A radio-ballad about the psychology of pain by Ewan MacColl, Charles Parker & Peggy Seeger.
Conceived as a documentary on the psychology of pain, The Body Blow focuses on five people partially or totally disabled by polio.
‘The rhythmic nuances of the interviewees were built into MacColl’s melodies; while the merciless impact of the debilitating illness breathed foreboding into the songs of The Body Blow – an examination of the ‘psychology of pain’. From these sprang some of MacColl’s most beautiful music.’ PETER RAPHIDES, TIME OUT
1 Introduction
2 What day did the world stop moving?
3 Do you recall how you climbed the Mountains?
4 Can’t breathe…
5 I often think back…
6 The world is a bed …
7 I wasn’t afraid while I was in the lung…
8 Well, first of all… appreciate the situation…
9 While there’s life, there’s hope…
10 It’s goodbye now…
11 Now I can do all the small things?
12 Stronger than pain is the human will to survive…
13 Closing announcement / The hidden foe…
Script, song lyrics and music: Ewan MacColl
Orchestration and musical direction: Peggy Seeger
Actuality recording: Charles Parker
Production: Charles Parker
Programme prepared with the help of The Polio Research Fund
Singers:
Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger
Instrumentalists:
Alf Edwards English concertina, ocarina 
Alfie Khan flute, harmonica
 Brian Daly guitar 
Peggy Seeger guitar, 5-string banjo
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