John Simm's Honest Playlist: Starting with Childhood Favorites to Unexplained Dislikes

The earliest song I became enamored with
My earliest recollection is entering a room at kindergarten where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was captivated by the audio textures, and John Lennon shouting: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the hook, I recall believing: “This must be music!”

The inaugural 45 I acquired
When I was eight years old, I was victorious in a competition at school to choose a brand new record to play at the small dance we had on Fridays. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I opted for Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first single I bought with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a record shop in Lancashire. 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 track I sing at karaoke
I candidly do not enjoy public singing and steer clear at all costs. But if I had to, I’d go with Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.

The track I strangely remember every lyric to
I recently realised that I can recall almost all the lyrics to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and the entire album on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.

The perfect track to put on at a party
It relies on which phase of the event you are at. At the start it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the night wears on, I’d move on to the Artist, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie, and when it hits its peak, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an massive track.

The number I can no longer listen to
I strangely cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The ultimate song to have sex to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The album that changed my life
When I was 12 and starting to play the six-string, I’d only listen to classic rock ’n’roll, and was obsessed with The King, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder played Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still guitar music, but it was powerful rock ’n’roll. Instantly after he dropped the vinyl on the record player, I was a fan for life.

The song that gets me up in the AM
What’d I Say in its full glory by The Genius.

The song that gets me emotional
Virtually any music leaves me emotional. The Queen of Soul, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Fab Four all stir my emotions because of the tune and utter perfection of the voices. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley strikes a chord every time.

The track I’d like to be played at my funeral
Elvis. If I’m given a cremation, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m laid to rest in the ground, I’ll have Way Down.

Greg Harris
Greg Harris

Elena Vance is a seasoned international business strategist with over 15 years of experience advising UK firms on global expansion and market entry strategies.