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Valentines and Florists

Sara (in for Chris) finds out what it's really like to be a florist on Valentine's Day in the UK's most romantic city. Plus we launch Radio 2's Most Played Love Songs Top 40.

Sara (in for Chris) finds out what it's really like to be a florist on Valentine's Day in the UK's most romantic city, Nottingham. Plus we launch Radio 2's Most Played Love Songs Top 40 and we hear your plans for the day: from tea and biscuits to romantic movie nights. Michael Vaughan joins us to talk about Joe Root becoming the new England test cricket captain, and Senior Rabbi Julia Neuberger provides the daily Pause For Thought.

2 hours, 59 minutes

Last on

Tue 14 Feb 2017 06:30

Music Played

  • Bananarama

    Venus

    • Fantastic 80's - 3 (Various Artists).
    • Sony Tv/Columbia.
  • Shaun Escoffery

    Healing Me

    • (CD Single).
    • Dome.
    • 1.
  • Jean Knight

    Mr Big Stuff

    • Stax Greatest Hits (Various Artists).
    • Stax.
  • Amy Winehouse

    Tears Dry On Their Own

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.
  • R.E.M.

    Shiny Happy People

    • The Greatest Hits Of 1991 (Various).
    • Telstar.
  • Sam Cooke

    (What A) Wonderful World

    • Sam Cooke - The Man & His Music.
    • RCA.
  • Daft Punk

    One More Time

    • The Best Club Anthems Classics (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.
  • Stevie Wonder

    Faith (feat. Ariana Grande)

    • Sing O.S.T. (Various Artists).
    • Island.
  • Paul Simon

    50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

    • Paul Simon - Negotiations & Love Song.
    • Warner Bros.
    • 6.
  • Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen

    Good Time

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

    She Moves In Her Own Way

    • (CD Single).
    • Virgin.
  • Brian and Michael

    Matchstalk Men & Matchstalk Cats & Dogs

    • 20 Golden Number Ones.
    • MFP.
  • Green Day

    Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)

    • Reprise.
  • C.W. McCall

    Convoy

    • Super Hits Of The '70s: Have A Nice Day Volume 14.
    • Rhino.
  • Elvis Presley & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

    I've Got A Thing About You Baby

    • (CD Single).
    • RCA.
    • 001.
  • Queen

    Bohemian Rhapsody

    • Greatest Hits I II & III (The Platinum Collection).
    • Parlophone.
    • 11.
  • Rihanna

    We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris)

    • Now That's What I Call Music! 80 (Various Artists).
    • Now.
  • Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton

    Islands In The Stream

    • The Greatest Love (Various Artists).
    • Telstar.
  • Elbow

    One Day Like This

    • (CD Single).
    • Fiction.
    • 1.
  • Dua Lipa

    Be The One

    • (CD Single).
    • Warner Bros.
  • Buzzcocks

    Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)

    • Greatest Hits Of The 70's (Various).
    • Disky.
  • Train

    Play That Song

    • A Girl A Bottle A Boat.
    • Columbia.
  • Minnie Riperton

    Les Fleur

    • The Minnie Riperton Anthology.
    • Stateside.
  • The Temptations

    My Girl

    • The All Time Greatest Movie Songs.
    • Columbia/Sony Tv.
  • Naughty Boy

    Should've Been Me (feat. Kyla & Popcaan)

    • (CD Single).
    • Virgin EMI Records.
  • Fleetwood Mac

    Tusk

    • 50 Years - Don't Stop.
    • Warner Bros.
    • 012.
  • Deacon Blue

    Fergus Sings The Blues

    • Deacon Blue- Our Town (Greatest Hits).
    • Columbia.
  • Bon Jovi

    Born Again Tomorrow

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.
  • Nat King Cole

    L-O-V-E

    • Born Romantic O.S.T.(Various Artists).
    • Columbia.
  • Destiny’s Child

    Survivor

    • Now 49 (Various Artists).
    • Now.

Pause for Thought

Pause for Thought

From Julia Neuberger, Senior Rabbi at the west London Synagogue

It’s Valentine’s Day today, in case you hadn’t noticed heart shaped everything in the shops, and red roses in abundance. Most of us think it’s a secular festival. But not a bit of it. The real St Valentine doesn’t seem to have had anything to do with lovers. But he did exist. And current legends about him started around the fourteenth century, notably in this country, thanks to Geoffrey Chaucer. That was when the feast day of 14th February first became associated with romantic love.

That may be because people believed that birds paired in mid-February. We don’t really know. But last Saturday in the Jewish calendar was Tu Bishvat, the New Year for trees, when we plant new trees. It’s a bit of hope over experience, given the UK’s weather. And it was snowing slightly on the day. Yet Tu Bishvat is supposed to make us think of spring. So too is Valentine’s Day. β€œSweet lovers love the spring”, wrote Shakespeare.

It may seem strange to think that the same thinking lies behind a new year for trees and a day celebrating romantic love. But it does. For celebrating romantic love and celebrating trees are both about celebrating life and hope. Winter is coming to an end. Spring is around the corner. The sap rises- in the trees and in us. This is a time to celebrate life. Trees, young lovers, and anything else we can possibly celebrate as the prospect of spring brings us hope of light and warmth. We have a blessing in Judaism which celebrates reaching a particular time or season. It goes like this: β€œWe praise you, Eternal God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us and allowed us to reach this season.” And that’s the blessing we should say as spring approaches, love is reborn, and we can see the trees will soon be in leaf. Hope is around the corner.

Broadcast

  • Tue 14 Feb 2017 06:30

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