‘When I Sing Our Song’ - Andy Hewitt review

The song is written about the impact music can have on people suffering with dementia and certainly captures some of the emotion in the vocal throughout the song. This song serves as a reminder how much music really does affect us, whether subconsciously or not, they bookmark chapters and milestones in our lives allowing us to recall the memories as vividly as when they happened.

Andy details in a video recorded at BBC Radio 2's Bob Harris' Under the Apple Tree studio what the story is the song is about; essentially someone being visited in a care home by their partner and is subsequently reinvigorated when they start playing music.

Starting with flurries of picking and sliding from the guitar, Andy breaks out into song and starts to paint the picture of what the song is trying to convey.

"I promised that I would love you, for all my life

I promised that I would care for you, for all my time

Said I'd always be there for you, and I won't let you down"

Now knowing the context of the song, it is clear this is the carer (tending to their partner/ spouse) talking to the other who is clearly diminishing from their former self. Yet we could also extend this to ourselves, and how we promise ourselves that we'll love ourselves, be kind to ourselves and to look after ourselves, and yet somehow through life events, we are no longer the priority. Whether it's the responsibility of parenthood, or that of a carer, the equilibrium falls out of balance, inevitably taking its toll on us. We lose our way and sometimes our confidence, and this can be when you feel like you've let yourself down.

"But it's hard, when you forgot

All of the times, that we have shared"

Moving away from the original story of the song, this lyric could represent sharing the times with ourselves, and all the many faces we hold.

Regardless of the genre, we all hold a song in us, that depicts our life story. Family and friends are there to help score each chapter and verse of our lives, but being true to ourselves is the greatest hook, chorus; and that's what draws others to you when they hear your song. Eventually we find someone to share our song with, their song harmonises ours, and so we then sing our song.