Philippa Perry – these songs are teaching you what life is going to be like.

 Philippa Perry reflects on the music of her youth, “Ella Fitzgerald sold me a dud”…

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Hello and welcome to another episode of All About The Music, where I’m delighted to be in the company of psychotherapist and author Philippa Perry. Her career has seen her delve deep into how childhood and family shape us as adults, so it’s only fitting that her musical picks take us back to the world of her own childhood - a time of boarding schools, and parents set on Philippa losing her Warrington accent. Whisper it quietly, but some of her choices aren’t necessarily “favourites”… more the tracks that transport her to a formative point in her life, whether that’s being mildly terrified by the story of “Big Bad John”, comforted by her aunt playing Chopin, or misled by the romantic lyrics of Ella Fitzgerald.

And then there are The Beatles. Of all the music of her youth, they perhaps stand alone in Philippa’s eyes and ears. They’re as good now as they always were.

No assessment of Philippa’s musical loves could be complete without a trip to the world of the musical theatre. And Singin’ in the Rain is a show I’m always happy to re-visit!

Does Philippa care for contemporary music? Not a great deal, it has to be said. But Rufus Wainwright is a true talent who became the soundtrack to a memorable weekend in Paris when her and her now adult daughter stayed at the Hotel George V.

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