Whispering Bob Harris and TV presenter Daisy Donovan join Steve and the team. 
Music Played
27 items-
The Electric Light Orchestra Rock 'n' Roll Is King
ELO's Greatest Hits Vol.2, Epic
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Matt Cardle Starlight
Letters, Syco, 1
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Dire Straits Lady Writer
Sultans Of Swing - Best Of Dire Straits, Vertigo
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Paloma Faith Upside Down
(CD Single), Epic, 1
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Randy Newman You've Got A Friend In Me
Toy Story O.S.T., Walt Disney Records
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Razorlight In The Morning
(CD Single), Vertigo
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Miss 600 Typically Me
CD Single, Cubit Recordings, 1
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Cat Stevens Matthew & Son
The Very Best Of Cat Stevens, Island
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The Feeling Feels Like Christmas
(CD Single), Universal, 1
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The Real Thing You To Me Are Everything
In The Summertime-Sound Of 70's, Part, Old Gold
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Nina & Frederik Little Donkey
100 Fabulous All Time Hits (Various), World Record Club
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Beyoncé Love On Top
4, RCA, 1
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Big Audio Dynamite E=MC2
Alternative Eighties (Various Artist, Sony Music TV
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Frank Crumit The Prune Song
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Alphabeat Fascination
(CD Single), Copenhagen
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Jona Lewie Stop The Cavalry
The Ivor Novello Winners, EMI
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Status Quo Movin' On
Quid Pro Quo, Fourth Chord Records, 1
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The Military Wives & Gareth Malone Wherever You Are
(CD Single), Decca
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Steve Miller Band Give It Up
Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits, Polygram Tv
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Al Green Tired Of Being Alone
Shades Of Soul (Various Artists), Global Television
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Dallas Primary School Wherever You Are
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Noisettes Never Forget You
(CD Single), Mercury, 1
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Bruce Springsteen Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
(Single), CBS
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Billie Jo Spears Blanket On The Ground
Ultimate Country (Various Artists), Telstar
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James Sit Down
True Brit (Various Artists), Polygram Tv
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Slade Merry Xmas Everybody
(CD Single), EMI
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Paul Simon Late In The Evening
The Paul Simon Anthology (Disc 1), Warner Bros, 10
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Pause for Thought
With the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
You know how every year you say, ‘This year I’m going to get Christmas sorted out. I’ll have the cards written by December the first and I’ll work our properly what we can afford and do the presents in time, and I’ll know exactly how many people are coming for meals and when, and…’all the rest of it. Lurking somewhere in our minds is the idea of the Perfect Christmas (probably with snow, only not the kind that closes down airports and messes up our travel plans).
And every year, mysteriously, all our plans seem to evaporate and it’s the usual mess, with all the last minute panic. There’ll be a good few people concerned just now about what they can afford for a start.
Yet it’s odd in a way, this business of Perfect Christmasses. The story of the first Christmas is the story of a series of completely unplanned, messy events – a surprise pregnancy, an unexpected journey that’s got to be made, a complete muddle over the hotel accommodation when you get there…Not exactly a perfect holiday.
But it tells us something really vital. We try to plan all this stuff and stay in charge, and too often (especially with advertisers singing in our ears the whole time) we think that unless we can cook the perfect dinner, plan the perfect wedding, organise the perfect Christmas, we somehow don’t really count or we can’t hold our heads up.
But in the complete mess of the first Christmas, God says, ‘Don’t worry – I’m not going to wait until you’ve got everything sorted out perfectly before I get involved with you. I’m already there for you in the middle of it all, and if you just let yourself lean on me a bit instead of trying to make yourself and everything around you perfect by your own efforts, everyone will feel a little more of my love flowing’.
I’m never sure whether to wish anyone a peaceful Christmas, because it hardly ever is. But I can wish you joy in the midst of the mess, and every blessing from the God of ordinary, untidy, surprising things.
Broadcasts
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BBC Radio 2Thu 15 Dec 2011 06:30 BBC Radio 2
Free download
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Chris Evans - The Best Bits
Catch up with the latest Breakfast fun with Chris Evans. Hear the best stories and the biggest...
