In a few short weeks the epic reign of Stuart Crosby as Tauranga Mayor will come to an end and a grieving public will vote for his replacement.

There are 11 candidates. They've got a bunch of positions. But who can tell if they'll stick to those positions? In a scholarly bid to peek inside our mayoral candidates' psyches I designed an email questionnaire – four musical questions. After all, political positions change, but music is for life.

These were the questions:

If your campaign had an anthem, what would it be? What was the first song or music you remember liking as a child? If you could invite one musical performer/composer/songwriter to dinner, who would it be? What is the best concert/show you have attended?

Five of the candidates have responded. There was excitement, there were revelations, there was a bit of argy-bargy. Here's how it went down...

First responder was HoriBOP, possibly an outsider in the race, also possibly the most instantly recognisable candidate. One with a unique approach to questionnaires:

'Number 1: ‘I get knocked down but i get up again you never gonna keep me down number'.

Number 2: ‘I can't remember the song but my drunk uncle was singing it brilliantly and playing great guitar until he fell off the stool, mum beat him with the broom and us kids hollered with delight'.

Number 3: ‘My dead uncle and Ozzy Osbourne; it would be a riot from woe to go'. Number 4: ‘I was drunk at a Fleetwood Mac concert at Western Springs in 1970-something tripped and fell from top of a big hill to the bottom and survived, and actually gained consciousness in the arms of a drop dead gorgeous blonde. Oh what a night! I also survived a Joe Cocker concert at Logan Campbell Centre but did hospital time'.

Next in was Graeme Purches, who hit ‘Reply All' on the email, thus exposing himself to his opponents, a minor slip here but, as many a politician has learned, one that could scream ‘Controversy!' if repeated in office.

Graeme's choices are Number 1: ‘Stand by Me' by John Lennon. Number 2: ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow'.

Mum used to sing it all the time. Number 3: Leonard Cohen – such an interesting insightful man. Number 4: Leonard Cohen live in Auckland about 10 years ago.

And, reinforcing the need for care with emails, at this point John Robson chipped in with: 'Hi Graeme, Re: anthem. I prefer the original by Ben E. King.” Imagine if that had been sensitive council secrets! Not one to be cowed, Graeme responded: 'Gees mate – are you older than me? Did the Ben E King version have numerals in it?” It's almost like a candidates' debate...(No answers so far from John).

Next up was Murray Guy, who, correctly I think, claimed to be the only nominee with an actual theme song. What with the yellow ribbons attached to and on his signs? It's Tony Orlando & Dawn's ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree'.

The first song Murray remembers liking is ‘Onward Christian soldiers' from St Enoch's Presbyterian Church Sunday School in the 1950s. He'd invite 'the late, great Joe Cocker!” to dinner, and his favourite gig was Bruce Springsteen at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Brisbane, March 31, 1985.

Greg Brownless says: 'If I had an anthem it would be ‘This Land Is Your Land'.

The first song I remember as a child apart from nursery rhymes is ‘Puff The Magic Dragon', probably from school. I'd invite Placido Domingo, a great tenor, pianist and conductor for dinner, and the best show I've attended was ‘Les Miserables' performed at Baycourt by Tauranga Musical Theatre.

We often underestimate the local talent in Tauranga. It was a superb performance, great music, songs, story and cast.”

Kelvin Clout doesn't have an anthem, but says he loves Neil Diamonds' ‘Hot August Night' and would invite U2's Bono to dinner. A live show?

'September 1, 1984, front of stage at the U2 Concert at Logan Campbell Centre.

Bono dropped his sweaty towel on me.I should have kept it as a souvenir but gave it back to him as a devoted fan would.”