The Best of the Sunday Service 2013

Jarvis looks back over some of his favourite bits from the Sunday Service 2013. He brings us clips from guests such as David Attenborough, who came in to talk about musicality in the animal kingdom; Nick Hornby, who discusses his project in which children wrote lyrics for grown-up musicians; and Beardyman, who provided an improvised backing to a previously unreleased Pulp lyric.

Brian Eno (3) - a cappella

For the last Sunday Service before Christmas, we have a bit of an office party and hear some dubious cracker jokes. As it's the time of year for carolling, Brian Eno returns to the show to talk about his fondness for a cappella music. He shares a range of examples of sweet and strong singing without instruments. There is also a snowy story read by Iggy Pop, about a father and son's skiing trip on Christmas Eve.

The Very Special World of Lee Hazlewood

Special episode marking 50 years since the release of Lee Hazlewood's debut solo LP.  Featuring Hazlewood-related tracks, archive nuggets, and fresh insights from his fellow singers, musicians and producers.  We also learn a little Esperanto, and salute the late great Nelson Mandela and author Colin Wilson.

Art and Music

Inspired by the Tate gallery's recent re-hang, Jarvis looks at what happens when the worlds of art and music collide, with tracks inspired by paintings and tracks by visual artists who were also in bands. Plus, he reads another of Alan Garner's folk tales, The Trade That No-One Knows, which is about the trials a poor man must undergo before he can marry the king's daughter.

An American Earworm in London

Photo by Michael Ivankay on Flickr

Jarvis is back after a trip to California, where he sang at the Disney Hall for Beck's Song-Reader project. He offers an audio postcard of his time in sunny LA, featuring music inspired by cars and driving, records he found in LA record stores and some Hollywood film music. We also talk about earworms, songs that get stuck in your head — and the lyrics of one earworm give us this week's recipe, for johnnycakes.