John Simm's Honest Musical Selections: Starting with Childhood Loves to Unexplained Aversions

The initial tune I fell in love with
My earliest recollection is walking into a room at nursery school where they were spinning Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was captivated by the sonic landscape, and John Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the refrain, I distinctly thought: “This must be music!”

The first record I purchased
When I was eight years old, I was victorious in a contest at school to pick a brand new record to play at the small dance we had on Fridays. 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 pocket money was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a record shop in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I chose it when my dad pointed out that it was by a former member of the Beatles.

The track I sing at karaoke
I frankly do not enjoy karaoke and avoid it at all costs. But if I had to, I’d go with Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The track I inexplicably know all the words to
I just became aware that I have memorized 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 ideal song to play at a soirée
It relies on what stage of the evening you are at. At the start it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the night wears on, I’d transition into the Artist, the Rolling Stones and Bowie, and when it gets lively, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an undeniable hit.

The track I can no longer listen to
I inexplicably detest Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The best song to make love to
Come Together by the Beatles.

The LP that transformed me
When I was 12 and starting to study the guitar, I’d only listen to early rock and roll, and was fixated on The King, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and the rockabilly star. Then my babysitter played Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was high voltage rock music. Instantly after he put the record on the record player, I was hooked.

The song that gets me up in the morning
What’d I Say in its full glory by Ray Charles.

The track that gets me emotional
Most music makes me touched. Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Presley and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the melody and pure perfection of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner strikes a chord without fail.

The song I’d like played at my memorial service
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.