The first song I remember hearing
My older brother Paul and I would listen to Pick of the Pops every Sunday with Alan Freeman. When I went to boarding school, Paul would send me the charts each week – the actual list and the order he thought they should be. When I first heard You Really Got Me by the Kinks, I was stunned. The rasping voice left a lasting impression.
The first single I bought
The Last Time by the Rolling Stones. Growing up, you were either a Stones or a Beatles fan. The playground was divided. I loved A Hard Day’s Night, the musical film of the Beatles, when it came out in 64 too.
The song that is my karaoke go-to
I sing Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by Andy Williams to my baby grandson, Jack, born this summer. Whenever I hit “I love you baby!” he stares at me wide-eyed. It really is adorable.
The best song to play at a party
YMCA by the Village People has the dance moves that always look so funny. Singing about somewhere to stay is not uncommon. But YMCA beats Hotel California at a party any day.
The album I stream the most
It’s 50 years since Band on the Run by Paul McCartney and Wings came out, and it still sounds as fresh today. Everything conspired against McCartney. Two members quit, tapes were stolen when they were held up by robbers. Bluebird and Jet are favourites.
The song that I secretly like, but tell everyone I hate
Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond is such an odd choice for a football anthem. The verse seems never-ending so when the chorus finally happens, we all join in with big smiles. Good times never feel so good.
The song I can no longer listen to
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You by Bryan Adams was No 1 for an eternity. I remember thinking it was definitely someone else’s turn. Around the time the Sycamore Gap tree was attacked on Hadrian’s Wall this year, I heard it again. Now it’s attached to something sad.
The song I wish I had written
Nowhere Man by the Beatles features in the Yellow Submarine film and is so wonderfully uplifting and enigmatic song about rolling with the flow. We spend a lot of time trying to direct our lives in a certain direction. This is about the importance to take your time, don’t hurry.
The song that changed my life
Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini by yours truly! I’m for ever grateful to Andrew Lloyd Webber for suggesting it [Lloyd Webber produced the song as a bet]. It all happened so quickly – just two days from that meeting to recording a finished version with Nigel Wright. Watching it climb the charts around reminded me of how my brother Paul and I would follow the charts on the radio every week. Best of all, it was top of the charts on my wedding day, September 1990. Aren’t I the lucky chap?
The song that gets me up in the morning
Young at Heart by the Bluebells always gets me out of bed with a bouncy step. Being young at heart means you are ready to laugh at the world’s foibles and rejoice in something as simple as the sunrise.
The song I want played at my funeral
At my late brother Martin’s funeral we played He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother by the Hollies. Martin lived a life that inspired me with the way he approached his learning difficulties and the love he showed us all with his Down’s syndrome. I often think that extra chromosome of Down’s syndrome is a chromosome of love, and you can’t have too much love in the world, can you?
As told to Rich Pelley
Timmy Mallett is this year’s ambassador for the Pension Attention campaign. See pensionattention.co.uk
