‘Baby Shark is not something you should enjoy as an adult’: Steve McGovern’s Honest Playlist | Steve McGovern

The first song I fell in love with
I grew up in a house where music was played all the time. I had seen Kylie on Neighbours, so I fell in love with I Should Be So Lucky. I love that you don’t need to know about her private life, you can still love her. I went to see her recently and she was great.

First album I bought
Hangin’ Tough by New Kids on the Block, on cassette, from Woolies in Middlesbrough, with selected songs. I don’t think you can never Go to Woolies and don’t walk out with some pick up. I loved the underdog, so Donnie Wahlberg was my favorite cast member.

The song I play at karaoke
I hate singing, but I love a good dance, so I do B*Witched’s C’est la Vie, because there’s a musical interlude where I can impress everyone with some Irish dance moves on old wobbly ankles.

The song to which I inexplicably know all the words
I was on a night shift at the BBC, and I ended up rapping a song called “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio with a girl called Katie Prescott. I remember thinking: There’s no way she knows the words, because they’re so elegant, but she also knows them all.

Best song to play at a party
“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston, because it’s passed down through every generation.

The song I can no longer listen to
When I was a kid, my friend’s mother, who had this new boyfriend, would play High by the Lighthouse Family on repeat, to drown out the noise that was coming from the bedroom. I still can’t listen to it.

The song I secretly love, but tell everyone I hate
I have a five-year-old child. The thing that appeals to kids is The Floor Is Lava from Baby Shark, which is not something you should enjoy as an adult. But seeing my child jump at all the action means it’s my guilty pleasure.

The song that changed my life
My dad was a big Smiths and Morrissey fan, so when he was teaching me to drive, he always played Everyday Is Like Sunday. When I passed the test and worked for Black+Decker, I would make it explode in my car to celebrate my independence. Now, this just reminds me of my dad.

The song that makes me cry
“All Bets Off” by Nerina Pallot is about heartbreak, hence the song I play when I get dumped. I have been abandoned at different points in my life in different ways. It takes me back to a time of utter heartbreak and thinking I’ll never get over it.

The song I would want played at my funeral
For goodness sake, from the part in Wicked the Musical where the two wizards go their separate ways. The lyrics are about people who come into your life for a reason, they may not stay for a very long time, but there is a reason they play a role in your life. I’m thinking carefully about it.

Deadline, Steve McGovern’s debut thriller, is out now in hardcover and paperback from April 9.