Michael Caine picks his favourite song of all time
As one of Britain’s most beloved acting legends, Michael Caine can reflect on a career of unique variety and admirable consistency. Following early signs of success in the 1950s, the London-born actor broke through with a significant role in Cy Endfield’s colonial war classic Zulu in 1964.
Following Zulu’s success, Caine entered a streak of highly acclaimed appearances in blockbusting titles over the remainder of the decade, including Alfie, Gambit, The Italian Job and Battle of Britain. Over the past half-century, Caine has remained just as relevant, with Academy Award-winning roles in Woody Allen’s 1986 movie Hannah and Her Sisters and 1999’s The Cider House Rules.
Sadly, Caine announced his retirement in October 2023, following his final movie role in Oliver Parker’s The Great Escaper. “I keep saying I’m going to retire. Well, I am now,” he told the BBC’s ‘Today’ programme. “I’ve figured, I’ve had a picture where I’ve played the lead and had incredible reviews … What am I going to do that will beat this?”
“The only parts I’m liable to get now are 90-year-old men,” he added. “Or maybe 85. They’re not going to be the lead. You don’t have leading men at 90; you’re going to have young, handsome boys and girls. So I thought, I might as well leave with all this.”
Having led a seven-decade career through the latter 20th century, Caine has been lucky enough to experience the rise of a global music industry. The actor rose to prominence at a time when British musicians, such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, made a monumental impact on charts around the world.
“I knew all The Beatles, all The Rolling Stones,” Caine told Rolling Stone in 2019. “I knew everybody in the music business, and we spent our lives in discotheques. I drank alcohol quite heavily for some time. But I never did any drugs.”
Although Caine rubbed shoulders with the 1960s elite, his music tastes have moved with the times. In 2009, the acting legend paid a visit to BBC Radio 4 to partake in their cherished Desert Island Discs feature. Alongside discerning choices by John Lennon, Frank Sinatra and Edward Elgar, Caine showed his appreciation for more modern acts, including Bent, Coldplay and Chicane.
Several of the selections tap into the actor’s penchant for disco-inspired beats. “I’ve always been a big disco fan,” Caine said, selecting Coldplay’s ‘Viva la Vida’, “So anything I choose is liable to have a bit of a beat to it, and I love Coldplay. This is a bit of a disco one for me. I know it’s not disco; it’s much better than that.”
While picking out his eight favourite songs of all time, Caine singled out Elbow’s ‘One Day Like This’ for unbound praise. He had first heard the track while watching Glastonbury highlights at home. “On they came, and I thought: ‘Who the hell is this?’ And it became my favourite song because I love the build on it…It’s my favourite song.”
Listen to Michael Caine’s favourite song below.
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