That’s the amazing doco about how music reaches people living with advanced dementia. I missed it at the Film Festival and naively thought I’d be able to catch up with it later. Not so. It’s still not on general release.
This Saturday, I asked Mum if she’d like to educate me about the music of her youth. “Of course,” she said. “Only too pleased to help.”
Instead of asking Mum to list the songs of her heyday - 1945 to 1953 - I decided to look at the most popular songs for each of those years. And to prompt her memory by going through the list.
We start our search with ‘1945 in Music.’ Which brings up the Billboard Top Ten singles for that momentous year - the end of World War Two.
We’re away!
“Sentimental Journey - Les Brown and Doris Day. Do you know that one?” Of course she does. Mum knows nearly every one of those songs. And the ones for 1946.
Over the afternoon, we work our way from 1945, when Mum was sixteen, through to 1953 when she married Dad.
Mum’s memory is faultless. All sorts of stories pop up as we read out the titles and play snatches of songs. All the way through, Mum is noting down the details for her ‘playlist’.
Toward the end we realise we’ve missed all the New Zealand music. We hunt and hunt through the internet, finally hitting on Maori Battalion songs as the best source of NZ tunes from Mum’s era.
It was ‘Now Is The Hour’ that did it. More than 70 years later that was the one that made us both cry.
“For some reason,” says Mum, “my father took us down to the wharves to watch the Maori Battalion leave for the war.”
“Everyone was crying. I had two cousins on that boat - Larry and Brian. One lost an eye and the other brother didn't come back. It was the Aquitania. They were playing ‘Now Is The Hour’.”
P.S. Anyone who can tell me how to get a copy of ‘Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory,’ please get in touch.
This Saturday, I asked Mum if she’d like to educate me about the music of her youth. “Of course,” she said. “Only too pleased to help.”
Instead of asking Mum to list the songs of her heyday - 1945 to 1953 - I decided to look at the most popular songs for each of those years. And to prompt her memory by going through the list.
We start our search with ‘1945 in Music.’ Which brings up the Billboard Top Ten singles for that momentous year - the end of World War Two.
We’re away!
“Sentimental Journey - Les Brown and Doris Day. Do you know that one?” Of course she does. Mum knows nearly every one of those songs. And the ones for 1946.
Over the afternoon, we work our way from 1945, when Mum was sixteen, through to 1953 when she married Dad.
Mum’s memory is faultless. All sorts of stories pop up as we read out the titles and play snatches of songs. All the way through, Mum is noting down the details for her ‘playlist’.
Toward the end we realise we’ve missed all the New Zealand music. We hunt and hunt through the internet, finally hitting on Maori Battalion songs as the best source of NZ tunes from Mum’s era.
It was ‘Now Is The Hour’ that did it. More than 70 years later that was the one that made us both cry.
“For some reason,” says Mum, “my father took us down to the wharves to watch the Maori Battalion leave for the war.”
“Everyone was crying. I had two cousins on that boat - Larry and Brian. One lost an eye and the other brother didn't come back. It was the Aquitania. They were playing ‘Now Is The Hour’.”
P.S. Anyone who can tell me how to get a copy of ‘Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory,’ please get in touch.
Brilliant idea, and sounds like a lot of fun too! Making me think of my 'heyday' songs now.
ReplyDeleteYour Mum may love all the old songs in Singing in the Rain that is playing in Wellington at the moment, and Auckland soon.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea!
DeleteI wonder if they do matinees.
Hello I googled this alive inside and it came up with info on where you can buy it
ReplyDeleteHope this helps loved the blog
Hello I googled this alive inside and it came up with info on where you can buy it
ReplyDeleteHope this helps loved the blog