Condoleezza Rice recollects her first boyfriend while listening to Elton John's ballads

We often think that politicians are very far from our usual life. On the one hand it is true, because they have nothing to do with the life of common people, but on the other hand many politicians go in for sports, read books and, of course, listen to music.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an interview with the British newspaper The Independent that she works out to the acid rock of Cream and rocks out to Kool and the Gang. Elton John's "Rocket Man" reminds her of her first boyfriend. But Rice, who trained to be a concert pianist before she became the top U.S. diplomat, said her all-time favorite musical work is Mozart's Piano Concerto in D minor.

Rice's eclectic Top 10 music list appeared Tuesday in a special edition of The Independent. The list was a favor to rock star Bono, who guest edited the paper as part of a charity appeal to fight AIDS in Africa. Half the revenue from the edition will be donated to the Global fund to Fight AIDS.

Secretary Rice told the paper she won her first piano competition at age 15 with the Mozart concerto. The fit 51-year-old put Cream's "Sunshine of your Love" at No. 2, and noted that she plays it when she exercises.

"Believe it or not, I loved acid rock in college and I still do," she told the paper. Aretha Franklin's woman-power anthem "Respect" comes in at No. 3, followed by Kool and the Gang's party anthem "Celebration."

Rice went back to the classics with Brahms' Piano Concerto No 2 and Piano Quintet in F minor. She said the quintet is the piece she most likes to play with friends at a regular Sunday afternoon chamber music session she hosts at her apartment.

Not surprisingly, Bono's band U2 makes the list, at No. 7, but Rice didn't single out any U2 tune as a favorite. No. 8 is the 1972 Elton John sci-fi spaceman ballad, written with Bernie Taupin. "For Rice, and many children of the 1970s, this song is a blast from the past," the newspaper wrote.

Rice, who is single, added a personal note: "It brings back memories of college, friends, my first boyfriend." Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 is ninth. "Quite simply the greatest symphony of all time," Rice said.

It is well-known fact that one of the favorite songs of the US president is “My Sharona” written by the band The Knack in 1979. In General George Bush prefers listening to rock and pop music of the 1970s.

As far as Russian president is concerned, Vladimir Putin listens to classical and popular music. He also sometimes likes to listen to compositions of modern Russian singers. Russian president denies to name his favorite singers and composers because it can influence the music market.

Alexander Timoshik