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Roger McGough

Jools welcomes poet Roger McGough to the studio to perform live and pick some favourite records.

McGough was born in Litherland, Lancashire, to the north of Liverpool, the city with which he is firmly associated, and was educated at the University of Hull at a time when Philip Larkin was the librarian there. Returning to Merseyside in the early 1960s, he worked as a teacher and, with John Gorman, organised arts events. After meeting Mike McGear the trio formed The Scaffold, working the Edinburgh Festival until they signed to Parlophone records in 1966. The group scored several hit records, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart in 1968 with their version of "Lily The Pink". McGough wrote the lyrics for many of the group's songs and also recorded the musical comedy/poetry album McGough and McGear.

McGough was also responsible for much of the humorous dialogue in The Beatles' animated film, Yellow Submarine, although he did not receive an on-screen credit. At about the same time a selection of his poems was published, along with work from Adrian Henri and Brian Patten, in a best-selling paperback volume of verse entitled The Mersey Sound, first published in 1967, revised in 1983 and again in 2007.

57 minutes

Last on

Mon 11 Apr 2016 23:00
BBC Radio 2

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Music Played

  • Chuck Berry

    Let It Rock

    • MCA.

  • Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys

    Hubbin' It

    • Lonesome Highway - Hubbin It.
    • Properbox.
    • 8.

  • Bill Monroe

    Heavy Traffic Ahead

    • Lonesome Highway-This Land Is Your Land.
    • Proper Box.
    • 4.

  • Jools Holland & his Rhythm & Blues Band

    Temple Bar

  • The Beatles

    Old Brown Shoe

    • The Beatles - Past Masters.
    • Apple.
    • 12.

  • Lonnie Johnson & Eddie Lang

    Hot Fingers

    • Hot Fingers -Jazz Greats -Jazz Guitar.
    • Jazz Greats.
    • 1.

  • Aretha Franklin

    Sit Down and Cry

    • This Girls In Love With You.
    • Rhino.
    • 10.

  • McGough & McGear

    Summer With Monica

    • McGough & McGear - 10 Milk Bottles.
    • Esoteric.
    • 4.

  • Roger McGough with Jools Holland & Band

    And So To Bed...

  • McGough & McGear

    Ex Art Student

    • McGough & McGear - 10 Milk Bottles.
    • Esoteric.
    • 13.

Broadcast

  • Mon 11 Apr 2016 23:00
    BBC Radio 2