Show Notes
Filmmaker and author Naz Riahi tells a heartbreaking story she wrote for SongWriter about the loss of a beloved pet, and how her experience of grief was shaped by the war in Gaza. Neuroscientist Dr. Meghan Myer explains the way empathy maps on to different parts of our brains, and talks about her imaging research. And songwriter Rahill Jamalifard of the band Habibi plays a brand-new song written in response. The song is available on Rahill's Bandcamp, and all proceeds benefit Gaza Mutual Aid SongWriterPodcast.com Instagram.com/SongWriterPodcast Facebook.com/SongWriterPodcast TikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcast X.com/SnogWriter Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
More from SongWriter
While we're busy making season eight, the SongWriter team decided to reissue a few favorite episodes. In this one, SongWriter's own Laurie Woolever reads a story she wrote for the podcast (and later published in her memoir, Care and Feeding), about an intense day in Sri Lanka. Composer Mike Ruffino, who did all of the music for most of Anthony Bourdain's television shows, uses sounds and instruments recorded during that shoot to create a song of transition, dedication, and loss. Mike's memoir is Adios, Motherfucker. Chapters 10:46 Laurie's story 40:39 Mike's song: "Devotion Cycle Part II: Climate Control” SongWriterPodcast.com Instagram.com/SongWriterPodcast Facebook.com/SongWriterPodcast TikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcast YouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcast SongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com.
At a live performance at Joe's Pub in New York City, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan shares a chapter from her recent novel The Candy House. NYU’s Dr. Chris Barrie speaks about AI, and tries to disentangle its potential as a threat to, or a savior of, humanity. Songwriter Rhett Miller (The Old 97s), who is an old friend and an admirer of Jennifer’s, performs a brand new song in response. Chapters 05:46 Jennifer Egan reads a chapter of The Candy House 16:28 A conversation about AI with Dr. Christopher Barrie 50:22 "Near Eureka" performed live by Rhett Miller SongWriterPodcast.com Instagram.com/SongWriterPodcast Facebook.com/SongWriterPodcast TikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcast YouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcast SongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
Married couple Sonia Khan and Ian Lovatt tell the story of a near-death experience and the long journey of recovery. Caregiving researcher Dr. Brianna Morgan speaks about ageism and giving a voice to people living with compromised communication abilities through poetry. Composer and drummer Tom Marsh remembers life-altering advice Ian gave him, and shares a new song called "Illuminate." Chapters: 01:02 Sonia begins the story 28:39 Dr. Brianna Marsh speaks about caregiving 48:57 Tom Marsh debuts "Illuminate" SongWriterPodcast.com Instagram.com/SongWriterPodcast Facebook.com/SongWriterPodcast TikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcast YouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcast SongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
Filmmaker and actress Isabella Rossellini describes the night she went to see Temple Grandin speak at Hunter College, and ended up enrolling in graduate school to study animal behavior at the age of 60. Isabella’s friend and professor Dr. Diana Reiss speaks about her research work with animals, and the importance of seeing them not just as species, but as individuals. Rock star Sharon Van Etten explains why this project meant the world to her, and performs a new song titled "for Isabella." Chapters: 09:30 Isabella Rossellini describes how Darwin decoded animal intelligence using photography 24:11 Dr. Diana Reiss tells a story about a dolphin who turned her training methods back on her 38:39 Sharon Van Etten speaks about the catharsis of writing about intensity and darkness SongWriterPodcast.com Instagram.com/SongWriterPodcast Facebook.com/SongWriterPodcast TikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcast YouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcast SongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
In this episode Niyonagira Laurence recounts her experience of the Rwandan genocide. She talks about the process of forgiving Mutiribambe Aloys – a neighbor who killed members of her family – after he returned to the village from prison. Aloys speaks how terrifying it was to return to the village, and what happened when his son fell in love with Laurence’s daughter. Dr. Valentine Ngalim speaks about his research on forgiveness in Kenya. Laurence’s daughter Uwizeyimana Solange remembers processing her understanding of the genocide as a child, and how she decided to marry Aloys’s son, Uwizeyimana Vedaste. Vedaste describes the song he wrote about their story, “Imboni Y’ibyiza.” To read an English translation of the song, you can go to the SongWriter episode page. Chapters: 00:02:25 Laurence and Aloys' story 00:21:48 Dr. Valentin Ngalim's perspective on forgiveness 00:38:52 Solange and Vedaste's story SongWriterPodcast.com Instagram.com/SongWriterPodcast Facebook.com/SongWriterPodcast TikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcast YouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcast SongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation