Paul Hitchmough said he still remembers the first time he heard Eleanor Rigby.
The grandfather-of-five, 67, said he first heard The Beatle 's iconic 1966 track while on a summer holiday to North Wales , as he was sat in the back of a car.
The radio was on as he sat there, he said, and it sounded like nothing he'd ever heard because it was "totally unique, because there was no drums or guitar."
Paul, from Speke , was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers five years ago, but believes music has the power to recall memories and moments in a person's life.
Together, he and his son, Joel, 30, have embarked on a national project, Music for Dementia, to create a playlist of songs or pieces of music that made up the soundtrack of his life.
The project, which has been championed by Desert Island Disc Presenter Lauren Laverne, hopes to help people living with dementia recall moments of their life through music.
Musician Paul said sometimes he may not be able to recall where he put his keys, or recall names, but said: "I can just think of a Beatles song and I remember every word."
He said: “There’s not a day that goes by [where I don’t listen to music]. I love all types of music. I grew up listening to The Beatles and bands like that, but I love everything to do with it.”
Music, he believes, has the power to unlock a memory in someone’s mind that may have been forgotten, and take them back to a specific place or time.
He added: “It brings someone back to life, even if it’s just a lyric or arrangement.”
Father-of-two Joel said he believes that although someone’s memories may not “consciously be there, they are there in a person’s subconscious” and creating playlists of memorable music helps to unlock this.
Paul said when he received his diagnosis five years ago it was a “very bleak time”.
He said: “I knew things were not right in my head. I could not remember anyone’s name and you can try to make a joke out of it for a bit, but then it was just getting worse and worse.”
After a visit to his GP and a referral, Paul said he was told the devastating news.
He said: “That’s when the shock and everything hits you. But I thought there’s two ways you can look at it - you can get down about it or you can get off your backside and try to live with it.”
The father and son believe everyone should take part in the campaign, which allows people to make the special playlists for free.
Joel said: “I think music plays a massive role in someone’s life. Every song has a memory and if you hear one, you will be reminded of and taken back to it.
“We always listen to one called The Highway Man, by Johnny Cash, and that reminds me of my dad.
“It can only be better [for people to make playlists]. Nothing bad has ever come from listening to and loving music. Everyone likes music and everyone has a favourite song.”
Artists included on Paul’s playlist include The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash as well as Classical music.
Grace Meadows, Music for Dementia 2020 Programme Director, said: “Having access to personalised music, in the right way and at the right time, has been shown to be much more effective than just putting the radio on or listening indiscriminately to music,
“The act of creating a personalised playlist, whether that’s done online, writing it down or a piece of paper on by going through your music collection with someone, makes up the soundtrack of your life.”
Music for Dementia 2020 has created online guides to help create playlists using Amazon, Apple, Spotify, Google and Youtube.
