I came across the Honest Playlist series on The Guardian website, which reminded me of a line from Nick Horny’s High Fidelity: “Dick and Barry and I agreed that what really matters is what you like, not what you are like.” Obviously, this isn’t the best philosophy to hold, but music, literature, TV and movies, even video games can absolutely be autobiographical.
So I decided to give it a go. What would your honest playlist look like?
The first song I fell in love with
According to my parents, it was Walk of Life by Dire Straits; apparently I I shook my little toddler booty to it constantly! But the first song I remember loving was The Show Must Go On by Queen. There’s such strength and resilience and loss in there.
The first single I bought
I actually bought two singles at the same time: Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz and Show Me Love by Robyn. I’m not sure which was rung up first, so I’m afraid it’s a two-for-one.
The song I do at karaoke
I don’t do karaoke. A family member once made it clear they don’t think I’m very good at singing and that’s stuck with me ever since. But gun to my head, I’d probably pick Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus.
The best song to play at a party
Love Shack by The B-52s. We insisted it be the last song played at our wedding. The DJ disagreed, but afterwards admitted we were right; everyone rushed to the dance floor when Love Shack came on!
The song I’ve streamed the most
Automatic Yes by Zedd and John Mayer. That song is strangely hooked in my brain. The lyrics suggest depth without exploring much and the music is catchy but not hugely memorable. It’s easy to have on in the background and still feel like you listened to a song, I suppose.
The song I can no longer listen to
Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi. I had to learn to play it on piano for a competition at school and hearing it so many times made me (and my family) sick of it. Sorry everyone!
The song that changed my life
Make Yourself by Incubus. It’s a little obvious, but I was contemplating a big career change and listening to that song helped convince me to take the chance. It ended up being a monumentally toxic and shitty job, but I wouldn’t be here without making that leap.
The song I secretly like, but tell everyone I hate
One of the best things I ever did was stop doing this. I used to pretend I didn’t like music because it wasn’t deemed “cool” and it was horrible. The worst offence was probably claiming I didn’t like George Michael when I had Faith on repeat. Now I like what I like and I’ll blast George at full volume without hesitation.
The song that gets me up in the morning
I need high energy music that makes me smile to wake me up first thing. What is Love? by Haddaway is a great choice for me.
The song that makes me cry
Know Who You Are, from the Moana soundtrack. It came on while I was in a very dark place. I felt like I didn’t, in fact, know who I was. So I had a little cry and then picked myself up and carried on. Eventually, the darkness lifted. Whenever I hear it, it reminds me of where I was and where I am now.
The song I’d like played at my funeral
I used to joke that I’d like Deeper Underground by Jamiroquai. Now I think I’d rather have Wherever You Will Go covered by Charlene Soraia.
The best song to write to
It all depends on what you’re writing, but when you’re just trying to get words on the page, the insistency of Disposal Unit by Jesper Kyd has been pretty useful!
Thinking about this was quite a fun little exercise. Interestingly, what I thought of as my “musical taste” isn’t as apparent as expected!
If you have a go at your own honest playlist, feel free to send it over. We can compare notes!
