BBC RADIO 2: LOVE SONGS WITH MICHAEL BALL
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2024
“Work is learning.” Michael Ball
Michael Ball discovered at an early age that life is a constant learning lesson. Each new job/play taught him something, and it has continued to the present day. In return, Michael generously passes on his vast knowledge to young talent, to those who are on the rise. He is, in essence, passing the baton, something not every successful actor does. Michael’s expertise on the radio has also grown with his years of experience. He uses his shows to not only teach, but also to learn from his guests.
“Hello, my lovelies. Well, it’s here,” he says, very upbeat, “It’s Radio 2 in the Park weekend. The 3rd day, the Sunday. Maybe you’re on the way to the park in Preston right now. Or maybe you’re still in bed, cutched down with a cuppa. Either way you’re very welcome to join us for the next 2 hours of LOVE SONGS.” And he opens with Phil Collins ‘Two Hearts.’ Afterwards, “Oh, that’s a nice start. Phil Collins. Two Hearts. Yours and mine for the next 2 hours. I can’t do this show without you, you know. “
Song Track List: Phil Collins ‘Two Hearts’; Take That ‘A Million Love Songs’; Pet Shop Boys ‘Feel’; Better Midler ‘The Wind Beneath My Wings’; James Taylor ‘Fire And Rain’; James Morrison ‘You Give Me Something’; Gabrielle ‘Walk On By’; Grover Washington Jr ‘Just The Two Of Us’; Lady Blackbird ‘Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled’; Macy Gray ‘I Try’; Chicago ‘You’re The Inspiration’; Delta Goodrem ‘Born To Try’; Post Malone ‘Guy For That’; Alexander O’Neal ‘Never Knew Love Like This’; Idina Menzel ‘Let It Go’; Sam Cooke ‘Cupid’; Labrinth ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’; JP Cooper ‘Waiting On A Blue Sky’; Celine Dion ‘My Heart Will Go On’; Bob Marley & the Wailers ‘One Love’; Harry Styles ‘Watermelon Sugar’; Solomon Burke ‘Cry to Me’
On the Love Line, Michael speaks with Lynn, celebrating 48 years of marriage with Martin. “That means it was 1976,” Michael says. “I was 14 years old. It was that summer, and it went on FOREVER.” Lynn responds, “It did go on forever … until September 9th when we got winds and rain. We got married that day in the registry office, and the pictures … I’m hanging onto my hat for dear life, and Martin had hair in those days, and his hair’s gone sideways, and it was the worst weather you’ve ever seen.” Michael lets loose with a blast of giggles. “So you broke the summer!” Lynn continues, “We were supposed to go on honeymoon by train to Italy, but there was a seaman’s strike—“ Michael interrupts, “It was 1976. EVERYONE was on strike!” They ended up going to Scotland, then made their way to Italy. They’re an interesting couple, Martin’s hobby – trains and building model trains – and Lynn was involved in the Stephen Sondheim organization. “Martin is very well known for his artistry, and I got him to make the Christmas cakes this year because he’s so good with his hands.” Cheeky Michael intercedes, “And here we have the reason 48 years of marriage have been so successful!” And we get a cascade a giggles from our man. Michael, I do so love your quick mind and bawdy sense of humor! When Michael asks her what she’d like to say to Martin on their 48th anniversary, she quotes a line from one of my favorite songs from PASSION. Michael then fills in the full quote. “Loving you is not a choice, and not much reason to rejoice, but you give me purpose, give me voice to say to the world,” and then we hear that velvety singing voice finish the song, “this is why I live, you are why I live.” Stunning. Just stunning! Michael ends up playing Bette Midler’s ‘The Wind Beneath My Wings’ for them. What a lovely segment.
Next Michael has Mark on the Love Line, who’s celebrating his 40th wedding anniversary with Denise. These 2 incredible people have been foster parents for many children over the decades. When asked why they decided to dedicate their lives to this, Mark gives a beautiful analogy. He said to imagine a black painting, and each child brings color to the canvas. “Mark, it makes my heart sing,” Michael says, “People like you.” He plays Chicago’s ‘You’re The Inspiration” for them, the perfect song for this amazing couple. “Have a lovely, lovely celebration, mate, with as many of the family as possible, and it’s been a smashing thing to talk with you.”
After the news break, Michael goes back to the Love Line and talks with Claire, who wants to honor her parents on their 57th wedding anniversary. On their first date they went to see a film about Jack the Riipper, which sends Michael into gales of laughter and making a joke about the lack of romance. Afterwards, they went out for dinner to a Chinese restaurant only to discover the place was closed! Their wedding was a series of small disasters, but it came off in the end. Claire says she sometimes feels like she’s living in a sit-com, and she tells a funny story about her father drilling her initials into the bottom of a tin mug (these were the days before indelible markers) when she was going away to camp. Michael immediately starts to laugh, his laughter building as the story progresses. You can imaging the outcome of this hilarious tale.
Now, onto Michael’s upcoming gig in the park. “We’re getting closer and closer to my DJ set at Radio 2 in the park in Preston. Michael Ball’s BROADWAY BANGARS. All of this was Scott Mills idea, and I blame him, but do you know I want to thank him. I think I’m going to have the BEST time. It’s something I never thought I’d be doing. I’m not overly confident but I have picked a great set of banging Broadway tunes to throw out to everyone. And, Scott, you promised you’d be there to join me on that stage, I know you’re listening right now. So I thought I’d give you a little taste of some of the sounds that we’re going to play, but it might sound a little bit differently when I play it. And he plays ‘Let It Go,’ always a winner.
Love Letters. Michael speaks with Ian, “Now I hear you’re a bit of a soppy old so-and-so, is that right?” Ian doesn’t hesitate, “I’m as soppy as they come, Michael.” Ian has written a love letter for his wife of 25 years, Susan. Ian says he tells her he loves her every day, but writing a letter is special. Michael makes his ‘call from Ball’ to Susan, who doesn’t pick up. We then hear Ian yell “Susan. Pick up. He’s ringing you!” Ah, yes, she knows. The secret is out. Michael gives it another try. When she picks up, it’s chaos as Michael’s giggles take over the airwaves. “Well, I know this has come as a shock,” Michael says sarcastically through his laughter, “It’s Michael Ball of LOVE SONGS.” He’s laughing so hard he can barely speak. Then he lets out with a shrill “S-U-S-A-N !!!” (An imitation of Ian moments earlier). “Answer the phone!” Now the airwaves are filled with the laughter of all 3. “Here’s the thing,” Michael says, “how did you know I was going to be ringing you?” She explains how she overheard her husband tell a friend part of the surprise, and she figured out the rest! After Susan gets her hanky ready, knowing her husband is a ‘old soppy so-and-so,’ Ian begins to read his letter to her. He stops midway, not happy with how he sounds and asking to start over. Laughing hysterically, Michael urges him to go on. Afterwards, Michael is genuinely touched by what Ian has written and asks Susan how she feels. “It was beautiful. And I didn’t cry!” Michael pipes up, “I did!” He wraps the segment with, “Thank you so much. Have the best celebration. Enjoy yourselves, my lovelies, and you’ve given me SUCH a laugh, you really have.” Michael then plays ‘My Heart Will Go On’ for them because they met on a 15 hour ferry ride. During it, Ian asked Susan if she’d seen the film TITANIC, and he brought up the moment Kate Winslet let go of Leonardo DiCaprio’s hand and he sunk, giving Ian a lump in his throat. Susan asked him if he cried, and Ian replied, “No, I swallowed my sweet.” Gales and gales of laughter from all 3, as Ian says laughter is at the heart of their marriage. Last week I sobbed through Love Letters. Today I laughed hysterically. Michael is doing an exemplary job of bringing such diverse stories to this segment he created from scratch, each with a moral of its own. Brilliant, Michael.
The Last Dance is for Liz and Gary, celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. “Everyone said I was too young,” Liz tells us, “and he was too old. They said it wouldn’t last. How wrong they were. I know that at 17 we think we know everything, although we generally don’t, but I KNEW that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this man. We may not be as fit or as mobile as we once were, but I would prefer to sit with him on a park bench watching the world go by than traveling the world without him.” For their last dance, Michael chooses Solomon Burke’s ‘Cry To Me.’ A perfect way to close a perfect show.
Michael’s radio shows have always been entertaining, but they are also educational fonts. On ‘The Michael Ball Show’ his guests were from all walks of life. Michael asked probing questions in his interviews, thereby allowing his audience to learn something new. He does the same thing with ‘Love Songs,’ only this time he gives us life lessons in love with those who tell their stories. As Michael’s gotten older, he’s become an educator at heart. He does it subtly, often hidden behind a facade of humor or a myriad of other emotions. And as for learning, Michael is about to take on something brand new – a DJ gig in Preston Park. We won’t see it, but he will be learning and growing throughout BROADWAY BANGARS. That’s who he is. As he learns, he tucks away his new knowledge and will use it again and again, building on it. And then one day he will pass it on to some young artist hungry to follow in Michael Ball’s formidable footsteps. I hope one day Michael sees just how many people’s lives he’s influenced.
The Song of the Week: Bob Marley’s ‘One Love, One Heart.