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Sir Tom Jones, WinterWatch and the QI Elves

Sir Tom Jones chats to Zoe about his brand new album Surrounded By Time. Plus we catch up with Iolo Williams to find out what's happening on WinterWatch on BBC Two.

Sir Tom Jones chats to Zoe about his brand new album Surrounded By Time. The new record was co-produced by Ethan Johns and Mark Woodward and also features reimagined versions of songs by Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Bobby Cole. Tom finished the album during the Covid-19 lockdown and he is looking forward to releasing it "I recorded an album just before lockdown at the beginning of the year," he said. "During lockdown, we've been mixing it and putting it together. Each song tells a story that comes from himself and reflects on his own experience at different times. His new Single ‘Talking Reality Television Blues’ is a cover of American country-folk singer Todd Snider’s original.

Plus Zoe catches up with Iolo Williams from the WinterWatch team to find out about their latest discoveries on BBC Two as they delve into the world of nature.

It’s The Why Workshop, and Zoe quizzes the QI Elves with more wonders and ponders, including your questions.

Along with Clare Runacres on news, Richie Anderson on travel and Mike Williams on sport, Zoe and the team have the best start to your morning. With celeb guests, headlines, tunes chosen by listeners and more music than you can shake a glitterball at!

There's also a Pause For Thought from Rae Duke and listeners on the line as Zoe entertains the nation with fun for the family!

2 hours, 59 minutes

Music Played

  • Michael Jackson

    Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

    • Michael Jackson - History.
    • Epic.
  • Harry Styles

    Treat People With Kindness

    • Fine Line.
    • Columbia.
  • Grace Jones

    Pull Up To The Bumper

    • The Divas Of Dance (Various Artists).
    • Telstar.
  • Artful Dodger & Romina Johnson

    Movin' Too Fast

    • Huge Hits 2000 (Various Artists).
    • Global Television.
  • Ike & Tina Turner

    River Deep - Mountain High

    • The Best Of The Rock'n'Roll Years Vo.
    • BBC.
  • Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.

    You Don't Have To be A Star (To Be In My Show)

    • I Hope We Get To Love In Time.
    • Razor And Tie.
  • Lionel Richie

    Dancing on the Ceiling

    • Dancing In The Street (Various Artis.
    • Universal Music Tv.
  • Steps

    To The Beat Of My Heart

    • What The Future Holds.
    • BMG Rights Management (UK).
  • Shania Twain

    Man! I Feel Like A Woman!

    • (CD Single).
    • Mercury.
  • Robbie Williams

    Feel

    • (CD Single).
    • Chrysalis.
  • Wham!

    Bad Boys

    • Wham! - Fantastic.
    • Epic.
  • Ava Max

    My Head & My Heart

    • Heaven & Hell.
    • Atlantic.
  • Wings

    Silly Love Songs

    • Wings - At The Speed Of Sound.
    • Parlophone.
  • Marisha Wallace

    Faith

    • Tomorrow.
    • Decca.
  • Gnarls Barkley

    Crazy

    • (CD Single).
    • Warner Bros.
  • Daft Punk

    Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams)

    • (CD Single).
    • Columbia.
    • 1.
  • Kylie Minogue

    Real Groove

    • DISCO (Deluxe).
    • BMG Rights Management (UK).
    • 3.
  • The Pointer Sisters

    Jump (For My Love)

    • The Best Of The Pointer Sisters.
    • RCA.
  • Ed Sheeran

    Sing

    • (CD Single).
    • Asylum Records.
    • 001.
  • Cyndi Lauper

    Girls Just Want To Have Fun

    • Fantastic 80's Disc 1 (Various Artis.
    • Columbia.
  • Cedric Gervais & Franklin

    Everybody Dance (feat. Nile Rodgers)

    • (CD Single).
    • DGTLBTS.
  • Tom Jones

    No Hole In My Head

    • EMI.
  • Tom Jones

    Help Yourself

    • Tom Jones - Greatest Hits.
    • Universal.
  • Coldplay

    Viva La Vida

    • CD SINGLE.
    • PARLOPHONE.
    • 1.
  • Dean Martin

    Sway

    • Best Of The Capitol Years - Dean Mart.
    • Capitol.
  • The Turtles

    Happy Together

    • Heartbeat - The 60's Gold Collection.
    • Global Television.
  • Taylor Swift

    willow

    • TS/Republic Records.
  • Portugal. The Man

    Feel It Still

    • (CD Single).
    • Atlantic.

Pause For Thought:

Pause For Thought:

With the end of January in sight many of those good intentions that naturally accompany the start of a new year will have long gone down the swanny. Some of us didn’t even bother – getting from one day to the next with some sunshine left in our souls can demand quite enough of us right now.

It could be just where I’m looking but there seemed to be a kinder, softer tack being taken by both the media and friends of mine when it came to the wellness push we’ve grown to expect at the top end of the calendar. 

As I speak the chocolate tin sits at least a quarter full – still! - on the coffee table. I’ve not felt that urge to banish the sight of them as I might’ve done any other year. Instead, I’m happily enjoying their festive gleam definitely overstaying its welcome. 

The fact that they are unfinished is a bit of a shock to be honest, as this year I’d pushed the boat out and gone for one of those personalised tins – you get your family name on the lid and, here’s the crucial bit, choose only the chocolates you love the most. ‘Perfect!’ I’d marveled, as I curated my own selection. 

What dawned on me after this bespoke tin’s arrival and the tucking in had commenced, was that this supposedly ‘improved’ amalgamation of treats, actually left me feeling a bit wanting. Something was amiss; not how it’s meant to be - only seeing a narrow, select offering as opposed to the usual wide mixed bag. 

As that famous saying goes, “life is a box of chocolates” – and, working in reverse here, it felt odd to have the box but lack that spectrum of best and worst, good and less so. 

The desire for a perfectly curated life has, I think, plagued my generation for yonks – but 2020 well and truly burst that bubble, throwing us all into the same undeniable storm. In that vein of finding the light edges of this heavy time, it’s one of my hopes that our collective yearning for perfection will finally fade into oblivion and that we’ll always, reliably be able to find joy in the unpolished instead. Amen to whoever said: “perfection is God’s business, we are human.”

Broadcast

  • Wed 27 Jan 202106:30