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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.

Flowerpower22 Sat 17-Mar-18 11:34:45

Super Trooper by Abba which was top of the pops when I met my husband. Quite a while ago I might add!

Telly Sat 17-Mar-18 11:24:14

The song that evokes the most memories for me is The Locomotion by Little Eva. It was the first song that we played on the huge radiogram that my parents bought. In fact for a while it was the only record that we had. Whenever I hear it I remember the polished dark wood of this impressive piece of furniture contrasting with the green and cream fabric of the speakers and I'm back in the 60s!

Helsbells68 Sat 17-Mar-18 11:20:36

Bryan Adams - everything I do was number one when we got married smile

joannapiano Sat 17-Mar-18 10:57:26

When our children were small we went on holiday to Austria. One night there was an open-air festival, and late in the evening everyone sat on the grass, the band played Edelweiss, and everyone sang, including us. The stars were out and the mountains were beautiful. This is not my favourite song of all time, but every time I hear it I think of that happy time.

jeapurs54 Sat 17-Mar-18 10:47:37

I have always loved In the Summertime - Mungo Jerry and any music by Elvis, he sang Rock and Roll, and such a variety of Sad, Happy, Lively, Love Songs with such a fantastic voice I could listen to him forever. Another more recent singer is Mika who has a different style of singing but real lively music that I really enjoy.

isis53 Sat 17-Mar-18 10:39:01

Careless whisper by george michael the most romantic time of my life

sunshinewey Sat 17-Mar-18 10:30:45

Always and Forever by Luther Vandross, last year this was our wedding song, after many years together we married as i had serious health, and we wanted to for years but never had the money, we didnt know how we would manage it, but scraped some pennies and went to a greek island with a few close family and tied the knot, I will never forget the feelings of standing on that beach, with the blue skies and hearing this song play out, all the smiling faces and my most memorable moment in life.....

jael003 Sat 17-Mar-18 10:22:19

I Am the One and Only by Chesney Hawkes, which is totally cringeworthy now, but is the song I remember from when my ex husband and I started dating. I don't often have songs that "stick" to events or dates in my life but that one does. Not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing.

wjanice121 Sat 17-Mar-18 10:19:56

I love David Cassidy songs especially Daydreamer

happysouls Sat 17-Mar-18 10:16:26

Songs that mean the most tend to be from playlists we have created for road trips. So if I hear Simon & Garfunkel it takes me right back to France and this mountain pass we drove where the view opened out and just was overwhelming! Similar with Incredible String Band and The Great Glen on our Scotland road trip!

Gerispringer Sat 17-Mar-18 10:14:35

Hey Mr Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan and Please Please Me by the Beatles for teenage memories.
Pachabels Canon - wedding
Jerusalem the Golden - hymn from DS wedding
Blowing in the Wind- DH favourite to play on his guitar.

mbody Sat 17-Mar-18 10:12:22

Dance the Night Away by The Mavericks. A real feel good, foot tapping song

juliea333 Sat 17-Mar-18 09:53:08

Funny how a song can take you to a precise moment in time isn’t it? The New Year before my lovely Mum died we all held hands to Auld Lang syne knowing it would be our last one so I considered this to be a really sad memory and grew to hate the song. Last year my son passed out as a Royal Marine Commando and blow me the Marine Band played them back into that very song. I actually laughed because it was like a sign from Mum x

SusieWilkinson Sat 17-Mar-18 09:41:15

In the End from Linkin Park, because of the lyrics

'I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter. I had to fall to lose it all, but in the end it doesn't even matter.'

Although I already knew the song, the words jumped out at me when I was out for the evening after completing my finals at University. I had previously had a breakdown and had gone back to University as a mature student as part of my recovery. It's my reminder that the little mistakes I make in life aren't important in the long run, so I should let them go.......

smoran37 Sat 17-Mar-18 09:37:11

Wish Me Luck - Gracie Fields, a song my mother used to sing believing she could hit the high notes like Gracie.

obag Sat 17-Mar-18 09:22:23

Three song always bring back lovely memories when I hear them, they are( Why must I be a teenager in love) it was the first gift my husband bought for me when we were courting. (Angels) it reminds me when my Daughter was small, and (Islands in the Stream) it is so upbeat and tells of a long lasting love.

alabaster Sat 17-Mar-18 09:21:17

"The Things We Do for Love" by 10cc - courting song forever!

MillieBear Sat 17-Mar-18 09:15:56

As a teenager I rolled my eyes and stomped away as my dad (loudly and with vigour) sang "Beeee my LOVE..." along to Mario Lanza. Oh how embarrassing he was! But my daughter delighted in the way he belted it out and danced her round the room and I realised what a wonderful man he was.
Last week I was driving back from seeing mother when Andre Boccelli came on the radio "Beeee my LOVE" he warbled and the tears flowed. Oh how I miss my dad.

Pamaga Sat 17-Mar-18 09:13:36

Summer Nights by Marianne Faithfull reminds me of my teenage years and the last holiday I spent with my parents. We were in Cornwall and the evenings were beautiful with magicl sunsets. I was at a very romantic stage with crushes on so many pop stars of the period - even a girl crush on Marianne!

pamelaJEAN Sat 17-Mar-18 09:06:53

The Air That I breathe is our song , by the Hollies, the first record my boyfriend ( now hubby of over 40 years bought me) it always make me feel young and in love when I hear it.

zinnia Sat 17-Mar-18 09:04:36

Val Doonican and Paddy McGinty's goat, my sister and I used to dance and act out the story, great fun.
Still know all the words,, classic!

hiddenmichelle Sat 17-Mar-18 08:54:42

Bridge over Troubled Water - my parents played it a lot growing up and I still love it - makes me remember happy childhood times

valbuk Sat 17-Mar-18 08:38:29

'1f' ( a picture paints a 1000 words...) sung by Bread. Has always summed up how I feel about all the meaningful relationships in my life - such beautiful words

sscrase Sat 17-Mar-18 08:27:38

Joey - Bob Dylan. Always reminds me of my dad. Loved listening to it with him.

MimiJoy Sat 17-Mar-18 08:17:03

"The Sun Goes Down" by Level 42 always reminds me of the first holiday I spent with my (now) husband when we went to Abersoch many years ago. We had it on tape and used to sing along to it ...