> Skip to content

Article  •  16 June 2016

 

Musical therapy

A hospital playlist from By Your Side author Jason Carrasco.

By Jason Carrasco

To pass the time in hospital, my friend Cass and I made playlists so we could sing and dance together. Here are our top ten favourite songs.

1. Bom Bom – Sam and the Womp
Cass loved watching music channels and every time this came on she would get in front of the TV and do the bom bom dance!

2. Get Lucky – Daft Punk
This was our jam! We had this on repeat and knew the words by heart.

3. You’re Beautiful – Taio Cruz
I gave this song to Cass on her last days. It sums her up perfectly.

4. Treatment – Labrinth
Cass loved this song because it used to be on the radio and she would say, ‘I need treatment too!’

5. Adorn – Miguel
Cass was a huge fan of R’n’B, particularly this song. When she was up to it she would go to a nightclub and come back to me saying, ‘I danced all night, Jason! Are you proud?’

6. Beggin’ – Madcon
This song was always in our playlists because it’s got such a happy vibe.

7. I’ll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy
Not something we listened to a lot, but something I often put on when I’m thinking of Cass. ‘Even though you’re gone, we still a team…’

8. I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
One of Cass’s friends said she left this song on her phone because she thought it reminded her of us. Cass never gave up on me and I’m still not giving up on her story.

9. A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
I love this song because it reminds me of my journey with Cass. To me, this song is about embracing whatever happens to you and trusting that the universe will have everything worked out.

10. Crave You – Flight Facilities
When Cass would go home and I’d be stuck in the hospital alone, I’d put my headphones on and listen to this song on repeat. The melody has an amazing ability to take you to a different place, which is exactly what I wanted.

Feature Title

By Your Side

'I’ll be waiting for you, and when we beat this thing we are going to celebrate.'

Read more

More features

See all
Article
Dear Cass

Jason say thanks and shares a very special letter.

Article
Life counts

By Your Side author and cancer survivor Jason Carrasco's 12 life tips.

Article
Help us personalise your Penguin emails

Tell us what you love reading so we can personalise the books, recommendations and emails you receive from Penguin.

Article
Look Inside: Astromancer 3: Ariā and the Monster Island

Read the first three chapters of Ariā and the Monster Island!

Article
The Best Interactive Hairy Maclary Books for Toddlers and Babies

For generations, Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclary stories have introduced young children to the joy of reading…

Article
Laugh-out-loud books to encourage a love of reading

There is nothing kids love more than a big old belly-laugh, and when it comes to reading, a book full of laugh-out-loud moments can unlock a joy of reading for life!

Article
The Perfect Mother’s Day Brunch

Treat Mum to an amazing meal at home this Mother’s Day! We’ve curated the perfect Mother’s Day brunch using some of our most popular recipes.

Article
The Migrants Author Talks

Join Christopher de Hamel as he travels across New Zealand for a series of author talks, exploring the connections between his South Island childhood, medieval manuscripts and 19th century Aotearoa.

Article
Why readers LOVE Lottie Brooks: Real Reader Reviews

In their own words, younger readers review their favourite Lottie Brooks books and why they love the series!

Article
Your guide to Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl series

Not sure where to start with the Dungeon Crawler Carl series? Find out which to read first, and learn a little bit about each book.

Article
15 of the best vampire books to add to your TBR

Discover some of the best vampire books – from paranormal to gothic and beyond.

Article
10 debut authors share where the ideas for their first novels came from

Learn about the inspiration behind debut authors’ first novels.

Looking for more articles?

See all articles