Mary McDougall

Ramones – ‘Baby I Love You’

This was our first non-ceilidh song at our wedding. As it turns out it’s not particularly easy to dance to with a room full of friends watching, but it’s still a song I really love.

INXS – ‘By My Side’

I have strong memories of listening to this on my Walkman during the school holiday’s while youth hostelling round Scotland. I rediscovered the song and it turns out my kids love it too, so now I have memories of them belting it out from the back seat of the car, getting the words wrong.

Stephanie de Sikes – ‘Born with a Smile on my Face’

The first time I heard this song was at the end of a particularly fun night out many years ago and it became a bit of an anthem for my friends for a while.

The Verve – ‘Bittersweet Symphony’

When I hear this song, I’m transported back to the summer of 1997 in a tiny town in Minnesota, walking down the highway heading to work. I lived in a little pink wooden house in the woods and laughed all summer, very happy days.

Sister Sledge – ‘We Are Family’

I used to work at Family Housing Association in London and loved the people I worked with. This song was played on many a staff night out to get everyone on the dancefloor.

Latest

The Playlist for Life Music Detectives

To raise awareness and money for Playlist for Life.
Jo's 10K Challenge

I hit the big Six-oh this year and needed a challenge so here I go again on another 10K with my friend and trainer Julia to keep on the right track - and hopefully to raise some funds for Playlist a charity I have been involved with for quite some years.
Playlist for Life
Everyone should have a playlist

Playlist for Life is the UK's leading music and dementia charity. We want everyone with dementia to have a unique, personal playlist with the soundtrack of their life because the music that gives you that flashback feeling can be a lifeline if you get dementia. Watch our film to find out more.
Our Dementia Choir
The science

Music is neurologically special in the way that it stimulates many parts of the brain at once. This means that even if parts of the brain are damaged, music can still reach other parts.
What is a playlist?

A playlist is just a list of songs or pieces of music. Your 'playlist for life' is all the songs or pieces of music that make up the soundtrack of your life. The tunes that give you that 'flashback-feeling' whenever you hear them; that take you back, to another time, person or place.
The 100 Years Book

Published by Playlist for Life and based on the work of volunteer Music Detective, Peter Grech, it is a book listing the top 100 tunes in the UK for each of the last 100 years.
Understanding dementia

Dementia is a word used to describe many diseases and their effects on brain health. Dementia is a life-limiting condition that gets worse over time. Memory loss is the most commonly known fact about dementia, but that is just part of the story.
The right music

Tracking down the right tunes by exploring someone's life story means becoming a Music Detective. It's fun! Think of a tune and try it out. Is there a response? If so, add it to the list. If not, move on. There's no rush - you might be adding tunes months or even years after you start.