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‘I loved the Police from the get-go’: Elaine Paige’s honest playlist
In an "Honest Playlist" feature for the Guardian, singer and actor Elaine Paige shares the songs that have shaped her life and career, timed to the release of her new album, Miscellaneous Paige. She reflects on formative musical moments from childhood to the present, including her enduring love of the Police despite a career built largely on musical theatre and classic crooners.
Among her picks, she names All I Have to Do Is Dream by the Everly Brothers as the first song she fell in love with, Perry Como's Magic Moments as her first record purchase, and Roxanne by the Police as her favourite party song. She credits Don't Cry for Me Argentina, from her breakout role in Evita, as the song that changed her life, and recalls being thrust into the lead role in Hair in 1968 at short notice. She also touches on personal associations, such as Cole Porter's Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye reminding her of her late mother, and suggests George Michael's cover of The Long and Winding Road for her own funeral.
In short
- Elaine Paige picks personal favourite songs for the Guardian's playlist feature.
- Don't Cry for Me Argentina from Evita "changed her life".
- Her new album, Miscellaneous Paige, is out now.
Explained simply
Elaine Paige is a British singer and actor whose career has been closely linked with musical theatre. She became widely known for playing Eva Perón in Evita, the musical about the life of Argentina’s former first lady.
Paige began performing in the late 1960s, including taking on the lead role in Hair at short notice. Her musical tastes range from pop groups such as the Police to classic singers and songwriters, reflecting the different stages of her life and work.
Her story also shows how songs can become tied to particular people and memories. For performers, a song may carry both personal meaning and an association with a role that changed their career.
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