| The Song Tree | |
| BBC Schools Radio | |
| Company: | BBC |
| First run: | 11th January
1982 (31 school years) [more][less] |
| Episodes: | 381 episodes (approximately) |
| Duration: | 15 minutes, 20 minutes |
| Subject: | Music: Music |
| Audience: | Age 5-7 |
| Language: | In English |
| Browse programme details | |
| BBC primary music | |
 Previous series: Music Box (age 4-5) |
 Next series: Time and Tune (age 7-9) |
Contents |
The title originates from the idea that the programme represents a tree that grows out of a song, as the presenters encourage children not just to sing but to play accompaniments, as well as rhythm and melody games, listening activities and other related activity.
When it began the series strictly focussed on one song per episode with no overlaps or development, so that teachers could record the programmes and play them back in a different order or skip episodes completely - in fact I think that several of the terms marked "???" in the episode list below did not have a title or theme at all. In the mid-1980s it adopted a similar approach to the other BBC school radio music series, with a uniting theme every term, sometimes even a cantata to be learned, and songs to be remembered and built-up from week to week.
The series had originally been scheduled to begin in the autumn term 1980, on Fridays at 10:45am, but it did not go out in 1980-81 at all (possibly due to the severe school radio budget cuts around that time, but that's only speculation) and it began properly in spring 1982.
The Song Tree was broadcast in every school term from 1985 to 2000. After that The Song Tree was still broadcast in most terms, and from 2000 to 2007 Let's Sing was broadcast whenever there was no Song Tree.
Episodes of The Song Tree were originally 15 minutes long, but programmes produced since 1999 have been 20 minutes long. When older 15-minute programmes are repeated in 20-minute timeslots, they are bolstered by a couple of extra songs at the end to make up time.
Episode Guide
Can't find the productions you remember here? Maybe they were from the BBC's other music radio series with drama productions, Time and Tune, Music Workshop or Music Makers?
If you have any of the Song Tree pamphlets that you can scan please get in touch by email or on the forum. Similarly if you know any of the missing titles from the 1980s please get in touch by email or on the forum.
| Year | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-82 | Autumn 1981(no broadcast) | Spring 1982???
|
Summer 1982???
|
| 1982-83 | Autumn 1982(no broadcast) | Spring 1983???
|
Summer 1983???
|
| 1983-84 | Autumn 1983(no broadcast) | Spring 1984???
|
Summer 1984Little Moose
|
| 1984-85 | Autumn 1984(no broadcast) | Spring 1985(no broadcast) | Summer 1985Jesper and the 100 Hares
|
| 1985-86 | Autumn 1985???
|
Spring 1986The Amazing Secret Music Maze
|
Summer 1986The Fantastic Fish-Tank Fantasy
|
| 1986-87 | Autumn 1986A Gaggle of Music Games
|
Spring 1987The Music Menagerie
|
Summer 1987The Instant Music Grow-Bag
|
| 1987-88 | Autumn 1987Huff and Puff
|
Spring 1988The Amazing Secret Music Maze
|
Summer 1988Drums, Dragons and Dreams
|
| 1988-89 | Autumn 1988A Gaggle of Music Games
|
Spring 1989The Music Menagerie
|
Summer 1989The Instant Music Grow-Bag
|
| 1989-90 | Autumn 1989Huff and Puff
|
Spring 1990The Fantastic Fish-Tank Fantasy
|
Summer 1990Drums, Dragons and Dreams
|
| 1990-91 | Autumn 1990In Motion
|
Spring 1991Mysteries...
|
Summer 1991Wild!
|
| 1991-92 | Autumn 1991The Bumblesnouts Save the World
|
Spring 1992Krazy Kitchen
|
Summer 1992All Shapes and Sizes
|
| 1992-93 | Autumn 1992Just So!
|
Spring 1993Fit as a Fiddle
|
Summer 1993Around and About
|
| 1993-94 | Autumn 1993Join the Band
|
Spring 1994Musical Stairs
|
Summer 1994Remember This!
|
| 1994-95 | Autumn 1994Starcatcher
|
Spring 1995The Vanishing Hole
|
Summer 1995Melody Muddle's Music Machine
|
| 1995-96 | Autumn 1995Puss-in-Boots: A DIY Panto!
|
Spring 1996Musical Stairs
|
Summer 1996Remember This!
|
| 1996-97 | Autumn 1996Starcatcher
|
Spring 1997The Vanishing Hole
|
Summer 1997Pinocchio
|
| 1997-98 | Autumn 1997Puss-in-Boots: A DIY Panto!
|
Spring 1998Octavia and Friends
|
Summer 1998Remember This!
|
| 1998-99 | Autumn 1998Starcatcher
|
Spring 1999Florrie the Flying Carpet
|
Summer 1999Pinocchio
|
| 1999-00 | Autumn 1999Puss-in-Boots: A DIY Panto!
|
Spring 2000Octavia and Friends
|
Summer 2000Beside the Sea
|
| 2000-01 | Autumn 2000(no broadcast) | Spring 2001Florrie the Flying Carpet
|
Summer 2001Pinocchio
|
| 2001-02 | Autumn 2001Rockpool Rap! / The Emperor and the Nightingale
|
Spring 2002Octavia and Friends
|
Summer 2002Beside the Sea
|
| 2002-03 | Autumn 2002(no broadcast) | Spring 2003Octavia and Friends
|
Summer 2003(no broadcast) |
| 2003-04 | Autumn 2003Pinocchio
|
Spring 2004(no broadcast) | Summer 2004Beside the Sea
|
| 2004-05 | Autumn 2004Rockpool Rap! / The Emperor and the Nightingale
|
Spring 2005The Magic Hummingbird
|
Summer 2005Pinocchio
|
| 2005-06 | Autumn 2005The Magic Hummingbird
|
Spring 2006The Dragon and the Phoenix
|
Summer 2006Beside the Sea
|
| 2006-07 | Autumn 2006(no broadcast) | Spring 2007The Dragon and the Phoenix
|
Summer 2007(no broadcast) |
| 2007-08 | Autumn 2007The Magic Hummingbird
|
Spring 2008The Dragon and the Phoenix
|
Summer 2008Pinocchio
|
| 2008-09 | Autumn 2008(no broadcast) | Spring 2009Rockpool Rap! / The Emperor and the Nightingale
|
Summer 2009(no broadcast) |
| 2009-10 | Autumn 2009The Magic Hummingbird
|
Spring 2010The Dragon and the Phoenix
|
Summer 2010(no broadcast) |
| 2010-11 | Autumn 2010(no broadcast) | Spring 2011Jack and the Beanstalk
|
Summer 2011Beside the Sea
|
| 2011-12 | Autumn 2011(no broadcast) | Spring 2012Jack and the Beanstalk
|
Summer 2012Sun, Sea and Sand
|
