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Bill Martin and Living Advent Calendars

Chris is joined by songwriter Bill Martin who's penned songs for Cliff Richard, Rod Stewart and even Elvis Presley. We learn about living advent calendars with Richard Rodway.

Chris is joined by legendary songwriter Bill Martin who's penned songs for Cliff Richard, Rod Stewart and even Elvis Presley. He tells us tales from his new book Celebration: Songwriter to the Stars. The chair of Henley, Richard Rodway tells Chris how they're celebrating the countdown to Christmas with living advent calendars by organising an event across 24 venues with a different surprise performance each evening. Vassos is joined in the Sports Locker by a coach for disabled swimmers and para-swimmers Michelle Weltman. After hearing about Mandy in Southsea's Rod Stewart cardboard cut-out, Chris ask for your claims to the fame of these hilarious 2D doppelgängers. Reverend Kate Bottley, presenter of The Sunday Hour on Radio 2 has Thursday's Pause For Thought.

2 hours, 59 minutes

Music Played

  • Michael Sembello

    Maniac

    • Flashdance O.S.T. (Various Artists).
    • VIRGIN.
  • Paloma Faith

    Guilty

    • (CD Single).
    • RCA.
  • Sugababes

    Too Lost In You

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.
  • Bruno Mars

    Treasure

    • Unorthodox Jukebox.
    • Atlantic.
    • 1.
  • Train

    Drive By

    • (CD Single).
    • Columbia.
    • 12.
  • The Police

    Message In A Bottle

    • The Very Best Of Sting & The Police.
    • A&M.
  • The Fizz

    Amen

    • The F-Z Of Pop.
    • MPG.
  • The Stone Roses

    Fools Gold

    • Precious - Various Artists.
    • Dino.
  • The Jacksons

    Up On The Housetop

    • 20 Motown Christmas Classics (Variou.
    • Hitsville.
  • P!nk

    Beautiful Trauma

    • (CD Single).
    • RCA.
  • Rod Stewart

    Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

    • The Best Of Rod Stewart.
    • Warner Bros.
  • Rod Stewart

    Baby Jane

    • The Best Of Rod Stewart.
    • Warner Bros.
  • Rod Stewart

    Young Turks

    • The Best Of Rod Stewart.
    • Warner Bros.
  • Rod Stewart

    Hot Legs

    • Rod Stewart - Greatest Hits.
    • Warner Bros.
  • CeeLo Green

    Forget You

    • (CD Single).
    • Warner Music UK.
    • 1.
  • The Proclaimers

    Sunshine on Leith

    • The Best Of The Proclaimers.
    • Chrysalis.
  • Andy Stewart

    Donald Where's Your Troosers?

    • 20 Scottish Favourites.
    • EMI.
  • Bay City Rollers

    Shang-A-Lang

    • Super 70's (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.
  • Cliff Richard

    Congratulations

    • Cliff Richard - 40 Golden Greats.
    • EMI.
  • Sandie Shaw

    Puppet on a String

    • Sandie Shaw - The Collection.
    • Castle.
  • Kenny

    The Bump

    • Super 70's (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.
  • Rag’n’Bone Man

    Grace (We All Try)

    • Human.
    • Columbia.
  • Donna Summer

    She Works Hard For The Money

    • Donna Summer - Summer Collection.
    • Mercury.
  • No Doubt

    Just A Girl

    • The Singles 1992-2003.
    • Interscope.
  • Ten Sharp

    You

    • Ten Sharp.
    • Columbia.
  • Tom Jones & Cerys Matthews

    Baby It's Cold Outside

    • (CD Single).
    • Gut Records.
  • Shania Twain

    Who's Gonna Be Your Girl

    • Now.
    • Mercury.
  • The Boomtown Rats

    Rat Trap

    • Greatest Hits Of 1978 (Various Artis.
    • Premier.
  • Blondie

    Hanging On The Telephone

    • Atomic: The Very Best Of Blondie.
    • EMI.
    • 1.
  • Blondie

    Maria

  • David Bowie

    Fame

    • David Bowie - Best Of Bowie.
    • EMI.
  • Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen

    Good Time

    • (CD Single).
    • Polydor.
    • 1.

Pause for Thought

Pause for Thought

From the Reverend Kate Bottley:

It wasn’t my turn to preach at church the other week, it was Elizabeth whose name was on the rota. She’d taken as her theme the subject of talents, the things we are good at and she’d asked the gathered congregation for examples. Little hands shot up. Sophie, 5 years old and a natural born performer shouted ‘I can do handstands, look!’ demonstrating down the main aisle of the church. ‘I’m brilliant at Maths’ said one 7 year old and little Joshua got all confused when he was asked what his special skill was and shouted ‘Cake’ at the top of his lungs, the eating of or the making of I’m still not quite sure.

But what I did notice is that despite the grown ups in church outnumbering the children by at least 10 to one, not a single person that answered the question was over the age of 9.

As kids we shout ‘Look at me’ while we do forward rolls over the monkey bars and beam with pride when our homework is pinned to the fridge but as grown ups we don’t shout as loudly, frightened that we’ll be branded a show off and when someone praises us for a job well done we’re more inclined to play down our achievement.

The bible talks not only about each person being special and unique in the eyes of God it encourages each to ‘let their light? shine’ Jesus in the famous sermon on the mount put it this way ‘Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl, instead they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone’. Not an invitation to brag about our blessings but an encouragement to celebrate the good stuff and the things we do well, so that it might bless others.

And if we’re shy about saying it ourselves perhaps it up to each of us to encourage one another, to tell someone if it’s a job well done, to recognise and celebrate the God given talents of those around us.

So I’ll start Chris – I’ll start… well done for this morning’s show, I think you’re doing a great job!

Broadcast

  • Thu 30 Nov 2017 06:30

Farewell Chris Evans: The best bits from his last shows at Radio 2

After eight years of hosting the Breakfast Show, Chris Evans leaves Radio 2.

500 Words

´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 2's story-writing competition for kids.