Gransnet forums

Competitions

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.

minxie Sat 17-Mar-18 19:10:58

I always smile and wince when Love Hurts by Cher comes on the radio, as it was playing on my mixed tape as I gave birth!!

GeminiJen Sat 17-Mar-18 19:11:46

Note to self: Learn how to do links hmm

cluckyhen0 Sat 17-Mar-18 19:14:30

K-K-K-Katy brings back precious memories of my grandma - she changed the name to Kristy (me) and used to sing the chorus to this song to me all the time! Strangely enough - my DD is Catherine but we all call her Katie..

GeminiJen Sat 17-Mar-18 19:15:46

"You are the wind beneath my wings" reminds me of my first love....Always tugs at the heartstrings...

clairewoods137 Sat 17-Mar-18 19:16:48

Take That How Deep Is Your Love. It was released after they announcement they were splitting up - there was to be no more. I was so upset.

marrich Sat 17-Mar-18 19:33:41

Hotel California by The Eagles reminds me of my cramming for exams at university.

earnshaw Sat 17-Mar-18 19:45:19

del shannon singing runaway brings back such happy memories for me from when i used to get to my local dance hall ,

beckyinman Sat 17-Mar-18 19:52:24

Dancing on the Ceiling reminds me of messing around singing it with my brother

freefan Sat 17-Mar-18 19:53:02

'You Don't Bring Me Flowers' was my mums favourite song and reminds me of being a happy little girl

Pumpkin2 Sat 17-Mar-18 19:54:40

I remember hearing The Carpenters "on top of the world looking down on creation..." the first time I went up a mountain on a skiing holiday. It seemed to sum up the view perfectly.

Bookbug Sat 17-Mar-18 20:08:38

La Vie En Rose - evokes fond memories of my father who used to play Edith Piaf at home and this was a particular favourite x

pennwood Sat 17-Mar-18 20:24:59

Rock Around The Clock by Bill Bailey always reminds me of my late Mum who used to sing it to all the foster babies she lovingly cared for. She used to put them on her hip and dance around while they laughed & gurgled. Happy times & fond memories, still miss you Mum!

avmartin30 Sat 17-Mar-18 20:27:40

Stand By Me - Ben E King

When my late partner died following a fight with pancreatic cancer I was listening to Gold Radio and was putting a request in for anything by Queen, something in my head then deleted Queen and put Stand by Me, my internet connection dropped, I got back in and they was playing Stand By Me, that was quick I thought, then the DJ said the weirdest thing, in 22 years as a DJ he had received a text asking for stand by me the very second he queued the track to play, it shook him, he then said okay, lets play something by Queen, There have been a number of instances when I've been in a predicament fearing the worst, or one instance when my car broke down, the track played literally to the slip road, then as I went up the slip road the cam belt went and the car stopped dead, just off the motorway avoiding a potential major accident in rush hour, I remember the AA guy saying someone must be watching over me as that could have been nasty on the main M25, even odder was when her sister died she had wanted another one bits the dust, which the church werent keen on, but the night her sister died the radio played Stand by Me followed by another one bites the dust, synchronicity maybe or perhaps an indication there is something else, most odd was literally a couple of mornings ago, I woke at 2:15am to the sound of Stand by Me, followed by Aerosmiths dont want to miss a thing, which was played at my late partners funeral, this was after a night when I was asking for guidance over a rather major thing in life at the moment and questioning if the spirits do listen to your prayers, I felt a lot of contentment in that and that song, though not often on the radio does appear when i have the biggest problems in life, like a reminder that the better half is still there watching out for me.

sassielassie Sat 17-Mar-18 21:15:13

For me it's You Needed Me, when I was a rebellious teenager I ran away from home, my Dad saved my life from a Man who hurt me daily and the words of this song really resonated with me. It reminds me of my Dad and always brings a tear to my eye

daw1965 Sat 17-Mar-18 21:26:35

`Edge of Seventeen` by Stevie Nicks, as I played her album over and over again when revising for my exams.

pfcpompeysarah Sat 17-Mar-18 22:12:40

A Groovy Kind of Love by Phil Collins always reminds me of one of the nicest holidays I ever had in Cornwall. I used to listen to the music on a Walkman in the gardens of the cottage we stayed in while relaxing during sunset, while tea was being prepared inside by family... it just instantly relaxes me hearing that song even now.

Grannyknot Sat 17-Mar-18 22:33:19

GeminiJen here's the link to your Ally Bally Bee song smile:

youtu.be/BNsqZEKkzRQ

glennamy Sat 17-Mar-18 23:14:28

father and son - cat stevens... My Dad loved cat stevens and remember singing this song in the car. Unfortunately my Dad died just a couple of years later in an accident when I was just 7 years of age so this reminds me of him. I always get very emotional when I hear it.

bayview Sat 17-Mar-18 23:16:46

Birdie Song always reminds me of my first girlie holiday.

SallySwann Sat 17-Mar-18 23:35:21

My Love by Paul McCartney was playing in a far off bar in Salou, Spain, the music was drifting across the beach and I proposed to my now lovely wife.

Mikizmo Sun 18-Mar-18 01:32:40

More than this, Brian ferry.
and Eric saté my mother loved them

granofone Sun 18-Mar-18 02:44:51

I had two brothers one of them was in the army and went to a war zone,when he came home he was very upset and stressed by things he had seen.My other brother used to sit chatting to him for hours.Took him on nights out and was a great support.Every time I hear He aint heavy he's my brother I think of that time.

Grumpygran5 Sun 18-Mar-18 07:44:23

1971 The Lumberjack Song from the Monty Python team. I'd just met the love of my life, never felt that way, never known such passion. I shall always remember the first night we got together. We thought that song was so funny, we just played it over and over again all night.

travelsafar Sun 18-Mar-18 08:07:51

'Isn't she lovely' sung by Stevie Wonder was in the charts when my first son was born and i would sing this to him changing the she to he.We named him Steven by the way and it was usually shortened to Stevie when he was a young boy.

Suema Sun 18-Mar-18 08:48:26

' Don't cry for me Argentina ' was in the charts when my first daughter was born. She was a reluctant sleeper and I was borderline depressed and exhausted. I started to sing ' Don't cry for me Keren Lisa ' when she cried and it calmed both of us. I associate it with precious and emotional night time cuddles.