Do you feel a bit sorry for yourself right now? Do you believe all the books (including mine) that tell you its important to really ‘feel’ your feelings on the basis that what you can feel you can heal?

Well I have a suggestion for you to help you really release all that pent up pain and sorrow – just listen to Phil Collins singing ‘Separate Lives’. If you are truly serious about letting it all out then the fabulous Phil is your man. I guarantee that he will not let you down. Get a big box of those extra soft tissues, (the ones with Aloe Vera are very nice) and then tune into such delights as ‘Against All Odds’, ‘I Wish It Would Rain Down’ and my all time personal favourite, ‘One More Night’. These are songs that should come with a government health warning, so at this point I would ask you politely, and for your own safety, to move away from sharp objects and stay away from the knife drawer. For that special time when all you need is somebody who seems to know exactly how you are feeling, you sure can rely on Mr. Collins to provide the music and make a jolly good job of hitting your emotional spot dead centre.

So which are the songs that make you feel like your heart is being ripped out of your throat? Do please share your ‘Top Ten Tear Jerker’s’ with us so that we can all enjoy wallowing for at least 20 minutes or so. I want to compile a perfectly planned list that will reduce all of us to a puddle on the floor – because you know what? – it feels so good to release all those ‘grief like’ toxins plus, did you know that you will never cry more than a teaspoon of tears at any one sitting, so its no big deal and certainly not a sign of weakness to let it pour out of every orifice in an attempt to feel better faster. And don’t think that Mr. Collins has the sole rights on sad songs. At the weekend I was lucky enough to see Paul McCartney live in Hyde Park. Excuse me but ‘Baby I’m Amazed’ (not!) that he too is able to hit the spot. ‘Yesterday’ will do it every time and ‘Let it Be’ can leave you feeling vaguely philosophical. Whilst ‘Hey Jude’ can take you from the dismal depths to enthusiastically strumming an imaginary guitar like a rock star, which always makes one, feel so much better I find.

Someone once said ‘Music is what feelings sound like’ – isn’t that great? I could not have put it better myself, so I won’t and I’ll leave it to Abba (not especially known for their sad songs really), to help me say ‘Thank you For the Music’ I would be lost without it.