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Sir Ian Rankin’s personal playlist
Sir Ian Rankin has shared his personal playlist and revealed the album he’s listened to on repeat while writing his famous Inspector Rebus books.
The renowned Scottish crime writer Rankin has championed Playlist for Life for many years. Last Christmas he kindly he modelled one of our exclusive What’s on Your Playlist t-shirts for his social media audience.
Speaking about why he supports our organisation Sir Ian said:
“It’s a great idea made flesh. I’ve seen how music can revive memories and keeps a person ‘lit up inside’, to quote Van Morrison.”
From youth to writing: The music on the soundtrack of Sir Ian's life
The best-selling author and philanthropist, who has penned 25 Inspector Rebus novels, has been profoundly influenced by the music he has listened to throughout his life. Growing up in Cardenden, Fife, he recalled seeing music as a window to a more colourful world.
“I haunted the record shops in nearby Kirkcaldy as a teenager and listened to my transistor radio day and night. I’ve never been able to learn an instrument, but I’ve always been able to write, so I started bringing music into my novels, naming the titles after songs and albums. This gave Inspector Rebus my own passion for music, even though he’s a slightly older generation. Scotland continues to punch above its weight musically and I’ve always been very proud of that.”
As well as influencing his protagonist’s music taste, Rankin’s music collection has soundtracked the writing of many of his novels.
“I listen to instrumental music while I write. It creates a bubble where only me and my story exist. Ambient electronica works best for me, Music for Airports by Brian Eno to give an example. I’ve written whole books with that album playing on repeat.”
Sir Ian's personal playlist
As per Playlist for Life tradition, we asked Sir Ian what would be on his personal playlist. The songs featured are a mix of tracks that bring back memories his family, growing up and creating music with friends.
Theme from Shaft, Issac Hayes
I think this was the first single I ever bought – I was eleven years old. I still own the record and I still listen to it. It’s as exciting now as it was five decades back. I remember sitting in my bedroom, listening to it on my sister’s Dansette portable record player!
Moondance, Van Morrison
This song takes me back to my late twenties. I was married and living in London, trying to become a full-time novelist, but earning most of my income as a music journalist. I got into Van Morrison at that time. He’s such a great vocalist, lyricist and musician – I like that he is still recording and performing after six decades in the industry!
The Boxer, Simon and Garfunkel
I sang it as a 12-year-old at my sister’s wedding. She was a fan of Simon & Garfunkel and Bridge Over Troubled Water was one of the few albums we had in the house.
But the band at the wedding reception – which was one guy with a drum and one with a squeezebox – didn’t know it so I sang it by myself.
I hadn’t realised that some of the lyrics might not go down too well with the aunties but when you’re 12 you don’t think about these things.
It makes me remember family members – aunts and uncles and both parents – who are no longer with us. It paints a big emotional picture for me of the way our family were at that time and how my life was at that time.
Exit Wound, Jackie Leven
It’s from much later in my life. I decided that my character Rebus would be a fan of music and one artist he likes is Scottish singer-songwriter Jackie Leven. What I didn’t realise was that Jackie was a fan of the books and he saw himself mentioned. He got in touch and we became good friends. We made an album together and toured together.
Jackie was a huge, larger-than-life figure. He was a big man, a fantastic storyteller, and when he walked into a room he filled it. He allowed me to get as close to being a rock star as I’ll ever get.
Sadly Jackie is no longer with us so when I listen to Exit Wound it brings him back but also it reminds me of what the Rebus novels mean to me.
Edina, Blue Rose Code
My final choice is a poignant song about growing up in Edinburgh and looking back a mistakes made and roads not taken.
Create a playlist for yourself or a loved one living with dementia. Try our playlist maker for ideas on songs to include.
