Barry writes about music at barrygruff.wordpress.com
What was the first song you bought?
Status Quo – Down Down
I can't remember my first single but the first album I bought Status Quo's 12 Golden Bars. I picked it up for 50p in a market when I was eight or nine. It's been a good investment to this day, even if people say otherwise.
What song takes you back to your childhood?
Europe – The Final Countdown
I was raised on a diet of 60s music thanks to my Da but apart from that it would have to be The Final Countdown. It was the theme tune for RTÉ's Sports Stadium when I was a kid, and it takes me back to being glued to the telly on Saturdays watching sport.
What song gets you dancing?
The Chemical Brothers – Hey Boy Hey Girl
I'm not much of a dancer, but if it's got good beats I can't resist. I've been known to throw some shapes to this from time to time. It's such a great tune.
What is your perfect love song?
Billy Bragg – The Price I Pay
An awful lot of love songs are bizarrely devoid of real emotion but not this one, you can really feel it oozing from your speakers. It's a song of lost love and heartache that really touched me at a certain time in my life (even if it sounds cheesy). I'm an awful sentimentalist so it's a natural fit.
What song would you want at your funeral?
Echo and the Bunnymen – Nothing Lasts Forever
It's not something I've thought about before; I'm not too bothered what will happen to me after I'm gone. I'm a big fan of the Bunnymen and this song. I suppose it and the title are pretty apt too.
Time for the encore. One last song that makes you, you
Half Man Half Biscuit – 24 Hour Garage People
I have a tendency to gravitate toward slightly oddball music so I guess the one band that sums that up is Half Man Half Biscuit. If I'm ever in doubt about what to listen to I tend to revert to them and 24 Hour Garage People in particular. It's clever, witty and sardonic, so why not?
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• Listen to Barry's six songs and join in the project by telling us which songs mean the to most to you at sixsongsof.me.
