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Desert Island Discs

Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Desert Island Discs: Fran Landesman

22/09/1996

Fran Landesman

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Fran Landesman

Sue Lawley's castaway is songwriter Fran Landesman

Sue Lawley's castaway is songwriter Fran Landesman.

She has written songs for her friends Barbra Streisand and Bette Davis, and admires Jarvis Cocker and Damon Albarn. This week, the poet and lyricist Fran Landesman chooses her eight records.

Although now in her 60s, retired to her bed and celibate, she is still writing lyrics and performing her poetry and has just published a new collection of her work. From poor little rich girl to a life of bohemian excess, she looks back at her experiences - free love, free speech and mind-expanding drugs - on Desert Island Discs.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] 

Favourite track: Down by Nicki Leighton Thomas
Book: Rebel Without Applause and Jay Walking by Jay Landesman
Luxury: Cannabis seeds

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics, as broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics. Over 900 programmes, as broadcast from 1946 – 2004.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: Boris Yeltin's heart surgery

Boris Yeltin's heart surgery

BBC Radio 4 - Letter from America by Alistair Cooke, Boris Yeltin's heart surgery

A history of governance of by gravely ill leaders.

Boris Yeltsin's heart-bypass surgery and the cultures of secrecy that have surrounded the heath and governance of gravely ill leaders.

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