--- title: "Mike’s Muse: Mike’s Top Ten Strange Songs" 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/Mike%20Chunn%20-%20sq.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-top-ten-strange-songs#main-content) [Contact us](mailto:info@playitstrange.org.nz) [![Squiggla](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/Squiggla.png?width=3780&height=1890&name=Squiggla.png)](https://www.playitstrange.org.nz/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Contact us](mailto:info@playitstrange.org.nz) Jun 4, 2026, 4:16:05 PM # Mike’s Muse: Mike’s Top Ten Strange Songs [Mike Chunn](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/author/mike-chunn) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-top-ten-strange-songs) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-top-ten-strange-songs) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-top-ten-strange-songs) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-top-ten-strange-songs) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-top-ten-strange-songs) Mike’s Muse: Mike’s Top Ten Strange Songs 5:54 I have recently listened to the songs entered into two of our Play It Strange songwriting competitions. As always, the experience was immersive. The songs proved to be a creative force once again this year. It is a joy to witness and wonderful to be involved. They arrived carrying stories, questions, observations and moments of revelation. Some were delicate and reflective. Others came with urgency and conviction. Together they formed a remarkable chorus of young voices, each seeking its own pathway through the mystery of songwriting. Listening to them led me back to a number of songs from the Play It Strange archives. Songs that have stayed with me. Songwriting has always been a curious force. It gathers experience, memory, hope and wonder, and transforms them into something that can travel beyond the songwriter and find a place in the hearts of others. The ten songs gathered here are among my favourite Strange songs. They remind me of the depth of creativity that exists in young people, and of the extraordinary songwriting journey that continues to unfold through Play It Strange. Listen, and enjoy.  [**Still Standing**](https://open.spotify.com/track/7Ab10r0U0uyl6cdLOArLMy?si=691d9b63167847da) Kristen MacDonald (Finalist, 2009) I had a dream House was burning Standing so still Was this little guy hurting And I couldn’t help him - no He couldn’t move And all that was left Was the lace on his shoes   [Don’t Say Maybe](https://open.spotify.com/track/4Vjrz2zphfUHpwox58uRl4?si=b8ca7df4c75847a2) Jessica Holland & Marc Pritchard (Finalist, 2011) Couldn’t be a better time To run away Cause all my life I’ve never felt this way I’m standing here all alone   [Let Me Go](https://open.spotify.com/track/7hVsIPRI9NDuGuZqlBy56w?si=b05a603904314a1a) Maria Schryvers (Finalist, 2011) It seems It was only yesterday We were making our mistakes And soaking up the rain And I hear her singing ‘ If you love me let me go’   [The City](https://open.spotify.com/track/3wo3u1QDRYEfPyifprTqao?si=d0fb8f89998b47bd) Fletcher Mills (Finalist, 2011) Rocks come falling Barely missing The people down below And I can’t even help them And I can only scream And no one can hear me A little boy sobs beside me He doesn’t understand And the parents are screaming And the brothers are screaming The sisters are screaming And the city is Crying   [One More Chance](https://open.spotify.com/track/3mhxtIf1ZBMVuVnvM4M144?si=163d2002014b4cfe)  Aaron Fausett (Finalist, 2010) One more chance Please; one more chance ‘Cos we got crying & screaming Shouting and fighting One more chance   [balloons](https://open.spotify.com/track/5X6B42d8DEnyYPzx1jnJk6?si=ac2504d01f284c71) Louis McDonald (Finalist, 2011) Balloons they fly The sky falls low The basket it hovers And puts on a show And I wait for a sign Something to take my mind away   [Rainbow Skies](https://open.spotify.com/track/7LAQylz84QtKywbuoCwseE?si=326b15d597f64e2a) Guntaas Oberoi (Finalist, 2023) I watch the sunlight dance across your face As the dark clouds Tippy- toe away   [Birds](https://open.spotify.com/track/6X1EgVYu4ZjrnK5LCbMg1o?si=84be3f1944a04446) Roseanna Gamlen Greene (Finalist, 2010) Birds - like Golden teardrops Music to those who listen Not to all who hear   [Pot Plants](https://open.spotify.com/track/6baqakZJq9VblE7vdDTjQR?si=09ab17dbf9c44736) Grace Lawrence (Finalist, 2022) I’ve been told so many things I wish I had written down And I can hear this faint buzzing in my brain There’s a strange relief in the sound   [River Styx](https://open.spotify.com/track/0GvR9kv1cG5v8p5jVfzAAl?si=e056953ac21e44c8) Caitlin Nicole; Paige McOnie (Finalist, 2023) I hear the Captain calling Got my ticket down the River Styx Cos maybe it’ll fix what’s broken And I’ll know all I’ve missed   Blue Butterfly Annah Mac (Finalist, 2006) Well walk on in Yea I see you standing there I won’t let that interfere with what I’m doing [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) ## Related posts [![](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(3).png?height=200&name=Untitled%20design%20(3).png)](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-minute-the-origins-of-play-it-strange) [Music](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/tag/music), [Song Writing](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/tag/song-writing) ## [Mike's Minute - The Origins Of Play It Strange](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-minute-the-origins-of-play-it-strange) [Mike Chunn](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/author/mike-chunn) Jun 17, 2024, 2:32:59 PM I have lived several decades with the writing of songs as the underlying force field. Those songs,... [Read more](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-minute-the-origins-of-play-it-strange) [![](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/Celeste%20Oram.png?height=200&name=Celeste%20Oram.png)](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/songwriting-forces) [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) ## [Mike's Musings: Songwriting Forces](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/songwriting-forces) [Mike Chunn](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/author/mike-chunn) Apr 11, 2025, 3:15:45 PM [Read more](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/songwriting-forces) [![](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/20251204%20PlayItStrangeAwards-KahuiStDavids-123.jpg?height=200&name=20251204%20PlayItStrangeAwards-KahuiStDavids-123.jpg)](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-musings-performing-to-the-crowd) [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) ## [Mike's Musings: Performing to the Crowd](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-musings-performing-to-the-crowd) [Mike Chunn](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/author/mike-chunn) Dec 15, 2025, 10:35:32 AM [Read more](https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-musings-performing-to-the-crowd) [facebook-f icon](https://www.facebook.com/playitstrange/) [linkedin-in icon](https://www.linkedin.com/company/play-it-strange/) [TikTok icon](https://www.tiktok.com/@playitstrangenz?lang=en) [instagram icon](https://www.instagram.com/playitstrangenz/) --- Copyright © 2024, Play it Strange ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mike Chunn", "url" : "https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/author/mike-chunn" }, "dateModified" : "2026-06-08T01:20:47.887Z", "datePublished" : "2026-06-04T04:16:05.000Z", "headline" : "Mike’s Muse: Mike’s Top Ten Strange Songs", "image" : [ "https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/hubfs/Mike%20Chunn%20-%20sq.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/mikes-musings/mikes-top-ten-strange-songs", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://info.playitstrange.org.nz/hubfs/PlayItStrange_Logo_COL-3.png" }, "name" : "Play it Strange Trust" } } ```