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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.

Elle011 Fri 30-Mar-18 14:11:51

Blue Nile-Tinseltown in the Rain. Reminds me of my teenage years in Glasgow, my best friend and good times.

peronel Fri 30-Mar-18 20:13:45

Happiness by Ken Dodd - always cheers me up and reminds me of the many brilliant shows we saw; how we laughed and what a genius he was, and lovely with it!

goose1964 Sat 31-Mar-18 11:06:26

Parisienne Walkways by Gary Moore is my number one. I saw him play it live at Reading Rock, it was a bit surreal seeing heavy rock fans kitted out in leather with tearts in their eyes

angie95 Sat 31-Mar-18 11:15:13

Still the One by Shania Twain, as one of the lines is "They said, I bet, they;ll never make it" but just look at us holding on, " My mother hated by hubby, and even told me on my Wedding day" When you divorce him, you get half!" twenty five years later this August we are STILL TOGETHER! BLESS HIM LOL XX

chicken Sat 31-Mar-18 11:34:54

"I've Got You On My Mind" by White Plains. This was about 1970 when my children were 10,8 and 6. There was a field with a ditch at the bottom of the garden and the kids raced home, triumphant, brandishing a record of this which they had excavated from the mud. After they had washed it, they found that the hole in the centre had been extended to about an inch across but undeterred, they still played it endlessly, usually shrieking with laughter at the weird wobbly sounds coming from the uncentred record. When I hear it now as on old woman, it brings back such poignant memories of my growing family and of myself as a young wife and mother. ( And it's a good song too!)

mixedlot Sat 31-Mar-18 11:44:59

Holiday by Greenday. It was played as my sons coffin was carried out of the church at his funeral. He was 13

NanaPlenty Sat 31-Mar-18 14:18:27

Another Opening, Another Show by Cole Porter from Kiss Me Kate. My mum used to sing it in the car with my two girls when they were small. When she passed away we picked it as the song to play at the end of her funeral service. I worried it was too jolly but in fact it was very apt - it was indeed another opening another show for my mum who had undoubtedly moved on to new things in another life.

marieingham Sat 31-Mar-18 14:33:26

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody 1975. I was 10 years old, stood on a stool stirring a huge army pan of potato hash for the 7 of us. I remember my dad shouting 'i can smell burning'. I'd stopped stirring and just listened to this great weird song that was playing non stop. Now everytime I hear it I just think about that time in the kitchen. ...... it's the little things

grannygol Sat 31-Mar-18 17:42:41

Whitney Houston 'Queen of the Night' as a feisty girl growing up this song certainly made me feel empowered and like I wanted to dance!

50socks Sat 31-Mar-18 17:56:57

No more heroes by The Stranglers it reminds me of a great punk concert where i danced the night away

26jibby Sat 31-Mar-18 19:03:58

Never walk alone reminds me of the mother who died when I was 17. over 34 years ago

Compermo Sun 01-Apr-18 11:13:09

Blue Bayou by Roy Orbison, brings happy memories of travelling down the Florida Keys in beautiful sunshine

candyfloss79 Sun 01-Apr-18 11:51:19

Any songs that were around in the summer of 96 instantly make me feel happy, particularly Good Enough by Dodgy.

Horatia Sun 01-Apr-18 15:29:15

The Irish love songs my father taught me to sing as a little girl. They are entirely ageless and extra special.

AJL123 Sun 01-Apr-18 16:40:52

Hi Ho Silver Lining used to be the final song played at all the discos we went to in the late 1970s. Everyone would have a good old sing along to it and then the lights would come up, people would start tidying up and we all went to find our Mums and Dads to take us home. Happy memories!

tinysidsmum Sun 01-Apr-18 16:44:07

Kayleigh by Marillion, I named my daughter after this as I loved the song.
My husband and I love Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol it's 'our song
Danny boy always brings tears to my eyes as it was my granddad's favourite x

Moocow Sun 01-Apr-18 19:43:19

In recent years Jellytastic by the Jellybeans or maybe it's jellybabies for it's fun dance! Don't think i could do it all now though. L.O.V.E Nat King Cole brings back memories of our wedding, the Seekers morning train as live a song i can sing easily all the way through and the children made me love it again as i would sing it yo them when it was time to settle down. So so many songs when i stop to think.

MSHGW Sun 01-Apr-18 21:04:40

The Beach Boys - God Only Knows

luckyrose62 Sun 01-Apr-18 21:05:15

Elton John. I’m still standing
The reason is after being diagnosed 18 years ago with a degenerative illness which has a good chance of affecting my mobility. It makes me feel lucky when I hear it......because I’m still standing

WeeTraceyB21 Mon 02-Apr-18 08:49:44

Annie’s Song by John Denver
My late Father always used to play this song to my mum (Ann) every time I hear it now it just makes me cry

maclinks Mon 02-Apr-18 13:13:47

Brahms lullaby, I remember my nan singing this to me as a child, in the 1960's she died when I was 8 and although she spoke very little English she would sing this to me in Italian and so it has always stayed with me, that and my love of Pasta that we used to make together

Toe1 Tue 03-Apr-18 10:02:45

Early in the Morning - Vanity Fayre. Reminds me of my childhood.

zeenie Tue 03-Apr-18 12:22:27

dancing queen by abba. it reminds me of my childhood and family trips in the car

jacpri Tue 03-Apr-18 14:42:34

Everything I do by Bryan Adams. After my first marriage ended, I went with a group of friends to a Singles Disco on a Sunday night. I felt very unconfident about this but remember how it felt to be embraced again when I danced with a very nice man to this record.

indesit Tue 03-Apr-18 16:11:02

Joan Armatrading - Love and Affection. Evokes a childhood time - time well spent. Without these special times, my life would be uneventful, leading to my-part unfulfillment. The Armatrading track leads me to happy content memories, with invoked meaning that not all is in vain.