John Simm's Honest Playlist: From Early Favorites to Unexplained Dislikes

The earliest song I fell in love with
My first memory is walking into a room at kindergarten where they were spinning Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was captivated by the sonic landscape, and John Lennon shouting: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the chorus, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”

The inaugural record I acquired
When I was eight, I was victorious in a contest at school to choose a brand new record to play at the weekly dance party we had on Friday afternoons. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I picked out Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first single I bought with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a music store in Lancashire. It was No 1 at the time, and I selected it when my dad mentioned that it was by one of the Beatles.

The song I do at sing-along
I honestly 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 recite each line to
I recently realised that I can recall pretty much every word to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and each track on Graceland by Paul Simon.

The perfect track to play at a gathering
It relies on which phase of the event you are at. At the start it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the party deepens, I’d transition into the Artist, the Rolling Stones and Bowie, and when it really kicks off, Phat Planet by the electronic act, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by the virtual band, which is an massive track.

The song I can never listen to
I for some reason detest Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The ideal piece to get intimate to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The album that transformed me
When I was twelve and just learning to study the guitar, I’d only listen to early rock and roll, and was fixated on Elvis, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, the New Orleans legend, the glasses-wearing icon and the rockabilly star. Then my childminder brought round Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still guitar music, but it was high voltage rock ’n’roll. The moment he placed the record on the record player, I was captivated.

The track that gets me up in the morning
What’d I Say parts 1 & 2 by Ray Charles.

The song that gets me emotional
All music leaves me touched. The Queen of Soul, Frank Sinatra, Presley and the Beatles all stir my emotions because of the melody and utter perfection of the voices. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner hits me hard consistently.

The music I’d like performed at my final send-off
Elvis. If I’m cremated, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m laid to rest in the ground, I’ll have Way Down.