Soundtrack Of My Life: Olly Murs

9 December, 2022

Olly Murs

The first song I fell in love with

The Proclaimers – ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’

“When we were round my nan’s as a kid, she’d always say, ‘If you do that song for me and make me smile, I’ll give you a treat.’ A bit like dogs, basically. So me, my brother and sister would all sing and dance to ‘500 Miles’, and then we’d get a chocolate biscuit or a bag of crisps.”

The first album I bought

Meat Loaf – ‘Bat Out Of Hell’

“My dad is a massive record collector. Back in the day, especially in the early ’90s, boot sales were the place to go for vinyl, so sometimes I’d go with him on a Sunday morning. I remember buying this album on vinyl at one of those boot sales because I loved Meat Loaf – he’d just released [1993 single] ‘I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)’. I can remember coming home buzzing and my dad being really proud of me. Like, ‘my boy’s just bought his first vinyl’.”

The song I do at karaoke

Neil Diamond – ‘Sweet Caroline’

“It’s a song I’ve always sung, especially in pubs back in the day, but it’s taken on a new meaning for me since [my X Factor co-presenter] Caroline Flack passed. It’s a feel-good song that people really love, and because Caroline was such a firecracker, when I think of her, I want it to be in a happy way. This song definitely does that.”

The song I can no longer listen to

Justin Timberlake – ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling!’

“I had a new song out about a week after this song. And my mum texted me to say ‘I just heard your song on Radio 1 – it’s an absolute banger and it’s gonna be huge’. I texted her back in a panic because I was worried my song had leaked, and she replied: ‘Oh no, is it called ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling!’ or something?’ So I had to be like ‘no mum, that’s a Justin Timberlake song’, which kind of ruined it for me.”

The song I want played at my funeral

Queen – ‘Another One Bites The Dust’

“I picked this song because I’m not someone who takes things too seriously. So, if I had it playing as people were walking into my funeral, it might make them laugh a bit and remember the kind of character I was.”

The song that reminds me of home

The Smiths – ‘There Is Light That Never Goes Out’

“It’s a special song in my family because when it comes on at a party, I’ll always end up singing it with my mum, my dad and my sister. And all my cousins don’t really get it because Morrissey‘s a bit like Marmite isn’t he? Some people might think the lyrics are a bit morbid – “And if a double-decker bus crashes into us/To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die” – but it’s a song that instantly makes me think of home.”

The song I can’t get out of my head

Olly Murs – ‘I Hate You When You’re Drunk’

“When you’ve got an album coming out, all you’re doing is constantly listening to your own songs. With some of them, it’s like ‘I used to love this song, but I’ve been singing it non-stop for the last couple of months, and now I fucking hate it’. But this one is my new favourite. If you see me at the traffic lights when I’m driving down the West End, it’ll be like ‘yeah, that’s me listening to my own song, I’m that sad.'”

The song I wish I’d written

Paolo Nutini – ‘Pencil Full Of Lead’

“This song came out just before I made it as an artist. If you asked me what inspired [my hit] ‘Dance With Me Tonight’, I’d say ‘Pencil Full Of Lead’ because it’s got that ’50s and ’60s rock ‘n’ roll vibe. Like, if he’d been around in the ’50s and released it then, it would have been just as huge as it was in 2009 or 2010. It’s just an absolute jam.”

The song that makes me want to dance

Madness – ‘One Step Beyond’

“I grew up listening to Madness, so when I did my first tour, I put in a little Madness section. I used to dance around like a madman on that tour so it reminds me of that. I actually performed right before Madness at V Festival one year and Suggs asked if I’d like to come on with them for ‘It Must Be Love’. My parents happened to be in the audience that day and couldn’t believe their son was actually on stage with Madness. It was a real high point.”