This coming Sunday is three years since my mum died, so I wanted to dedicate this ninth episode of Troika to her memory!
- "Strawberry Fields Forever" - The Beatles
I grew up in a house with classical music. My dad would only ever allow Radio 3 on, and I was in my early teens before we were allowed to watch Top of the Pops. While mum didn’t talk about music particularly, she liked the Beatles and Paul McCartney’s solo work and it was her that introduced me to the Magical Mystery Tour period. "Strawberry Fields" and "Penny Lane" were here favourite songs. - "Ukelele Lady" - Peter Sellers & The Temperance Seven
One deviation from classical in my dads record collection was a selection of Peter Sellers LPs, and this lovely bit of whimsy was one that my mum and I used to sing together. - "The Lark Ascending" - Ralph Vaughan Williams
We played Vaughn Williams musical interpretation of the George Meredith poem about a Skylark at mums funeral. It was another favourite of mums and a fitting, if rather tearjerking, tribute. Still find it a hard one to listen to, but it's a truly beautiful piece of music. - "Dear Friends" - Elbow
Finally, because its my podcast and I can cheat if I want to, there’s one more ;)
I thought hard about which one I cut to make a proper trio but I felt I couldn’t leave any of them out. If there was one song that sums up the grieving process after the funeral, it was this one. “You are with me today. You are here are in my head, in my heart”.