The Whole Nine Yards Episode 254
With Roy Stannard
On Mid Sussex Radio 103.8FM
Sunday 7th December 2025 3-5pm
www.midsussexradio.co.uk/listen

The Songs of Billy Blake

William Blake’s life and work have moved many artists, musicians in particular. His influence has crossed genres: classical, punk, and folk musicians have walked through his doors of perception. He wrote ‘Jerusalem’, ‘Tyger, Tyger’ and portrayed a London that Dickens would later inhabit. He loved God and hated religion. Van and Jim Morrison and Patti Smith wrote songs about him. Billy Bragg named an album ‘William Bloke’. We take him out of the Albert Hall and send him to brighten our Albion.

Hour One

Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Jerusalem (Brain Salad Surgery 1973)
Testament – London (Blake Remixed 2015)
Jah Wobble – Lonely London (The Inspiration of William Blake 1996)
Patti Smith – My Blakean Year (Easter 1978)
Radiohead – Airbag (OK Computer 1997)
Pet Shop Boys – Inside A Dream (Electric 2013)
The Verve – History (A Northern Soul 1995)
Coldplay – Viva La Vida (Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends 2008)
U2 – Ultraviolet (Light My Way) (Achtung Baby 1991)
Bloc Party – Ion Square (Intimacy 2008)

Hour Two

Julian Cope – Psychedelic Odin (Black Sheep 2008)
Babyshambles – Albion (Down in Albion 2005)
Tangerine Dream ft Jocelyn Bernadette Smith – London (edit) (Tyger 1987)
Beth Orton – Poison Tree (Sugaring Season 2012)
Terry Scott Taylor – Song of Innocence (Knowledge & Innocence 1986)
Midlake – Winter Dies (The Courage Of Others 2010)
The The – Some Days I Drink My Coffee By The Grave of William Blake (Ensoulment 2024)
Bob Dylan – Every Grain Of Sand (Shot Of Love 1981)
Jeremy Irons – The Garden of Love (Poem)
Van Morrison – In The Garden (No Guru, No Method, No Teacher 1986)
Billy Bragg – Jerusalem (The Internationale 1990)