When Sir Michael Caine appeared on Desert Island Discs in 2009, he revealed a hand-picked set of tracks that reflect not only his taste but moments from his life and career. Spanning orchestral works, disco-era ballads, and Christmas classics, the list captures his wide-ranging musical interests and the personal memories attached to each choice.
Here are the British film legend’s eight favourite songs and his reasoning for picking each of them.
8. Coldplay – Viva La Vida
Released in 2008 as part of Coldplay’s fourth studio album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, the track quickly became one of the band’s biggest global hits, reaching number one in both the UK and US.
Known for its sweeping strings, marching rhythm, and lyrical references to historical and biblical imagery, it was praised for its departure from the band’s earlier sound – even winning them a Song of the Year Grammy.
Caine said: “I’ve always been a big disco fan, and so anything I choose is liable to have a bit of a beat to it. And I love Coldplay. This is a sort of bit of a disco one for me, but I know it’s not disco, it’s much better than that, but it reminds me because of the beat.”
7. Elbow – One Day Like This
Elbow’s 2008 anthem, from the Mercury Prize-winning album The Seldom Seen Kid, became a modern British classic, widely used at festivals, public events, and even the 2012 London Olympics.
Caine recalled discovering it on television: “I was watching Glastonbury last year, as you do when you’re an old guy. And on they came. And I thought, who the hell is this? And it became my favourite song, because I love to build on it. And I love not just a group, you know, a rock and roll group, but suddenly to add a great big orchestra to it. I thought that was fabulous. It’s my favourite song.”
6. Edward Elgar – Variation IX ‘Nimrod’ from the Enigma Variations
First performed in 1899, Elgar’s Enigma Variations consists of 14 variations on an original theme, each dedicated to a friend of the composer. The ninth variation, ‘Nimrod’, is among the most recognisable pieces of British classical music, often played at national commemorations and Remembrance services.
For Caine, it carried a deeply personal patriotic connection: “This is me as a very patriotic Englishman. I’m very English, very patriotic about the whole country. And if I’m on a record show, and I want to put across music that represents how I feel about my country, it would be Nimrod from Elgar’s Enigma Variations.”
5. Chicane – No Ordinary Morning
British electronic music act Chicane, led by Nick Bracegirdle, released ‘No Ordinary Morning’ in 2000 as part of the album Behind the Sun. The song blends ambient textures with trance-inspired beats, and it has been associated with the late-1990s and early-2000s “chill-out” scene that gained popularity in Ibiza and across European club culture.
Caine linked it to the origins of that style: “This is the first of two chill records that I play. Chill music was started by Claude Chi in the Boudin bar in Paris. Very romantic song, but a bit of a beat to it.”
4. Bent – Swollen
Released in 2000, Bent’s ‘Swollen’ became one of the standout tracks of the British downtempo and chill-out genre. Known for its atmospheric production and hypnotic melody, it gained lasting popularity in compilations and late-night radio playlists.
Caine funnily admitted he often got the title mixed up: “I always get very, very confused when I tell people it is because I’m not quite sure myself. It’s either called Swollen by Bent or Bent by Swollen. Well, I suddenly thought if they ever went and did a record with Elbow, it would be a Swollen Bent Elbow, you know.”
3. Phyllis Nelson – Move Closer
American soul singer Phyllis Nelson’s ‘Move Closer’ became a surprise hit in the UK in 1985, reaching number one on the singles chart. A romantic ballad, it stood out in the mid-1980s pop landscape and became a staple slow dance song in nightclubs and discos.
Caine remembered its place in nightlife culture: “This is a song that they always did in discotheque. When it came to the end of the evening, they sort of gave everyone a little romantic chance before they went off into the night. And they always played Phyllis Nelson, Move Closer.”
2. Frank Sinatra – My Way
Perhaps Sinatra’s most famous song, ‘My Way’ was adapted from the 1967 French track ‘Comme d’habitude’, composed by Claude François and Jacques Revaux. Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka wrote the English lyrics specifically for Sinatra, tailoring them to his persona.
Caine recalled his connection to both the song and the singer: “Shirley MacLaine was a big star and she had the right to choose her own leading man. She saw Ipcress Violin. She brought me to Hollywood for the first time and then she gave a party to introduce me to Hollywood. And the second person to come in was Frank Sinatra, who was a great friend of Shirley. They didn’t come for me. Nobody knew who the hell I was. And I met my idol, Frank Sinatra. I love Frank Sinatra.”
“But the strangest part was that many years earlier, I was in Paris and I was friends with a singer called Claude Francois. And Claude Francois recorded this song called Comme d’habitude. Many, many years later, I’m watching a show and Sinatra starts singing and I’m sitting there thinking I know this song. And Paul Anka, who’s a friend of mine, was there with us. He said, ‘I wrote this lyric’. I said ‘Have I heard this song before?’ He said ‘Yes, it was a French song’. I said ‘Was it called Comme d’habitude?’ And he said yes. So this is Paul Anka’s fantastic lyric to Comme d’habitude. But also it’s called My Way.
1. John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band – Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Released in 1971 as a protest song and Christmas single, John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Happy Xmas (War Is Over) combined a seasonal message with the anti-Vietnam War movement’s slogan “War is over if you want it.” It has since become a holiday standard, covered by numerous artists and played annually around the world.
Caine remembered knowing Lennon personally: “It’s a carol. It’s by John Lennon, who I knew and liked very much. We were both at the Cannes Film Festival drinking a little too much, and so I got to sort of know him like that there. I noticed he always introduced himself to anyone as John Lemon. Anyway, we won’t go into that story.
“It’s John Lennon and his Christmas carol is called Happy Christmas. And there are little brackets after it, because the other line is War is over. Unfortunately, it isn’t. But we all wish it was.”
