Episode 2

Synopsis

Bill Kenwright presents the second of three programmes profiling the life and music of songwriter, composer and producer, Tony Hatch.

Tonight's programme looks at the golden years following the success of Downtown when Tony notched up a string of hits with Petula Clark including I Know A Place, You're The One (co-written with Petula), My Love, Don't Sleep In The Subway and I Couldn't Live Without Your Love.

The latter two, of course, were written with Jackie Trent, who Tony began working with in 1963 and who he eventually married. Together, they formed one of the most successful song-writing partnerships in pop music history, earning them the tag "Mr and Mrs Music", writing and recording songs together as well as for other artists such as Scott Walker.

We hear from Petula Clark about the songs that made her want to sing and her reluctance to record My Love, which then went on to become a number one hit in America.

There is archive of Jackie Trent recalling the first song she wrote with Tony and of recording The Two Of Us, which made them household names in Australia. And Tony himself talks about his songwriting style and gives his own opinion on being called the "British Burt Bacharach".

Broadcast

1. Fri 3 Jul 2009
   19:00
   BBC Radio 2