Political Spin: Tracy Gilbert

What was the first record that you ever bought? 
It was a long time ago, by the way, I’ll just say that. I’m guessing I was 10. I think it was Madness, Driving in My Car. We used to buy records at a little record shop in Penicuik, where I grew up. Everybody spent their pocket money there. 

What record will always get you on the dance floor? 
I’m an 80s kid through and through so anything by Erasure, who are one of my all-time favourite bands. But anything from the mid-80s onwards is likely to get me dancing. I think it was some of the best times for pop music. 

What’s your karaoke song? 
We did karaoke as a work night out not that long ago. I go for probably a classic, something like Dignity by Deacon Blue. But if it’s Christmas, I always end up having to be Shane McGowan doing Fairytale of New York. 

What was your first dance at your wedding, and why? 
We didn’t have a first dance. We had a music playlist, and the song we picked was Karine Polwart’s Travel These Ways. My wife and I used to be in a community choir in Leith. It’s one of the first songs that we learnt in the choir. She’s got a much better singing voice than I have. But thankfully you didn’t have to be a great singer to be in this choir. 
Obviously, I was in the deep-voice section, and she was one of the singers. We’d see each other across the room and I’d always get emotional when she was singing it. So that ended up being our song. 

What songs do you want played at your funeral? 
Probably that one as well. I’d like something from Tracy Chapman, something from the Fast Car album. 

What song/music is guaranteed to make you cry? 
Karine Polwart would always make me cry, but actually most Proclaimers songs have an intensity that makes me cry, Sunshine on Leith and The Streets of Edinburgh, for example.

What music do you always associate with your childhood?
Any kind of 80s pop and The Jam – I loved them when I was a kid. The lyrics spoke to me so much. But even now, when I read them I think they are some of the best working-class tunes ever written, and they told such a great political story of the time. 

What record do you hate that you can’t get out of your head? 
I can’t think of one. It would be something irritating, like an earworm tune that’s in a TV advert. 

What record are you embarrassed to own up to having in your collection? 
There’s probably something like David Essex’s A Winter’s Tale or something like that in there. 

What was the last band that you went to see, and who was it with? 
The gig I went to was Harry Styles this year, who was fantastic. I actually saw him twice. I went once with my wife and once with my niece, both at Wembley.