Ep 12. Carole Bayer Sager

Super Soul Sunday season 9 episode 12 features Carole Bayer Sager, a Grammy and Academy Award-winning lyricist and singer who has written some of the most iconic pop songs of the past century. In this episode, she sits down with Oprah Winfrey to discuss her decades-long career, her personal struggles, and what it means to live a soulful life.

The episode begins with a look at Bayer Sager's early years in New York City, where she made a name for herself as a teenage songwriter. She recounts how, at just seventeen, she was hired by legendary music producer Don Kirshner to work for his publishing company, Aldon Music. She soon found herself collaborating with some of the most talented songwriters of her generation, including Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, and Carole King.

Bayer Sager's talent blossomed during the 1970s and 1980s, when she wrote the lyrics to some of the most beloved songs of that era. Hits like "You're Moving Out Today," "Nobody Does It Better," and "That's What Friends Are For" became instant classics, and proved that Bayer Sager had a knack for capturing the essence of human emotion in a way that few songwriters can.

Throughout the episode, Oprah and Bayer Sager discuss the creative process behind her songwriting, and how she was able to balance her personal life with her professional ambitions. Bayer Sager opens up about her two marriages, and how the trauma of divorce and the pressures of the music industry took a toll on her mental health.

Despite these challenges, Bayer Sager remained resilient, and continued to create some of the most indelible songs of her generation. She credits her success to her unwavering belief in the power of music to heal and inspire. As she tells Oprah, "Music has always been my therapy. It's where I go to get help. It's where I go to get clarity. It's where I go to tap into something bigger than myself."

Towards the end of the episode, Bayer Sager performs some of her most beloved songs, including "Don't Cry Out Loud," "Arthur's Theme," and "That's What Friends Are For." Her performances are filled with emotion and power, and show why her music has endured for so many years.

The episode is a stirring tribute to one of the greatest songwriters of our time, and it reminds us that art has the power to transform our lives in ways we can't even imagine. As Oprah says at the end of the show, "Carole Bayer Sager's music is like a balm for the soul. She has a way of tapping into our deepest emotions and helping us feel seen and heard. Her music is a gift to us all, and we're lucky to have her in our lives."