Political Spin: Kirsteen Sullivan MP

The Labour MP on her love of The Boss and why Shania Twain's biggest hit 'sets her teeth on edge'

What was the first record you ever bought?  

It was Johnny Hates Jazz’s Shattered Dreams. I’m quite embarrassed about that now – it’s not very cool but it was a fairly good pop song. I remember buying it in Woolworths in Kirkintilloch – a great loss to the high street. I was cooking dinner the other day and listening to [radio station] Heart 80s when it came on. I was telling my 12-year-old son it was the first record I had ever bought, and he just looked a bit mystified.  

What will always get you on the dance floor? 
It would either be the Average White Band’s Let’s Go Round Again or September by Earth, Wind & Fire. It’s happy, feelgood music. 

What’s your karaoke song? 
I don’t like singing karaoke because I can’t sing, but I have been known to give [Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton duet] Islands in the Stream a go. It doesn’t need to be with a Kenny [Rogers] substitute either; I can sing both parts. Karaoke always seems like a good idea at the time.

What do you want played at your funeral? 
I would like Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run. I’m a huge Springsteen fan and that song just speaks to me and who I am. I’d like people to hear something that will actually remind them of me. I don’t want anything too sorrowful. 

What music is guaranteed to make you cry? 
There’s two: Ennio Morricone’s music in [1988 film] Cinema Paradiso and Barbara Streisand’s The Way We Were, which I was thinking of recently following the death of Robert Redford. Both of those are probably the only films which will have me in tears every time. Cinema Paradiso has the best ending of any film I have ever seen – it makes you sad and happy at the same time. 

What music do you associate with your childhood? 
Abba and country music. My father was a huge country music fan so I grew up on Tammy Wynette, Kenny Rogers and Hank Marvin. But Abba also featured very heavily, which is probably why I have such eclectic music taste, spanning a wide range and over many years. My father was the person that played all the music in our house – he had a huge tape collection – and he was a big Abba fan. I’ve turned into a huge Abba fan and have seen [stage show] Abba Voyage twice now. It’s feelgood music but also more cerebral than people give them credit for. 

What was the first dance at your wedding? 
It was Billy Joel, Just The Way You Are. I think we were struggling to agree on one and that was the only one where we both liked the words. 

What record do you absolutely hate but can’t get out of your head? 
A song that I really, really hate – probably quite unreasonably so – is Shania Twain’s Man! I Feel Like A Woman! I hate it. This is a terrible thing to say, but I don’t like the way hordes of women go on the dance floor when it comes on. It’s just a really cheesy song and sets my teeth on edge, quite frankly. Sorry, Shania.

What record would you be embarrassed to owning up to having in your collection? 
Many years ago, I had some Michael Bolton. His concert was very good though – he had a full gospel choir. It was many, many years ago – back in the 80s or early 90s. 

What was the last band you went to see and who with? 
I’ve seen Bruce Springsteen live umpteen times – probably the best live act I’ve ever seen. I saw him at Anfield in Liverpool with my husband earlier this year. He’s all about the music – it’s not about costume changes or personality, it’s about the music and what it means to the fans. I feel really lucky that I have been able to see him more than once, and seeing the wide age range of his audience shows his music really resonates with people across different age groups.  

What song do you associate with your political wins? 
The first election I was involved in was in 1997 when I was helping out a friend’s dad. It was Tracy Chapman Talkin’ About a Revolution – that was the song that got me really fired up. Even during my own campaign last year, I would regularly put that on in the car.