The surprising 1980s anthem the dying choose to listen to in their final moments

New research has revealed the most popular songs chosen by terminally ill people to accompany them in their final moments.

One thousand people whose loved one had experienced end of life care were polled by the charity Marie Curie to determine which tracks were most popular with the terminally ill.

“Over The Rainbow” by Judy Garland and Whitney Houston ’s version of “I Will Always Love You” both featured on the top 10 track list.

Among the most surprising singles on Marie Curie’s chart was Cyndi Lauper’s hit Eighties single “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, which was heralded a feminist anthem upon its release in 1983.

Music can play a vital role in end of life care for many patients, with 84 per cent of those polled agreeing music relaxed and calmed their loved ones. Meanwhile, over 60 per cent of people said music helped ease their loved one’s anxiety and emotional distress towards the end of their life.

Other benefits included creating a shared experience that brought them closer, the creation of a sense of normalcy and helping to distract the dying person from physical symptoms of their illness.

Dr Tracey McConnell, a music therapy expert and an honorary Marie Curie senior research fellow at Queen’s University Belfast, said: “Terminal illness, pain and the fear of dying can result in feelings of powerlessness and isolation, even with close family and friends.”

“Music therapy can help people express their feelings and make them feel better, whatever their health or emotional situation.”

The charity released the playlist of the most popular songs as it published a separate report on people’s priorities for how they would like to experience their final months, weeks and days.

Marie Curie said the vast majority (83 per cent) of the 10,500 adults polled for its Public attitudes to death, dying and bereavement in the UK Revisited (PaddUK) report felt quality of life was more important than length of life when seriously ill.

The end-of-life care charity said people stated their wishes to be free of pain in the last days of their lives (38 per cent) and more than half (56 per cent) said they would prefer to die at home.

The charity said people’s hopes often differ from the "stark reality", pointing to research it published last month which found a third of dying people in England and Wales were severely or overwhelmingly affected by pain in the last week of life.

Jan Palmer, a Marie Curie nurse based in Cardiff and the Vale, said that the research shows “what’s most important to dying people”.

She said: "It’s certainly no surprise that quality of life is central - with being free of pain, being able to maintain dignity and self respect, and being surrounded by loved ones topping the list.

"This rings true with what my colleagues and I hear every day from the people we support, whether that’s in the hospice, in people’s own homes or on the support line.

"What is deeply concerning is how often these basic needs aren’t met. Everyone deserves the best possible palliative and end-of-life care, no matter who they are and where they live."

The top 10 songs are:

“My Way” - Frank Sinatra

“I Will Always Love You” - Whitney Houston

“(Simply) The Best” - Tina Turner

“Over The Rainbow” - Judy Garland

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” - Cyndi Lauper

“Angels” - Robbie Williams

“What A Wonderful World” - Louis Armstrong

“Beautiful” - Christina Aguilera

“Hey Jude” - The Beatles

“ These Are The Days Of Our Lives” - Queen

Additional reporting by PA