Home Shows A to Z





Diary 1950s to 1990s Articles Credits & Links

TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

A series of late night shows based on songs with a distinct theme each week, war, love, work, heroes, the wild west etc, or as TV Times put it "A programme of illustrated songs, sung from the heart."


The producers had the good taste to employ Alexis Korner as the musical director, who wasn't an unknown to viewers as he had also worked on Rediffusion's Five O'Clock Club. The show also gave valuable early recognition to Julie Felix, who appeared in each show. Over the next five years or so she would become a familiar but welcome voice on British TV. She told Melody Maker in July 1965 "It's kind of hard to say, but I guess the programme's done me good. I have a bit of a following among folk people here, and a few have come up to me and tell me they think the show is a bit commercial, not really a folk show, but they're with me anyhow. On the other hand, I was walking in the West End the other day and a total stranger stopped me and said 'You're Julie Felix, I've seen you on TV'. This was the first time that had happened. What the show has done, I think, is reach a lot of people who are not folk fans and stimulate them into taking an interest in it. This must be good, however you label the music."


Despite introducing guests like Marrianne Faithfull, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Josh White the show only lasted for six editions. According to Michael Lindsay-Hogg in Andy Neill's excellent book on Ready Steady Go Paul Simon had been hired to perform on Heartsong but the show had come to an end, so he was invited onto RSG 23rd July 1965 to perform I Am A Rock to fulfil the contract.


A clip of Julie Felix from the 'work' edition was recovered and is on You Tube.



HEARTSONG


Rediffusion

14th June 1965 - 19th July 1965