Disco-pop great Gloria Gaynor has shared her honest playlist, saluting the sexiness of Marvin Gaye and the spirituality of Amazing Grace. The singer, known for her anthem 'I Will Survive', revealed the songs that have shaped her life and career.
The first song I fell in love with
Gaynor grew up in Newark, New Jersey, with five brothers and one sister. She recalls her mother singing 'Willow Weep for Me' when she was five or six. 'There was something about the sadness in it that really moved me,' she said.
The first single I bought
After hearing 'Why Do Fools Fall in Love' by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers on the radio, Gaynor bought the single from a local record store. She was singing in the hallway of her building when a neighbour asked if it was her singing, thinking it was the radio. 'That was the moment I decided I was going to be a singer,' she said.
The song I do at karaoke
Gaynor has only done karaoke once, about 20 years ago for her birthday. Someone dared her to sing 'I Will Survive' as if she were drunk. 'I thought: if you're going to do it, you might as well commit. So I did – and I nailed it,' she said.
The song I inexplicably know every lyric to
'Every Little Bit Hurts' by Alicia Keys resonates with Gaynor because of its theme of unrequited love, which she experienced as a young girl.
The best song to play at a party
Gaynor chose 'Crazy in Love' by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z, calling it 'a fun song that makes you want to move your body the moment it comes on.'
The song I can no longer listen to
'Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel' by Tavares is off-limits because her ex-husband used to sing it to her. 'Now I can't listen to it without it reminding me of him,' she said.
The best song to have sex to
'Let's Get It On' by Marvin Gaye gets Gaynor's vote for its 'sexy groove, the right tempo, and the words have the right vibe.'
The song that changed my life
'Never Can Say Goodbye' was Gaynor's first major hit. 'It changed everything. Suddenly there were more shows, bigger audiences and opportunities to travel the world. It took me from being someone with a dream to someone who was living it,' she said.
The song that gets me up in the morning
'Great Is Thy Faithfulness,' a traditional gospel song, is Gaynor's morning pick, specifically the version by Carrie Underwood.
The song that makes me cry
Gaynor's own version of 'Amazing Grace' closes her last album. 'Every time I sing it, it touches something deep in my spirit. It reminds me of how God's grace has carried me through my life,' she said.
The song I want played at my funeral
Gaynor wrote 'I Want to See You' about reunion in heaven. 'That's the message I'd want to leave behind,' she said.
Gloria Gaynor headlines Boogietown in Walton-on-Thames on 11 July.
