During my teenage years, a visit to a charity shop in Basingstoke led me to purchase “Jolene” by Dolly Parton, a song I played repeatedly.
The first record I ever bought was “Save a Prayer” by Duran Duran, which I got from HMV in Reading. I remember Simon Le Bon being quite charming, and I was also a fan of Morten Harket from A-ha.
At karaoke, I love performing “Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, as it always gets the crowd up and dancing. When my children began playing it, it struck me as a nostalgic throwback, especially since I had not realized it gained renewed popularity after its inclusion in the film “Saltburn.”
Every lyric to “Still Smiling,” a track from my husband and four sons’ band, the Entitled Sons, is etched in my mind. I’ve attended numerous gigs across the country, though I can tell they might feel embarrassed when I sing along enthusiastically.
At parties, it’s impossible to remain seated when “Mambo No 5 (A Little Bit of …)” by Lou Bega is played; it’s so infectious that it could almost be used as a form of torture—imagine being tied to a chair while it plays!
Once a favorite, “The Lady in Red” by Chris de Burgh has unfortunately become unbearable for me over the years, whereas I used to enjoy it during my youth.
There’s a song I secretly enjoy but publicly claim to dislike: “PIMP” by 50 Cent. The catchy beat and lyrics appeal to me, but I refrain from singing lines like, “You can’t see / That I’m a motherfuckin’ P-I-M-P / I don’t know what you heard about me,” as it doesn’t feel appropriate.
A pivotal moment in my life occurred when I was 18 and met my husband, who introduced me to “When Justice Came” by the Black Velvet Band on cassette. I knew then that I might marry him because of his impressive taste in music.
To start my mornings, I enjoy blasting “Carmina Burana” by Carl Orff on a large speaker; I highly recommend it for waking everyone up!
A song that often brings me to tears is “Something Stupid” by Frank and Nancy Sinatra.
As for my funeral, I won’t be there to care about the music, but perhaps “Jump Around” by House of Pain would be an entertaining choice.
“Help! I Bought It at Auction with Sarah Beeny” airs on Channel 4 every Wednesday at 8 pm.
