‘People say they copied my music’: Tricky’s playlist | Fraudulent

The first song I liked
I used to go out with a Jamaican girl when we were about 15, and I listened to Night Nurse by Gregory Isaacs all the time. We had a daughter together when we were 17 – she’s 35 now and works in social work in Bristol – so this song has always been with me.

A song that makes me cry
Astral Weeks by Van Morrison, because it reminds me of my mother growing up in Bristol. He sings about his mother dressing him up and showing him pictures, and my mother was the same. In every childhood photo I am in a shirt and tie and I look good.

The first single I bought
I remember taking the bus from Knowle West into town to buy a Specials album. I was fascinated by art and handwriting. I sat on the bus and read everything on the way home and listened to it for three days straight.

I know all the words to this song
I can repeat every word of Check Out My Melody by Eric B and Rakim off the top of my head, 40 years later.

The perfect song to play at a party
Song 2 by Blur, for that sound. I still listen to it now. I was listening to it yesterday in my hotel room. I put on my headphones, smoke some hash and play 2 Songs.

I can’t listen to that song anymore
In fact, there isn’t one. My favorite songs from years ago – Purple Rain by Prince or Fight the Power by Public Enemy – I can still listen to them now.

The song I make at karaoke
I can’t say I’ve ever done karaoke, but if I had to, I’d do True Colors by Cyndi Lauper.

The song that wakes me up in the morning
Bringing out Yo’Delf and Method Man gets me moving.

The best song to have sex with
People have been telling me for years: “My partner and I have sex to your music.” Some people have said that they copied my music, which is great. But I don’t think that sex and music go together, so it always seems strange to me.

The song that changed my life
I loved Prince, but I knew I couldn’t sing like him. Then I heard Too Much Too Young by the Specials and saw them live. Terry Hall and Neville Staple sang about the life I knew. Suddenly it felt possible. He made me realize that I could do it, too.

A song I secretly love, but tell everyone I hate it
Breathe Me by Sia is great. I don’t know any of his stuff, which is bad, because I probably should.

The song I would like to be played at my funeral
I’m not going to die, so there’s no need to think about that.

Tricky’s album When It’s Silent is out now.