Drinking, Dancing, Loving, and Birthing to 'You’re My Angel'
For Annie Kapur's 'Sing Us the Song of the Century' Challenge
Written for Annie Kapur’s ‘Sing Us the Song of the Century’ Challenge.
'You’re My Angel' by Darren Styles has been comfortably weaving its way through my life over the last 16 years.
In my 20s, I loved clubbing. I’d be out every Friday, Saturday, or both. There was even a cheeky Sunday afternoon event that I’d often go to.
I met some of my oldest and best friends just by going to these events regularly and bumping into them.
This track (as the seasoned ravers would say) became iconic and would be played nightly.
I still remember the feeling of being in a club: the music pulsing, the strobe lighting in your eyes, the hissing of the smoke machine followed by the acrid smell… and everyone just letting loose and having an amazing time.
You’d be walking back from the toilets and hear this track. A smile would creep across your face. With an excited, “Woo!”, you’d run to the dance floor, fling one arm drunkenly around your best friend, throw your other arm in the air, and sing at the top of your lungs. Everyone around you was doing the same thing, and it didn’t matter that we were all too drunk and couldn’t sing properly, because we were all just living in the moment.
In my 30s, I met my husband on a party cruise. I’d slowed down on the clubbing but still loved to have a night out every now and then. I loved that he enjoyed going out and having fun, but also liked to have lazy days at home watching movies. I quickly learned that this was one of his favourite tracks as well. Why wouldn’t it be? I think it was everyone’s back in the day.
On the last day of my 30s, I gave birth to our son via caesarean. We were told we could make a birthing playlist. I was too nervous and stressed to even think about this, but my husband made it his priority. He sat me down and we started adding tracks to our playlist. We joked that we might be one of the only couples with a mix of trance and happy hardcore on their birthing playlist.
There was no way we could know at what point in the playlist our son would be born, so we waited in anticipation to see which track would be the one to welcome him into the world.
And wouldn’t you know it, this track had just started playing, and then we heard our son’s cry. We both looked at each other and smiled.
With lyrics like:
You’re my angel.
You’re the only sunshine in my life.
Feels like heaven when you take me in your arms.
There isn’t a more perfect track.
I can’t wait to play this track for him one day and tell him that whenever I hear it, I’ll always think of him.
About the Creator
Sandy Gillman
I’m a mum to a toddler, just trying to get through the day. I like to write about the ups and downs of parenting. I’m not afraid to tell it like it is. I hope you’ll find something here to laugh, relate to, and maybe even learn from.
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Easy to read and follow
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The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Comments (31)
Never heard the song but loved how it started off slow but quickly picked up the pace. I felt right at home in the club soon after. Thank you for sharing this one on the link and Happy belated TS!
Flinging your arms around a friend with a woo! I love that feeling.
Well done your brilliant ♦️♦️♦️
Congratulations on your leaderboard placement 🎉🎉🎉
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Oh! What an endearing story, Sandy! I just love how you explain everything so clearly and so down-to-earth - no pretenses - just you and the people and the things you love around you. Excellent writing!
What a lovely account of clubbing, loving, birthing and life affirming journeys
Well, you lived the life and now proudly admit to tipsy nights and fun filled day. Congrats on the bundle and the TS. Sounds like you made life yours.
Congratulations girl. Make a seperate cabinet to keep your top stories. Heheh. @Sandy Gillman
Congratulations on your top story!! The music is great!! ❤️
Top Story for Sandy’s addiction! :D Congratulations! Now you can add this to the same group of stories about this song you will tell your toddler in a few years’ time. :)
All too drunk and couldn't sing properly 🤣🤣🤣 That really does sound like a hell of a good time, especially with friends. You and your husband are very creative. And your son is very lucky to have you both. I wish I had something like that birthing playlist you spoke about. This was such a great read, and so very heart warming at the end. 'you're my angel, you're the only sunshine in my life' 🤗♥️ also, congratulations on your top story 🎊🎉🎊🎉
My lifestyle was very different. Never heard this song before. But listened today after reading the article.
Chills, literal chills. This track will always bring back the best of memories. Love you, girl! xx
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Congrats on your Top Story!
This piece flows like a memory wrapped in music—raw, intimate, and beautifully unfiltered. You’ve captured the emotional pulse of a life lived loudly and loved deeply. Truly moving work.
This was so heartfelt and beautifully personal. From wild dance floors to the quiet magic of birth, the way this one song threads through your life is just stunning. What a memory to share with your son someday.
Back to say congrats on top story!!!!
Such a fun & upbeat story! Kool song too! 🌸🫶🏾
You have the gift of being able to see the positive in all moments of your life, challenging or otherwise. Say hi to the family, Sandy, and they'll always be your angels.
This was so refreshing and you tell the story so well I imagined it like a short film. Loved it. Well done!
Great story and I love the song - got some dancing to do today - just waking up now, coffee first - but this beats got me off to a good start! Thanks!
What a beautiful story Sandy 💖 Made me feel very nostalgic 🥰
I've never heard this song before but it's a banger! I love it! And I love how your son was born when this played!