John Simm's Honest Playlist: From Early Loves to Unexplained Aversions
The earliest track I was captivated by
My most primal recollection is entering a space at kindergarten where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was captivated by the sound effects, and John Lennon yelling: āFull speed ahead!ā When it arrived at the refrain, I remember thinking: āThis must be music!ā
The very first record I purchased
When I was eight years old, I was victorious in a contest at school to select a new record to play at the mini disco we had on Fridays. My instructor took me to a local store, and I picked out Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first record I bought with my own savings was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a music store in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I selected it when my father noted that it was by one of the Beatles.
The tune I do at karaoke
I candidly do not enjoy karaoke and steer clear at all costs. But if I had to, Iād select Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.
The track I strangely know each line to
I just became aware that I know virtually every word to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and each track on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.
The ideal song to blast at a party
It relies on which phase of the evening you are at. For the beginning it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the party deepens, Iād work through the Artist, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie, and when it gets lively, Phat Planet by the electronic act, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an massive track.
The track I can not listen to
I strangely detest Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.
The ultimate song to make love to
Come Together by the Beatles.
The LP that altered my perspective
When I was twelve and just learning to learn the six-string, Iād only listen to early rock ānāroll, and was consumed by The King, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, the glasses-wearing icon and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder brought round Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still rockānāroll, but it was high voltage rock music. The moment he dropped the vinyl on the turntable, I was hooked.
The song that wakes me in the morning
Whatād I Say in its full glory by Ray Charles.
The song that gets me emotional
Most music makes me emotional. Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Fab Four all bring a tear to my eye because of the harmony and utter beauty of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner hits me hard every time.
The track Iād like performed at my final send-off
Elvis. If Iām cremated, Iāll have Burning Love. If Iām laid to rest in the ground, Iāll have Way Down.