What do Amy Winehouse, Miles Davis and Gustav Holst have in common?
They’ve all been chosen by South Holland and The Deepings MP John Hayes as part of his Desert Island Disc selection.
On Saturday, September 22, Broad Street Methodist Church in Spalding hosted its own version of the BBC show in which celebrities choose the music they’d take with them to a desert island.
Mr Hayes picked eight songs that he couldn’t live without. Here’s the full list, along with his reasons.
Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks
Mr Hayes: “As I was born in south east London, this wonderful 1960s recording is redolent of my childhood there.”
You Go To My Head by Bryan Ferry
“As a teenager I came to love both the ballads of the great American songbook and Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music. I remember buying You Go To My Head when it was released in 1976.”
I’ve Got You Under My Skin by Frank Sinatra
“On the same theme; though I admire George Gershwin and Jerome Kern greatly, my favourite songwriter and lyricist is Cole Porter and my favourite male soloist Frank Sinatra. This Capital Records recording, with orchestration by Nelson Riddle, is the definitive version of the song.”
Jupiter from The Planets Suite by Gustav Holst
“I hadn’t considered classical music until my university years. Then I began to appreciate Wagner, Mozart and the Romantics. Later I began to enjoy the 20th century British composers such as Elgar and Vaughan Williams. At the heart of Jupiter is what became the hymn – sung at my wedding – I Vow to Thee My Country and because The Planets Suite is a favourite of my son Edward.”
I Believe by Elvis Presley
“Elvis Presley’s voice punctuated the first 20 years of my life and this song sums up what I believe.”
So What by Miles Davis
“As an adult I discovered jazz. There is nothing better in the genre than the 1959 album Kind of Blue from which this track comes.”
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by Amy Winehouse
“My favourite pop album is Tapestry – Carole King’s masterpiece – and this is my favourite track from it. Her own is a delight and the earlier Phil Spector produced version by The Shirelles is wonderful, but I’ve chosen the interpretation by Amy Winehouse whose musical genius is an
inspiration.”
Till There Was You by The Beatles
“The Beatles music features time and time again when our family is together. This cover version of a song from The Music Man is my choice. The reason is quite simple because whenever I hear Paul McCartney singing it I think of my wife Susan who I love more each day.”
We’ve put together a Spotify playlist of Mr Hayes’ Desert Island Disc selections, which you can find by searching Spotify ‘Grooving with John Hayes MP’ or at https://spoti.fi/2xWinbA
