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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.

walnut Sun 15-Apr-18 23:28:48

3 times a lady which was on my wedding video, any glen miller hits which was my lovly dads favourites or dannyboy which make me cry if I hear this as it was my grannies favourite and it was played at her funeral her wishes so many memories happy and sad

1969angep Sun 15-Apr-18 23:25:30

Everybody Hurts by R.E.M. hasn’t seen me through some pretty rough times. It’s always a reminder that you’re not alone ?

jeanio Sun 15-Apr-18 23:24:25

Dance with my Father, because he died when I was 14 and he used to dance with me by letting me stand on his feet and guiding me around the room.
The First Time ever I saw your Face because it is one of my favourites and it was played at my beloved sister's funeral and I can't listen to it now without crying.

Lind08 Sun 15-Apr-18 22:56:42

Your so vain by Carly Simon it reminds me of my ex husband who was always looking in mirrors and shop windows at himself - In the summertime by mungo Jerry reminds me of happy summer days before I got married and 'I will survive by Gloria Gaynor after I got rid of him -and I did.

8mhigh Sun 15-Apr-18 22:41:22

Mum's favourite song was Che Gelida Manina by Puccini, which she knew as Your Tiny Hand is Frozen. I would hear it through my childhood as she had through hers. Losing her faculties and the ability to speak at the end, she somehow managed to remember and sing these words shortly before she died. Not a dry eye at her service when this was played.

susanm3456 Sun 15-Apr-18 22:38:15

Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden - Played at our wedding and we danced our 1st dance to it as well- that was 17 years ago and we have loved every minute !!

Dodo123 Sun 15-Apr-18 21:55:35

YMCA - so many great New Years Eve party with the family dancing to this.

zbody Sun 15-Apr-18 21:48:58

You are my sunshine , it was my own Grans favourite song and it reminds me of travelling down to Lyme Regis singing it in the car - something I still do with my own Grandkids

Edenar Sun 15-Apr-18 21:36:14

Scuba Diving in the Bahamas amongst Tiger Sharks - awesome will never forget it!

susiemc Sun 15-Apr-18 21:35:00

Songs by the Human League always remind me of my first holiday with my husband, camping at Pevensey Bay & driving around Eastbourne singing along!

Emmamaryd Sun 15-Apr-18 21:31:45

These boots are made for walking reminds me of my mum.

lilviki Sun 15-Apr-18 20:49:35

Whats up by 4 non blondes, it just reminds me of better times.

Piggypoo Sun 15-Apr-18 20:43:46

My other half is a fantastic guitar player, and singer, at a family party years ago, he picked up his guitar and unexpectedly sang Wichita Lineman, by Glen Campbell to me. I cried my eyes out, and so did most people at the party! That is one of "our" songs now!

christineM Sun 15-Apr-18 20:10:58

The Good Times, Perry Como, takes me straight back to Beirut in the early seventies, where we visited quite often whilst living in Saudi Arabia. You could get all the latest songs put onto a big tape reel and this was one of the most played.

ptak5566 Sun 15-Apr-18 20:08:37

Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton my husband always played it for me when we first met and I had got ready to go out. x

izago237 Sun 15-Apr-18 20:05:48

When You Wish A Star - both my children loved this at bedtime.

Compermo Sun 15-Apr-18 20:02:08

I love Roy Orobison's Blue Bayou. It reminds me of happy sunny days, and great holidays. There were some brilliant songs from the 50s 60s and 70s that I loved, after this I started to lose my hearing, so know nothing of modern music. I still sing the 'old' songs, but my granddaughter says my singing 'does her head in', so I guess the voice is not so great!!

Jeanetteleighton1979 Sun 15-Apr-18 20:01:09

Oh and I've just thought of songs that remind me of growing up with my dad ..... You are my sunshine as he used to sing it and his country music he used to play in his car which was boxcar Willie he used to play it on all our journeys singing along to mule train , Wabash cannonball, don't let the stars get in your eyes ??

Jeanetteleighton1979 Sun 15-Apr-18 19:55:35

At my great nans funeral they played up where we belong by Joe Cocker and at my nans funeral it was bridge over troubled water so sadly these songs make me sad , I really can't think of any songs other than these that truly mean something if I was playing music at the birth of my 4 children it would be a different story ??. There are lots of songs that I love but ones that truly mean anything is different and luckily ATM I have only ever been to 2 funerals

lcorrall88A Sun 15-Apr-18 19:00:35

So many songs I hold meaning to.
Like our wedding song - truly, madly, deeply - savage garden
the song the reminds me of exam revision - Children - Robert Miles
The songs that remind me of my children - You are my sunshine, build me up buttercup, etc
For most friends and family

christine52 Sun 15-Apr-18 18:45:07

Dancing Queen by Abba reminds my of the 70@s working away in Ibiza

Den632 Sun 15-Apr-18 18:14:50

Crazy for you by Madonna

jeanniev1 Sun 15-Apr-18 18:01:21

'I just called to say I love you' by Stevie Wonder. My husband sent this to me when I had our baby boy when he was working in the Falklands and couldn't be with me. The same record was played at his funeral not many years later.

charlwilde Sun 15-Apr-18 17:41:28

i love ' i believe in every drop of rain that falls' my grandad used to sing it at the top of his voice when my Grandma was telling him off ..... it used to end up making her laugh and it always makes me feel that glow of happiness and love when i hear it/

Carolann99 Sun 15-Apr-18 17:18:56

What a wonderful world - Louis Armstrong - my dad's favourite song. A lovely dad who had a hard time living with my mother. She was very controlling and had mean moods. She didn't really want me, her only child and treated me badly. Dad loved this song and he spent long hours growing vegetables and flowers in his beloved garden & greenhouse. He appreciated nature and the world around him. I love this song too.