“Even When I Think of Coldplay I Feel Tears”: Dennis Lewis’ Honest Playlist | music

The first song I fell in love with
I was in kindergarten when Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” was the song of the moment. I remember seeing the video on Top of the Pops, which was scary at first, but epic when it came to the big guitar break.

First song I bought
My mum had a little record player that kept me entertained, so I asked her to buy me Ring My Bell by Anita Ward for my birthday or Christmas, from a record shop in Wolverhampton.

The song I play at karaoke
I recently attended Soccer Aid, and one of the traditions is that they do karaoke afterward, so I performed Whitney Houston’s “I’ve Got Nothing.” It’s a big number, so I’m not sure what grabbed me; I just went for it and linked it. I got a standing ovation, so my behavior can’t be too bad.

The song to which I inexplicably know all the words
There are a lot of them, but I could recite the lyrics to Take on Me and The Sun Always Shines on TV by a-ha for days.

Best song to play at a party
If I’m with my girlfriends, as soon as Candy by Cameo comes out, we know the routine, we know the steps, we dominate the dance floor, and it literally blows up.

The song I can no longer listen to
I’ll make a lot of enemies, but I’m prepared for the backlash. I don’t mind Christmas, but when Merry Xmas Everyby by Slade comes into stores, I think: Please no, I can’t handle it. I’m a woman of a certain age, so I’ve been around 50+.

The song I secretly love, but tell everyone I hate
My heart will go on for Celine Dion. She could have slipped in “The Song I Can’t Listen to Anymore.” But in fact, it was just saved.

The song that changed my life
“A Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston was released in the summer of the 1988 Olympics. It captured everything I was feeling in that moment – where you are more than you ever thought you could be. I had it in my mind that I would go on to win an Olympic gold medal, and that fueled the passion and desire even more.

The song that wakes me up in the morning
Hold on to your table – it’s a rowdy table. Savage by Megan Thee Stallion, because it’s so upbeat and empowering, and makes me feel like I own it; I am that woman who will conquer the day.

The song that makes me cry
Even when I was thinking about Coldplay’s The Scientist, I was crying. I went to see them recently and I was bleeding like a baby.

The song I would want played at my funeral
I live forever, so I won’t have one. But if that happens, I can imagine My Way by Frank Sinatra singing while my body is cremated or placed in the ground.

Denise Lewis works with Scottish Widows to help women ensure their work is uninterrupted Affect their financial future.