Here’s a selection of the music that came to mind while I was writing Come What May. If you’ve read the novel, you will know that music plays a major part throughout the book. When the story opens, radio, moreso than today, was a source of music, entertainment and news, for television did not exist. On Saturday nights people of all ages went to dances in the city and country, up and down the country, and in most countries around the world.

In Queensland, where I grew up, my paternal grandmother and father played at these dances; my grandma playing the piano and my father accompanying her on the piano accordion. My parents actually met at a country dance. So in part I wanted to capture the mood and spirit of these times and the magic of Auld Lang Syne, which was a part of my childhood; the last song sung at weddings, birthday parties and anniversary celebrations. Everyone would stand in a large circle, hold hands and then rush into the centre of the circle when it came round to singing the chorus. A wonderful, sadly dying, tradition.

In Come What May, both Gene and Sonny are gifted singers and their favourite songs made it on to this reel as well. Most of the songs from the 70s come from my teenage years but I know they would have loved them too! 🙂

I’m gonna live till I die

I’m gonna live till I die 

by Frankie Laine

Solitude

Solitude

by Ella Fitzgerald

Morning has broken

Morning has broken

by Cat Stevens

Up above my head

Up above my head 

by Vika and Linda

Baby it’s cold outside

Baby it’s cold outside 

by Lady Antebellum

Auld lange syne

Auld lange syne  

by Daniel Cartier

Unchained melody

Unchained melody 

by The Righteous Brothers

Fire and rain

Fire and rain

by James Taylor

Ave Maria

Ave maria

by Celine Dion

Right back where we started from

Right back where we started from 

by Maxine Nightingale

Let your love flow

Let your love flow 

by The Bellamy Brothers

You to me are everything

You to me are everything 

by The Real Thing

Suspicious minds

Suspicious minds 

by Elvis Presley

After the lovin

After the lovin

by Engelbert Humperdinck

I would love to hear what music and songs resonated with you while reading Come What May. And also any ideas you have for a movie, actors, directors etc.