James Martin's honest playlist: 'I learned to
play guitar so I could perform Don't Stop
Believin' every night'
================================================

The first song I remember hearingI grew up in a
farmhouse in Welburn, a little village in North
Yorkshire. My mother had an old record player,
and I remember her playing Johnny Mathis and
Barry Manilow.

The song I do at karaokeLast tour, the guys at
the promoters Live Nation said: "We need a
strong ending to the show." I remember Lee Evans
playing the piano at Wembley Arena. So I learned
to play the guitar so we could play Don't Stop
Believin' by Journey. Thousands of people stand
up with their mobile phone torches on, which is
very rock'n'roll. Now it's our signature. We do
it every night.

The song I inexplicably know every lyric toI
know the lyrics to plenty of Oasis songs
including Wonderwall, from singing them too many
times in the pub when I was in my 20s.

The song I can no longer listen toGravity by
John Mayer got embedded into my brain because it
was the song that was used to soundcheck every
night on the last tour. Never again.

The song I wish I had writtenJumpin' Jack Flash
by the Rolling Stones. The lyrics are amazing.
Obviously Keith Richards and Mick Jagger had
their fallouts back in the day, so to come up
with this is amazing.

The best song to play at a partyIt depends on
the age bracket. But these days, I'd say
Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles.

The first single I bought She Sells Sanctuary by
the Cult, from Woolworths in York. I'd get
pick'n'mix on a Saturday with my mum for a treat
if I was good.

The song that changed my lifeI used to listen to
Money's Too Tight (to Mention) by Simply Red
when I was a head chef way back in my 20s,
mainly because money was too tight to mention. I
was living in a rented flat that cost GBP 60 a
week and was only earning about GBP 100.

The song I want played at my funeralAll my mates
know that I'm obsessed with tractors. So The
Combine Harvester (Brand New Key) by the
Wurzels. They're about GBP 750,000 these days,
so I can't afford one. But I could afford a
tractor.

The song that gets me up in the morningSympathy
for the Devil by the Rolling Stones has got what
I call a proper guitar riff.

James Martin is touring 19 February to 15 March;
tour starts Leicester.



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