My Father’s Day Playlist

When it comes to music, I’ve always been a bit of an old soul. I cut my teeth with 1940s and 50s crooners like Bing Crosby and The Andrew’s Sisters before turning to 1920s jazz, eventually ending up with the classics of the 1960s and 70s that made up my dad’s record collection.

Much of the music that now makes up my favourite artists and songs were discovered going through old mix tapes and vinyl, exploring everything from the classic Americana to obscure 80s punk that make up my father’s music taste.

Therefore when HMV invited me to share a Father’s Day playlist, I was spoiled for choice. Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, The Smiths, The Beatles – all regulars on my spotify playlists, all discovered from my father. These are the five songs that for me sum up my relationship with him, and our shared passion for ageing rockers!

UNKNOWN LEGEND – NEIL YOUNG

My dad has pretty much every Neil Young album ever, thanks to me and my mum dutifully buying them for him every Christmas and Birthday for years. When I was a kid it’d be a fight over what we’d listen to in the car, Neil Young or my ‘Now 54′ album (remember those? I think that one had Blazin’ Squad on it, talk about a throwback!). I just didn’t get it. And then one day, I did. I can’t remember what changed (I grew out of Blazin’ Squad, I guess..), but now I love Neil Young, and his Harvest Moon album is one of my favourites when I need something chill to listen to. My top pick is the song Unknown Legend, a regular on our car journeys and now one of my all-time favourite songs. Just a shame I spent all those years listening to ‘Crossroads’ instead.

ALL MY LOVING – THE BEATLES

I’m not a huuuuge Beatles fan – they’ve got some bangers, obviously, but they also have a lot of very forgettable stuff. All My Loving, though, is my favourite, and for me fully justifies their ‘biggest boy band of all time’ label. This song was actually the first track on a mix tape my dad had made my mum years before I was born, which probably contributes to why I love it so much. Shout out to Bob Dylan’s ‘I Want You’ and Leo Sayer’s ‘Moonlighting’, which also made an appearance on the tape and alongside All My Loving became my life soundtrack for several months after finding the tape.

A NEW ENGLAND – BILLY BRAGG

Billy Bragg had to make it on the list, as he was the first gig I ever went to with my dad when I was still too young to really know what was going on. Like many of the others on this list I never really paid much attention to Billy Bragg growing up, favouring the likes of S Club and McFly, but rediscovered his music later on. I actually met him recently after another gig – I haven’t stopped boasting to my dad since!

THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT – THE SMITHS

Which British teenager didn’t go through an angsty Smiths phase? I subconciously grew up with The Smiths, hearing their classics on repeat around the house without ever paying much attention. It was only in my teen years when I started listening to them properly that I realised I already knew most of the words. There Is A Light in particular brought back memories of my dad singing the lines ‘to die by your side, the pleasure, the privilege is mine’ to my mum (super cringe, I know), and it’ll forever be my favourite Smiths song for that reason.

LET HER GO – PASSENGER

Bit of a wild card, this. All the other songs have been artists my dad introduced me to, but this is one I got him into back when Passenger had his moment (whatever happened to him?). We actually saw him together a few years back performing at Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park. Bruce Springsteen started his headline set about halfway through and the crowds emptied to catch The Boss, but we stayed till the end we were enjoying it so much.

So those are my five songs that remind me of my dad – I’d love to know if you have any particular songs that reflect your relationship with yours? Hope everyone has a great Father’s Day – let me know what you’ll be getting up to in the comments!

post in collaboration with hmv, but all love of old music my own!