In a moment of darkness and worry, it came on the radio as she was driving home from a day of tests at the hospital near her home in County Kildare. It allowed her to dare to plan for the future. Poet Jack Mapanje was detained in Malawi’s notorious Mikuyu Prison without charge from 1987 until 1991, under Hastings Banda's regime. He remembers singing the song when other political prisoners were released - "it's a song of hope". And the author Joanne Harris talks about the song's "sense of perpetual sky" and how the lyrics provide grounding and comfort in troubled times. Produced by Mair Bosworth for BBC Audio

Guests Lyn Mackay and Nica Strunk share their emotional connections to the classic song 'Someone To Watch Over Me'. They discuss how the song has evolved in meaning for them over the years and the deep personal experiences it has brought to light. The podcast explores the impact of music on relationships, self-discovery, and emotional growth through poignant stories and reflections.

Sweet Thing by Van Morrison has an atmosphere full of tenderness, wonder and joy. But underneath this there a feeling of transience, a melancholy sense of things coming to an end, and of inevitable change. It was written for his 1968 album Astral Weeks, at a time when the Northern Irish born Van had left his home country and was down-and-out in Boston, USA. We hear how the track has come to mean so much to so many. Caroline Mellor from Brighton remembers an intense moment of hearing Sweet Thing whilst staying in the mountains of Andalucía, Spain. Sammy Douglas, Councillor and current High Sheriff of Belfast, reflects on memories of the Troubles and how the song intertwines with the tale of his first love. Ryan H. Walsh, Bostonian and author of Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968, explains how the seminal album Astral Weeks came about, and John Payne, flautist on Sweet Thing, shares memories of those extraordinary recording sessions with Van Morrison. And singer-songwriter Alanna Joy from South Africa considers why she opens her live sets with her own rendition of Sweet Thing, and recalls hearing it for the first time through Jeff Buckley's cover.Produced by Eliza Lomas for BBC Audio in Bristol Technical Producer: Ilse Lademann Editor: Emma Harding.