Essex Working Well has promoted the MHFA England My Whole Self Day on Tuesday 12th March 2024.
We asked our family of workplaces to imagine they were going be cast away on a desert island.
What track would they take with them and why? We have produced a fabulous playlist for you to enjoy.
We’ve included the lyrics, so that you can really understand the power of the words alongside the wonderful and, in many cases emotional reasons for the song choice.
Why not ask your colleagues at your next team meeting to share their favourite song, and what it means to them. Taking time to connect with colleagues, to learn more about them and their lives, and most importantly enabling colleagues to bring their own authentic self to work, to feel comfortable and proud of who they are.
| Ian M | Dancing Queen by ABBA | https://youtu.be/3qiMJt-JBb4 | This is my favourite ABBA song. It is so uplifting and just makes me feel happy and want to dance. It will always improve my mood, however I may be feeling. Brings back very many happy memories. | |||
| Jay | Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know (1995) | https://youtu.be/nRtOcpVUFtc | Empowered | |||
| Hero | Mariah Carey – Hero | https://youtu.be/q9BN0zyXAVQ | This song became my lifeline during a period of profound emotional struggle. Listening to this song today, the memories flood back, but they’re no longer accompanied by the same overwhelming pain. Instead, I’m reminded of the journey I’ve travelled and the resilience I’ve discovered within myself. | |||
| Sian | Neil Diamond -Sweet Caroline | https://youtu.be/0iN-hemcKc8 | Neil Diamond is a family favourite for us, Sweet Caroline was also playing when I met my partner, making it ‘our song.’ | |||
| LD | Oxygene Pt. 4, Oxygene, Jean-Michel Jarre, 1976 | https://youtu.be/kSIMVnPA994 | So, back in the 2000’s, I’d visit Leysdown on the isle of Sheppey, and one of the arcades there, had a claw machine that played that on loop. It’s a song that always brings back memories of being happy, care free, buzzing on candyfloss and smelling the sea air. | |||
| Maria | FREE by Ultra Nate | This is the track you play when your mind is goal oriented | ||||
| Karen | Heaven is a place on earth – Belinda Carlisle | https://youtu.be/05V4CgSL0lw | It reminds me that even when life can be tough, heaven is a place on earth. | |||
| Jennie | What a Wonderful World – Louie Armstrong | It reminds me so much of the many happy ‘Friday nights are music nights’ over make shift meals we had with our growing children, their friends, our close family & friends (it stopped our sons ( and some of their friends going out on a Friday night when teenagers !) This song touches my heart makes me very happy and grateful. | ||||
| S | Forever in Blue Jeans – Neil Diamond | https://youtu.be/rXN86oAPNow | It is positive, I feel like it supports a message about being happy with someone but also being happy with what you have and it makes me feel grateful. It’s also just a lovely, upbeat tune 🙂 | |||
| MPC | Shine on you Crazy Diamond Parts 1-5 from the “Wish You Were Here” album 1975 | https://youtu.be/fc4NACBaUnY | This beautiful piece is a moving song about love and loss which still manages to be uplifting in its own special way. I can listen to this no matter how I am feeling and it will work its magic, making me happier just by listening to it. The famous four note intro still manages to give me goosebumps eveey time even after all these years. | |||
| Coleen | Years and years Shine Release date 2025 |
https://youtu.be/txMlen8oED8 | I chose this track because it’s about saving someone from feeling sad and low | |||
| OM | Ain’t no sunshine Bill Withers | https://youtu.be/hPOYc4a2RPY | Reminds me of my grandparents | |||
| Wee G | Jackie Wilson – Higher & Higher The Killers – Mr Brightside |
https://youtu.be/GcwqCmEi9Jc | Uplifting Music! | |||
| Amelia | I Believe – Yolanda Adams | https://youtu.be/j8tZs6G_h7U | This track always motivates me and gives me the confidence to believe I can achieve anything I put my mind to. This song was pivotal in helping me to complete my first triathlon last year as I listened to it in the run up to the event as motivation. | |||
| Jo HH | Working 9-5 Dolly Parton | https://youtu.be/Lq1JD-bcGTo | If you listen to the lyrics it is about being used and abused by your boss. I have had a couple of bosses that this song applies to. It makes me smile when I hear it as I am no longer working for them! | |||
| Carrie-Anne | Sweet female attitude – Flowers | https://youtu.be/7lfuErck_Qw | this is the song that males me feel good, when ever I hear it I stop in my tracks and smile. | |||
| JCG | I Am Not A Robot, Marina & The Diamonds – The Family Jewels album 2010 | https://youtu.be/Hkrk3lFVuQE | I love Marina, she’s an incredible artist, lyricist and singer. This particular song is about giving yourself a bit of a shake, accept who you are and stop worrying about it. It really speaks to me but it’s also one that I can stick on at top volume at any time, sing along (loudly) to and it will always and forever make me feel better. | |||
| Pauline | Glory of Love by Peter Cetera | https://youtu.be/axSlMfTaiJQ | Sentimental reasons of my late Husband | |||
| Stacey | Seek Bromance – Avicii Vocal Edit | https://youtu.be/tIr_6f0i8vE | This song just always makes me feel euphoric and makes me want to dance. It’s a song that always pumps me up and I don’t get bored of. | |||
| Daryl | Insomnia song by Faithless | https://youtu.be/mCgr98fm85E | this was always my go to song for running / jogging (probably more jogging) consequently when i hear it – it always makes me feel energised | |||
| Leah | Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon | https://youtu.be/VJlW0PTzO_I | It reminds me of happy times with my daughter at weddings and parties and kitchen discos! | |||
| Peter J | Mad World by Alex Parks – The song was originally by Tears for Fears, but had several covers. This is the most heart felt version. | https://youtu.be/yRbBCmUnoGI | It makes me feel happy, puts things into perspective. | |||
| Will B | Queen & David Bowie – “Under Pressure” | https://youtu.be/EZ8ixdXRCOo | It reminds me of the struggle that is life which would be much harder without love in it. | |||
| Stephen | ABBA – The Day Before You Came – 1982 | https://youtu.be/St-EbjsHIE0 | It made me realise that in my day to day life when someone walks into it that means a lot to me then the day is not so bland and of course its ABBA | |||
| PD | To be a Man ( Mega Remix) by Dax and various artists. Alternative version featuring Darius Rucker. | https://youtu.be/RGJNlBdUMTo | This song highlights the challenges that men face is expressing their emotions and the pressures they feel to conform with expectations. Due to my career choices I have performed roles that required me to always be strong and deal with the worst of people and never let it affect me or those I love. I could never take “work” into the home. | |||
| Fly Away | Fly Away by Tones and I | https://youtu.be/zT6A9rNdRwI | Wholesome | |||
| Matt J | Movin’ on Up – Primal Scream (Screamadelica) | https://youtu.be/wWUC2-ypnDQ | Uplifting and euphoric first track on still one of the greatest albums, still makes me smile every time. The first album that told my teenage self that musical genres are for record shops not for the soul. Love it (Tough choice between this and Road to Nowhere – Talking Heads, mind) | |||
| Justin H | Little Bitty by Alan Jackson From his 1996 Album Everything I Love |
https://youtu.be/mDUv9b7hrr8 | I really like 90s Country music and this song always makes me feel upbeat when I listen to it and it’s very catchy! | |||
| Chloe | Unstoppable – Sia | https://youtu.be/jJvDnYdD8JQ | It gave me the confidence boost i need when i had a lot of self doubt and i had it on repeat just before a job interview and i got the job. | |||
| Lyn | Always look on the bright side of life – Life of Brian | https://youtu.be/X_-q9xeOgG4 | This song will lift my mood in an instant. However bad my day, I’ll be singing and whistling along! | |||
| Lyn | Kill Dem – Jamie | https://youtu.be/nJHhTlmooM0 | You simply can’t resist dancing along with this one – perfect. I heard the track, from Patrick from Great British Sewing Bee’s Desert Island Disc choice and just loved it. | |||
| KW | You are my Sunshine Jimmy Davis 1940 | https://youtu.be/YO5fcjxuWZU | This song was sung by my grandad to all his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Each generation has taught & sung the song to their children so it has been part of the family for 60 years. Our family are now onto great, great, grandchildren, the youngest being 1 year and is now singing You are my sunshine. This song makes me happy and every time I hear it I think of my lovely Grandad and how the song is a big memory for the whole family. | |||
