Kevin Milne: The meaningful music of Christmas

When you think of the most meaningful song of all time, what comes to mind?

For Kevin Milne it's Silent Night.

Jack Tame and Milne reflect on the significance of Christmas music. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from news talks'd.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be sixteen minutes past eleven non news talks. He'd be Jack,
what a lovely story. I'm sure you brought many a
tear to listener's he is I'm not sure about that eyes.
Maybe I'm not sure about that either, Lynnette. It did
for me though, remembering the last eighty years past of Christmases.
Thank you have a great Christmas yourself and your family.
Thank you, Lynette. Love and best wishes to you and

(00:32):
the faro Jack over Christmas. I appreciate it. Ninety two
ninety two as our text number if you want to
send us the messages this morning. Lots of texts coming
in so I'll get to those in a couple of minutes.
Right now, though, time to catch up with Kevin Milne
for the last time this year. Good morning, Kevin.

Speaker 3 (00:46):
How give it? Jack? You know that you're going to
have a lovely, lovely, memorable Christmas turn and got lots
of kids around you? Yeah, yeah, yeah, you do.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
There's something I never I need. Like as a kid,
I could never understand. I would look up at my
parents and be like, man, why are they excited about
presents and all that kind of thing. But of course,
the moment you get a little bit of a few
more runs on the board, you realize that actually, some
of them. A big part of the magic of Christmas
comes through seeing it through children's eyes, doesn't it.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yes, yeah, yes, yes, yeah, so yeah. So we're spending
our Christmas of our grandchildren and their family and in
laws and that sort of thing, and we like them
all and we're all get on well, so that it
should be. It should be a lovely day when taught
to it.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
Oh, that'll be fantastic, Kevin. And speaking of Christmas, you'd
like to talk this morning about meaningful music.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
Well, yeah, A radio station once invited me to name
one song that meant the most to me, and that'd
play it, asking listeners what song meant the most of
them was going to become a daily feature of their program.
I'd be the first contributor and set the course. I
take those sorts of requests overly seriously, Jack, as if

(01:58):
my entire reputation depended on it. I thought about it
for days. What song meant the most to me? When
I got back to them, it wasn't love of my life?
By Queen, or Yesterday by the Beatles, or Fields of
Gold by Sting. It was the two hundred year old
Christmas carol Silent Night. For me. Silent Night, especially played

(02:23):
by a brass band, brings back rich childhood memories of
the happiest of times, Christmas tree lights, the excitement of
opening presents, the Salvation Army Band playing in the christ streets,
playing their carols even midnight Mass with my family. It
also reminds me of sad times when my brother was

(02:46):
killed in a car crash fifty nine years ago today,
just before Christmas. Anyway, I let the radio producer know
my selection was Silent Night, and I wanted it played
by a brass band. She was surprised. I think they
had pop songs in mind, given I was first up.
Maybe they were worried my unusual choice might skew the

(03:09):
whole segment, but they played Silent Night for me. Over
the years, their segment turned out to be very successful.
Everyone else but me named their favorite pop song. I
never regretted choosing Silent Night, which, like Christmas itself, has
a mix of joy and sadness about it. In fact,

(03:33):
I reckon if you asked our listeners to name the
one song that means the most of them. Silent Night
would pop up frequently, especially now that I've promoted it.
May you Jack, Producer, Libby and all our listeners enjoy
the holiday break, and may you get plenty of sleep

(03:54):
and heavenly peace.

Speaker 1 (04:13):
Ah.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah, it is stirring, isn't it, Kevin? It's a beautiful
It's a beautiful, stirring song, especially as performed by a
brass band. It was very specific, very specific.

Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yes, exactly. Yeah, yes, I think you're right too. Songs. Sorry,
it comes out so much better played by a brass
band and outside on the streets.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, yeah, you're right, kind of out, you know, an
alfrescoey atmosphere kind of thing. A.

Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah. Do you remember Jack and christ they've got the
Salvation Army band I do around Christmas?

Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah I do. It's amazing. Yeah, they're absolutely fantastic. It's
a beautiful, beautiful sound, isn't it. Well, Look, Kevin, thank
you so much for everything this year. How many years
is this now on Saturday morning?

Speaker 3 (04:58):
You're kicking uself? Well, it's amazing. Actually it's the end
of the twenty seventh year, is which is it?

Speaker 2 (05:04):
Stunning?

Speaker 3 (05:05):
Yeah. Years, it's exactly the same amount of time I
spent on Fair Go. Wow. I never thought i'd match
that record.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
Yeah. Well, we love starting Saturday Mornings with you, so
thank you very much for everything this year. Have a
wonderful break, won't you, and we'll catch you.

Speaker 3 (05:20):
Yeah sure, good man?

Speaker 2 (05:21):
All right, thanks so much, Kevin, Kevin Melon starting us
off there. Thank you for your text as well. Beautiful words.
Jack this morning says Rose, Merry Christmas to you and
your family. I hope you have a great day.

Speaker 3 (05:31):
Jack.

Speaker 2 (05:32):
You've rekindled our happy memories of Christmas's past. We are
particularly thinking of our parents at Christmas and always this
is clear now we're the grandparents. They set the pace,
they set the standards. Now we just do our very
best to carry their love through to our grandkids. A
very happy Christmas to you and your family. Thank you
so much. Ninety two ninety two. If you want to
send us a message this morning for

Speaker 1 (05:53):
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