I like Ed Sheerens songs because he reminds me of my son
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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.
I like Ed Sheerens songs because he reminds me of my son
The songs we had played at my much missed husband's funeral chosen by our two daughters and myself - Heartbeat by Buddy Holly, The Other Side of Paradise with Acker Bilk and Neil Diamond's Cracklin' Rosie.
Club Tropicana by Wham! It just always makes me happy and makes me think of holidays. It is such a "feel good" song. I picture the video of it in my head as it plays!
“When a man loves a woman” by Percy Sledge.
DH and I were on our honeymoon in Paris and this song was being played frequently in the metro. Whenever I hear it, it takes me right back to then.
After years of heartbreak and many losses - I finally was in the operating theatre having my longed for baby by C-section. I brought in a Stevie Wonder greatest hits cd to play. I hadn't found out the gender and as my baby was handed to me - "Isn't She Lovely" started playing and it was perfect timing to see my beautiful baby girl. I have never felt such joy and whenever I hear this song it takes me back to that moment.
Keep On Tryin’ by Poco - it just reminds me of a very happy time in my life.
Queen don’t stop me now as it is the anthem to every night out I can remember brings back happy fun memories
I believe I can fly
There are so many which hold fond memories, but one which never fails to tug at my heart strings is George Michael's, Careless Whisper. I was given a vinyl copy of the single by a boy in my class at college, only to find that inside the sleeve he had hidden a love letter declaring his undying love and the rest as they say is history, we are still together to this day.
I love and remember all the ''silly dance music'' from the dances I went to, like the Birdie Song, The boat song, Agadoo, It was a race to get ready to start.
It reminds me of all the fun I had with my ''Bessie mate'' who died 16 years ago ......................
Oh, there are plenty through the years, but I'm plumping on 'Good Fortune' by PJ Harvey. I was suffering from anxiety and depression when I first heard it and I found that it grounded me, evoked feelings of gratitude and glimpses of wellbeing which had eluded me for so long. When I heard it I felt like dancing and I still feel like that now. For me, it was a healing and empowering song.
I got you babe by Sonny & Cher,my husband bought me this when we were first going out together,we were married for 49 years,he passed away 2 years ago.
I love Stand By Me. It brings a tear to my eye and reminds me of my mum as she used to sing along to it in my youth!
"I Only Have Eyes For You" was my Mum and Dad's "song", so I always remember them dancing to it.
I also have very happy memories associated with Billy Joel's "Innocent Man" album, especially "For The Longest Time". My daughter loved it, and after I picked her up from school we'd drive around singing until the whole album had finished!
Scott Joplin's `Entertainer'. The speaker from the record player was placed near the head of my daughter's carry-cot, and she was immediately quiet and asleep in minutes. Worked every time!
i love 'On the wings of love' by geoffrey osborne. It reminds me of that feelgood factor and carefree days of youth.
" Baby Love " By the Supremes . Always makes me smile and reminds me of happy days.
Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street reminds me of my time in the WRAF
SONG FOR GUY by Elton John which we had played on Lincoln Cathedral Organ on the hottest day July 1991 at the Celebration of our youngest son, Guy aged 9 years old, following a tragic accident at his special school. He had multi special needs and the cathedral was full of colour, scents and 400 people! Grown men cried that memorable day saying goodbye to our wonderful cheeky little star!
Boys of Summer by Don Henley as it reminds me of my first real teenage adventure when some friends and I took a road trip up the Fosse Way from the Cotswolds to Hull - the furthest north I'd been at that time. It all felt very exciting.
Our record is Some Things are Better Left Unsaid by Ketty Lester - a rare vinyl pressing. My then fiance knew that I wanted it and scoured the country for it, eventually finding it in Blackpool and got someone there to buy it for me and send it down. Whenever I hear it I smile and just have to dance.
The Radiohead album "In Rainbows" had just been released when I started a new job and I listened to it it pretty much every day on the commute for quite some time. The track "Reckoner" in particular takes me back to that journey and what was the start of a happy new time in my life.
Heart of Gold by Neil Young - so many memories linked with that song
A song that will be forever etched in my memory is “Moon River”...... It was 8th December 1999, I was 18 soon to be 19 on the 15th, my brother was soon to be 16 on the 19th and then it was going to be the Christmas and the big millennium celebrations. Our family, Mum, Dad, my brother and I had just decorated the tree, candles were burning and the fire was roaring.....for some reason my Dad wanted to know how the song “Moon River” went, so Mum and I started singing it......4am the next morning my Dad died suddenly of a brain heammorage.....we didn’t know at the time what was happening, I tried in vain to do CPR on him after being woken by Mums screams......it was the last song he ever heard, the last song before life changed forever......love you always Dad x God bless x
My mother singing me lullabies, The Brahms Lullaby and the English translation of another German lullaby 'Schlafen mein Prinzchen schlaf ein'. She had a beautiful voice and had had voice training for some years. I just remember lying in bed warm and cosy in the dark, and my mother sitting beside me gently singing.
Others are too personal to mention.
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