Other

BBC World Service Online

The Fifth Floor

Factual: Life Stories

Global stories from the BBC’s 40 Language Services, with Faranak Amidi

Faranak Amidi presents global stories from the Fifth Floor, home to the BBC’s 40 Language Services.

Faranak Amidi presents global stories from the Fifth Floor, home to the BBC’s 40 Language Services

The Fifth Floor: Rhyme, Rhythm and Rumba

SINGING GETTY

02/01/2015

Rhyme, Rhythm and Rumba

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, Rhyme, Rhythm and Rumba

2014 in song: favourite musical features from the World Service's 27 language sections

Revisiting 2014 through song: favourite musical features from the World Service's 27 language sections.

A box full of musical adventures from the past year on the Fifth Floor, including: 

Can you pick a song that defines your country? From Ukraine to Cuba, then Tanzania - our Language Service journalists choose a track that describes how they feel about their nation.  

Plus, how to sing the Ethiopian blues, the Sindhi street musician who made Karachi stop and listen for a moment, and a lesson in beatboxing Saudi-style.

There's also music and dissent - how Fela Kuti changed the way Nigerians see themselves, and the moment when musical instruments were shown on live Iranian state TV for the first time in 30 years.   

Politics, romance and censorship - all in a dotted quaver and a four/four beat, presented by David Amanor.

Picture credit: Getty Images

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Fifth Floor

Rhyme, Rhythm and Rumba

Genres

Brand

BBC World Service Online

About BBC World Service