There are (at least) two artists named Michael Ball: Michael Ball (1946) of… Read Full Bio ↴There are (at least) two artists named Michael Ball: Michael Ball (1946) of Manchester, a British composer, and Michael Ashley Ball (1962), a British actor and singer.

Michael Ball (born Michael Ashley Ball, on 27 June 1962 in Bromsgrove, England) is a British actor and singer, best known for musical theatre roles such as Marius in Les Misérables, Alex in Aspects of Love, and Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Although born in England, Michael Ball is half Welsh, and says jokingly that he considers himself "Wenglish" and proud to be British [1]. He studied Drama at the Guildford School of Acting and graduated in 1984. His first major break was a star part in the production of The Pirates of Penzance at the Opera House, Manchester. Next came a brief stint in Rep. Cameron Mackintosh saw him and cast him as Marius in Les Misérables. Next came Raoul in the second casting of Phantom of the Opera, and Alex in Aspects of Love, both in London and on Broadway, and Giorgio in Stephen Sondheim's London production of Passion. Alone Together was Michael's one man show first performed at The Donmar Warehouse (which was reprised in 2004 for the Singular Sensations season at the Haymarket). In 2002 Michael took on the role of Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which was largely considered his comeback role. In 2005, at 10 days' notice, he replaced Michael Crawford, who had to leave the show due to ill health, as Count Fosco in The Woman in White, and gave a popular and critically-acclaimed performance.

Other performances include singing at the BBC's St David's Day concert, at the Les Misérables Tenth Anniversary Concert in 1995, and the fiftieth birthday party of Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1998. He is a dramatic baritone known for his range, expression and power.

Michael is an accomplished concert artist and tours frequently around the UK. He has also performed concerts in Australia and America. Since reaching the top of the British charts with "Love Changes Everything" (from Aspects of Love) Michael had small successes with follow up singles but in the main he has concentrated on releasing albums, all of which achieved Gold status within weeks, and in the case of The Movies album in 1998, Platinium in 7 weeks{was released Oct 26th confirmed Platinium status in interview on 12 Dec}. Michael represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 1992, singing the song "One Step Out of Time", which finished second.

Michael has also turned his hand to presenting both on TV and radio and has presented The National lottery, Children in Need and This Morning, and had his own series on TV and radio (Ball over Broadway on BBC Radio 2) (which is in its fourth season), The Greenroom, and several specials for BBC Radio 2 on subjects such as Nat King Cole, Cameron Mackintosh, and Cy Coleman.

In September 2005, Michael made his NYC Opera debut as Reginald Bunthorne in Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience with the New York City Opera.

In October 2005 Michael released his latest album "Music". The album went into the UK charts at number 11, and spent 10 weeks in the top 75. The album finished the year the 99th best selling album of 2005.

In November, 2005, Michael returned to Broadway as Count Fosco in The Woman in White, which transferred from London's West End. However, he was forced to leave the show due to a reported viral infection caused by the fat suit required for the role, which reportedly raised Ball's body temperature by several degrees during the show. The suit is also thought to have been the cause of Michael Crawford's premature departure from the show in London. The show closed early, in part due to the health problems of Ball and leading lady Maria Friedman.

Michael spent the first quarter of 2006 on complete vocal rest, following the illness that caused him the leave Woman In White on Broadway. By the middle of July, Michael had taken part in the Royals Court's celebratory performance of The Rocky Horror Show, recorded a new album (called "One Voice", due for release on 30 October 2006) and made a guest appearance on Julian Lloyd Webber's album "Unexpected song". Then came the summer concerts at Aberdeen, Bath, Southport, Oakley Hall and Cardiff. In August, Michael sat in for Michael Parkinson on his Radio 2 show. He was interviewed for Radio 3's "Stage and Screen" programme, and recorded a tribute to Anthony Newley at Hackney Empire, also for Radio 2. Michael then took part in 'Proms in the Park' in Singleton Park, Swansea. He sang two tracks from his forthcoming album, 'One Voice'; the title song and 'Hero'. Michael also sung show stoppers, 'This is the Moment', 'Anthem' and 'Love Changes Everything'. In November, Michael will be releasing a new DVD containing all the best songs from his 'Live in Concert' DVDs. They will be split into five sections: Musicals, Love Songs, Personal Favourites, Party Time and Unplugged. The DVD will also include a brand new "Unplugged" session which Michael has recorded with just 4 other musicians in the studio especially for this DVD. It will be released on November 20 2006. Six days later he will join Petula Clark in concert at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London. (In 2004, he co-starred with her in a production of Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard at the Cork Opera House in the Republic of Ireland, which was later broadcast by the BBC. Michael has lots of promotional activities coming up at the end of the year with the release of his new album 'One Voice'.

It has been announced that Ball will be taking the lead role in Kismet in June/July 2007 for the ENOdetails can be found on the English National Opera website.There will also be a tour but exact dates are not known yet{Michael confirmed this during his Stage and screen interview}.

He is currently sitting in for Johnnie Walker on his Sunday afternoon BBC Radio 2 show.

No Matter What
Michael Ball Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true

No matter what they call us
However they attack
No matter where they take us

We'll find our own way back

I can't deny what I believe
I can't be what I'm not
I know our love forever
I know, no matter what

If only tears were laughter
If only night was day
If only prayers were answered
Then we would hear God say

No matter what they tell you
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach you
What you believe is true

And I will keep you safe and strong
And shelter from the storm
No matter where it's barren
A dream is being born

No matter who they follow
No matter where they lead
No matter how they judge us
I'll be everything you need

No matter if the sun don't shine
Or if the skies are blue
No matter what the end is
My life began with you

I can't deny what I believe
I can't be what I'm not
I know this love's forever
That's all that matters now
No matter what

No, no matter
That's all that matters to me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Michael Ball's No Matter What suggest a sense of unwavering belief, trust, and a promise of protection and loyalty despite any external factors that may try to sway or harm the singer's relationship. The opening lines of the song "No matter what they tell us, No matter what they do, No matter what they teach us, What we believe is true" suggest that the singer is willing to stay true to their beliefs and convictions, even if society, individuals, or institutions try to challenge or undermine their values. It implies that the singer is resilient and refuses to be influenced by any external factors about what is right or wrong.

The following verses speak of the singer's unwavering faith in the relationship despite any hardships that may come their way. The lyrics also promise a sense of protection, shelter, and unconditional support for the loved one. The lines "And I will keep you safe and strong And shelter from the storm" suggest that the singer is willing to go to any extent to safeguard their loved one's well-being. The use of hypothetical situations such as "If only tears were laughter" and "If only prayers were answered" highlights the singer's deep and unrelenting desire to keep the relationship strong. The use of the repetition of the phrase "No matter what" emphasizes the idea that nothing, not even unfavorable circumstances or external factors, can tear apart their love.

Line by Line Meaning

No matter what they tell us
The singer is stating that nothing anyone says will change their beliefs and opinions

No matter what they do
The singer is stating that nothing anyone does will change their beliefs and opinions

No matter what they teach us
The singer is stating that even if others try to teach them different beliefs or opinions, they know what they believe is true

What we believe is true
This line is a continuation from the previous and emphasizes that the singer and their partner know what they believe to be true

No matter what they call us
The singer acknowledges that they may be called names or labeled due to their beliefs, but it will not change how they feel

However they attack
The singer recognizes that they may be attacked for their beliefs or actions, but it will not change them or their beliefs.

No matter where they take us
The singer asserts that they will find their own way back despite following a different path at times

We'll find our own way back
This line is a continuation of the previous line and restates that they will always find their way back together

I can't deny what I believe
The singer is stating they cannot deny what they believe or change their beliefs

I can't be what I'm not
The singer acknowledges that they cannot pretend to be something or someone they are not

I know our love forever
The singer is saying that their love is eternal and will last despite any challenges

I know, no matter what
This line is a continuation from the previous line and emphasizes that their love will survive anything

If only tears were laughter
The singer wishes for happy times and less sadness in their relationship

If only night was day
The singer uses this metaphor to express their desire for their partner to always be by their side, even in the darkest of times

If only prayers were answered
The singer expresses their hopes that their prayers are answered and things get better

Then we would hear God say
This line is a continuation from the previous line and implies that hearing God's voice would give them solace

No matter what they tell you
In this line, the singer is speaking directly to their partner, reiterating that no one can change what they believe to be true

No matter what they do
Like the first time this line is used, the singer is stating that nothing anyone does will change what they believe to be true

No matter what they teach you
Another repetition from earlier in the song, the singer reassures their partner that even if they are taught different beliefs, they know what to be true

What you believe is true
Again, a reiteration of the previous concept that the partner knows what they believe to be true

And I will keep you safe and strong
The singer vows to protect their partner and keep them strong during difficult times

And shelter from the storm
This line is a continuation from the previous one and implies that the singer will be their partner's refuge in times of trouble

No matter where it's barren
The singer acknowledges that life can be difficult and barren, but they will always make the best of it together

A dream is being born
Despite difficult times, there is always hope and the possibility of creating something new

No matter who they follow
The singer emphasizes that they do not care who their partner follows or listens to, as long as they have each other

No matter where they lead
Another iteration of the previous line, the singer does not mind where their partner leads, as long as they are together

No matter how they judge us
The singer knows that people may judge them for their beliefs, but it does not matter in the long run

I'll be everything you need
The singer promises to be all that their partner needs, no matter the circumstances

No matter if the sun don't shine
The singer is saying that even if times are tough and the sun doesn't shine on them, they will still be strong together

Or if the skies are blue
This line is a continuation from the previous one to reinforce the idea that they will remain strong even in the most challenging times

No matter what the end is
The singer acknowledges that they do not know what the future holds, but they will remain together through anything that comes their way

My life began with you
The singer is establishing that their life has a new purpose and started anew with their partner

That's all that matters now
This line is a continuation from the previous line and sums up the message of the song, that being with their partner is all that matters to the singer

No, no matter
This line is a repetition of the song's title and serves as the chorus to reinforce the idea that no matter what happens, their love will survive anything

That's all that matters to me
This is a repetition of the idea that the singer's partner is all that matters to them, reflecting the importance and strength of their relationship

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jim Steinman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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