---
title: "Mike's Musings: My favourite lyrical moments at Play It Strange"
description: Mike explores how Play It Strange empowers young songwriters, boosting their confidence and creativity through competitions and performances. Dive into the transformative power of music on stage.
image: https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/hubfs/20241023%20PlayItStrange-TownHall-100.jpg
---

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 Apr 9, 2026, 3:32:00 PM

# Mike's Musings: My favourite lyrical moments at Play It Strange

[Mike Chunn](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/author/mike-chunn)

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Mike's Musings: My favourite lyrical moments at Play It Strange

5:54

In 23 years of Play It Strange I have had the joy of listening to thousands of songs.

This collection of 10 songs brings together a handful that, for me, speak to the very heart of what young songwriters in Aotearoa can do. There’s honesty, imagination, and a kind of musical instinct that can’t be taught.

There’s a natural creativity in them that rises to the surface in a way that feels both collective and completely unique. They come from something deeply innate. They are, quite simply, riveting.

I’ve highlighted a few lyrical moments from each – small lines that have stayed with me – some, like Home by Annah Mac, for 20 years.

Please click on the song title to listen to them on Spotify. I hope you enjoy listening to these beautiful songs as much as I do.

![](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Apr-09-2026-03-31-30-2249-AM.png?width=951&height=681&name=image-png-Apr-09-2026-03-31-30-2249-AM.png)

[Eyes Of A Child](https://open.spotify.com/track/0Tak6PxhJJ62hZorxTpusa?si=0d2821d8abc64c98)

**Willow Lawton, Kaya Avni**

*From running through sprinklers*

*That spray through the night*

 

[**What If**](https://open.spotify.com/track/7MEexHUoIFINn94Hcr8ogD?si=7c61316879ae49f4)

**Olive Mortimer**

*What if all the stars*

*Fell out of space*

*And the rhythm of the people turned into an off-beat drum*

 ![20241023 PlayItStrange-TownHall-90-1](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/20241023%20PlayItStrange-TownHall-90-1.jpg?width=960&height=640&name=20241023%20PlayItStrange-TownHall-90-1.jpg)  Olive Mortimer*performing at the 2024 Play It Strange Annual Showcase.* 

 

[**Will You Love Me?**](https://open.spotify.com/track/0Xqhd6prgV0pPStcDA0A4C?si=20de8db647b146d1)

**Grace Gemmell**

*If all I am is a memory*

*Will you love me*

*Will you love me*

*Will You love me*

 ![20241023 PlayItStrange-TownHall-100](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/20241023%20PlayItStrange-TownHall-100.jpg?width=960&height=640&name=20241023%20PlayItStrange-TownHall-100.jpg) **Grace Gemmell,** *performing at the 2024 Play It Strange Annual Showcase.* 

[**When the Weather Changes**](https://open.spotify.com/track/7pNaZOJOPthvugFcLQ1vWh?si=a119ba43f93e4c68)

**Grace Lawrence**

*I feel stuck in the mornings*

*But my dad he picks me up*

 

[**Home**](https://open.spotify.com/track/4KB0I8LYBPB7vCpH4XTiqh?si=138fb694b810457f)

**Annah Mac**

*It's gonna be okay this time*

*I'm coming home!*

 

[**In The Dark**](https://open.spotify.com/track/1DhpbDSQ37HYYjFnTiAGJu?si=75d831ae2c8f4c95)

**Grace David, Sabreen Islam**

*Don't let go your song*

*The one you hold means more*

 

[**An Exquisite Scene**](https://open.spotify.com/track/6kiZ0sn9l9kshY7TVSca0z?si=bdf289be5f3d43b9)

**Ellie David**

*The sun's shining bright on rolling hills*

*Nothing but the sea sweeping in onshore*

 

[**Fragments**](https://open.spotify.com/track/5odz0m0qRCD1MfyOGoxKYa?si=a02d7f11672d4857)

**Greer Castle, Millie McLaren**

*There I lose myself*

*Maybe that's why I love it so much*

*Take me to the garden*

 

[Carry Me Home](https://open.spotify.com/track/78Tk7L1ju2Z5bPvlsMleCN?si=8e128eac476742e8) 

**Gareth Malan**

*On a broad back*

*We carry our honour*

 

[**Routine**](https://open.spotify.com/track/0aDMLB8z5vHAnD7nnWz2JY?si=1ea1832505e241b0)

**Ash Graham**

*I make the same breakfast in the morning*

*And I know exactly what will happen today*

[Music](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/tag/music), [Song Writing](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/tag/song-writing), [Performance](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/tag/performance)

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## [Mike’s Muse: Mike’s Top Ten Strange Songs](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-top-ten-strange-songs)

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## [Mike's Minute - The Origins Of Play It Strange](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-minute-the-origins-of-play-it-strange)

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I have lived several decades with the writing of songs as the underlying force field. Those songs,...

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---

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