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Win a £100 Waitrose voucher and a copy of Greatest Hits! **NOW CLOSED**

(605 Posts)
LauraGransnet (GNHQ) Fri 16-Mar-18 14:08:03

In our latest competition with Orion, we're giving you the chance to win a £100 Waitrose voucher and a copy of Greatest Hits by number one bestselling author Laura Barnett, a story about the power of reflection and how much our memories mean to us.

If you could choose just 16 moments to define your entire life, what would they be? That’s what Cass Wheeler must do. A musician born in 1950, Cass is now taking one day to select the 16 songs in her repertoire that have meant the most to her.

And behind each song lies a story - from the day her mother abandoned her, to her passionate first love, to the moment she lost everything. The dreams, the failures, the second chances.

So, what are the songs that mean the most to you, and evoke your most precious memories? Perhaps it was the first dance at your wedding, or the song repeated on the radio throughout your first holiday, or the only music that would rock your baby to sleep. Tell us in the comments below for the chance to win an £100 Waitrose voucher and a copy of Greatest Hits! We also have 25 copies of the book for runners-up.

Greatest Hits is published by W&N, an imprint of Orion, and is available online and from all good booksellers.

Please post your entries below by 11am 16 April.

Usual T&Cs apply.

Maggiemaybe Sat 24-Mar-18 17:30:30

Scarlet Ribbons and Che Sera, Sera, sung to me by my parents. Nights in White Satin, which marked the end of my first love, and drove my family mad as I moped in my room playing it over and over again. Baggy Trousers - it lodged in my head as I tried to think of soothing music when giving birth to my first child. Your Song, ostensibly my and DH's song, though I think we preferred Crocodile Rock. Rod Stewart's Maggie May, played at discos for Maggies everywhere over the years - not exactly flattering in its lyrics, but infinitely preferable to the Nimble ad theme!

jocork Sat 24-Mar-18 17:31:36

So many songs it's hard to choose but 'Those were the days' makes me nostalgic and and David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' bring back memories of my teenage years and a particular ex boyfriend. Then the songs that were number 1 when each of my kids were born - Sinead O'Connor's 'Nothing compares to you' and Brian Adams' 'Everything I do'

lexigran Sat 24-Mar-18 17:58:51

Ooh, music brings back so many memories..... "He'll have to go" by Jim Reeves always reminds me of my Dad. I had to sing "March of the Mods" to my little baby sister to get her to sleep. "Dance the night away" by the Mavericks was a favourite when I got divorced and "Praise you" by Fatboy Slim reminds of meeting my new hubby smile

ktmd Sat 24-Mar-18 19:25:17

Killing Me Softly Roberta Flack reminds me of my first real boyfriend

albertina Sat 24-Mar-18 20:49:23

You'll never know by Frank Sinatra. Sung to me by the love of my life but we were unable to be together. Still hurts now.

LolaHolaSnr Sat 24-Mar-18 20:58:06

Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd reminds me of their concert in Manchester in 1987(?) which we went to. Best concert we/I've ever been ti!!!

buckleycat Sat 24-Mar-18 22:03:07

I love anything by Otis Redding, but particularly 'These Arms of Mine' - I hear it & I instantly remember my Mum singing her heart out while cleaning the house! I'd often join her in the warbling & we'd dance again the house together.
He had such a wonderful, timeless voice.
Happy times!

Julief Sun 25-Mar-18 09:47:34

Home on the Range.
I would sing this song over and over to lull my two children to sleep , and now I do the same with my grandchildren !

SuzC Sun 25-Mar-18 10:10:05

I have lots - music always takes me back to moments in my life. 'Somewhere over the rainbow' probably the most important to me - from my favourite film ever & I've nursed every baby in my life to sleep singing this. Con Te Partiro - sung at my wedding and 'Three Times a Lady', our first dance. 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' was playing when I viewed by first babies first photo shoot - I cried... Music is such a wonderful thing for evoking memories!!

Bestbuddy1977 Sun 25-Mar-18 14:18:18

Simply the best by Tina Turner reminds me of my dad, who loved Tina Turner & that song was such a huge hit when I was growing up. It was the same year my mum found & met her two brothers & sister in Australia.

bevmcomp48 Sun 25-Mar-18 15:18:18

Somewhere over the rainbow as my mum used to sing it, whether in the club while sat with friends or in a shop..Her voice is terrible, but it didn't stop her singing everywhere, people just come to except it and sing along with her while having a laugh! lol

loconnor Sun 25-Mar-18 16:47:35

Any tracks from the Pink Floyd Album Dark Side of the Moon. First and probably the best holiday with my now husband, we remembered to bring a cassette player but forgot to bring any tapes. This was the album inside the machine and was played non-stop all week

quadrant Mon 26-Mar-18 09:01:18

Maggie May by Rod Stewart - fond memories of school days & falling in love ...

mazgoli Mon 26-Mar-18 10:06:27

Bohemian Rhapsody. It takes me right back to carefree teenage days of 'O' levels and a hot summer with friends and no responsibilities.

joysutty Mon 26-Mar-18 11:03:52

We first met at my 18th party I had shared with my brother who was 21 also, and my husband asked me for the last dance, just as everyone was leaving and the DJ was packing up, and he played "You sexy thing" by Hot Chocolate, so that is our special song.

michel55 Mon 26-Mar-18 11:33:51

The song for me is Imagine by John Lennon , I was 16 and the song was so nice .... and with my girlfriend we listen to it so many times without getting tired of it . Even now the song is still very special .

Penguin126 Mon 26-Mar-18 16:39:20

My song is Brown eyed girl by Van Morrison as it always reminds me of my travels in Australia.

CazB Mon 26-Mar-18 16:54:59

"she loves you" by the Beatles makes me think of dancing as a teenager, "tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree" was my DH and my song, and "Croccodile Rock" by Elton John that we danced to. Also Judi Dench siging "Send in the Clowns" as it reminds me of my darling Mum who I miss so much.

Feelthefear Mon 26-Mar-18 18:15:23

'Moon River' reminds me of my wedding, we had our 'first dance' song chosen, but on the day the band asked for another choice for a second song for everyone to join us on the dancefloor. My husband looked at me and said "you look like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's" (I wish!) and the song was chosen!

SHORTMAN Tue 27-Mar-18 11:12:29

The Air That You Breathe by The Hollies - my wonderful parent's song

Seakay Tue 27-Mar-18 13:39:31

We Built this City by Starship was the song playing when my then boyfriend proposed to me

francesh84 Wed 28-Mar-18 09:56:33

It's 'I want to break free' by Queen. I would catch my Mum bopping around the kitchen with the volume up to 11. Still rocks!

cornergran Wed 28-Mar-18 10:16:07

'Apple Blossom Time' because it was my parents' favourite. 'Laras theme' from Dr Zhivago because it was part of the first date with Mr C. The third is, 'If I Only Had Time' sung by an Australian vocalist John Rowles. We bought a 45 record of it back in the day which we've kept, its now comes via itunes. There really is so much we would do if we only had time.

Breeze81 Wed 28-Mar-18 11:23:43

Immigrant Song by Led Zepplin brings back fond memories because we're both rockers at heart, and I'm an immigrant.

Lakota Wed 28-Mar-18 12:32:22

Welcome to the Jungle by Guns n Roses is the first song on the album that lived in our car stereo whenever my husband and I went on a road trip!