Need song suggestions for retirement/nursing homes

Hi everyone,

I need some suggestions for songs to sing at retirement and nursing homes, songs that elderly people would recognize and enjoy. I'm planning to start doing this once a week or so with local facilities, but I need to build up a good song repertoire first for ukulele and guitar. My mom has done the same thing for as long as I can remember, but many of her songs are a little too dated for me. I have a couple of good 1930s songs but, for lack of better words, they might seem a bit too down and depressing for those in their twilight years. (For example: "I'll See You in My Dreams"). I may be wrong, people may want to hear songs in this vein. But I'd love suggestions if you all have any. Ones I've thought of so far:

- You Are My Sunshine
- Dream a Little Dream of Me

I need more. Many thanks for your help!

I play at Birthday Day at the senior center, and they love stuff that was big 30's and 40's. I tend to play a lot of Western Swing for them because I am rural, but I do:
Five FOot Two- everybody
Blues for Dixie- Bob Wills
Please Don't Let Me Love You- Hank Williams
Mom and Dads Waltz- Lefty Frizzell
This Land Is your Land- Woodie Guthrie
Lazy Day- Bob Wills
I wonder where My Baby Is Tonight- Ukulele Ike
Little Red Wagon- Hank Penny
Baby- George Formby
Blue Eyed Elaine- Ernest Tubb
Josephine- Pokey LaFarge
Tonight You Belong TO Me- everybody
and if they are really good- Bear In A Ladies Boudoir- Ukulele Ike
They eat it up, but they are really just appreciative to see me roll up on the Harley with an Ukulele strapped to my back. they understand that I wan tto take the time to play for them, and that I want to hear their stories- I could be playing heavy metal and they would dig it.

All of the stuff from the 20's 30's and 40's would probably be immensely popular.

Five Foot Two,
Ain't She Sweet,
and dozens and dozens of others.

Check out Jon's (eugene_ukulele) YouTube channel - he's very prolific and probably 80 percent of the songs he's posted would be good candidates for nursing homes.

John

Fantastic, thank you both! TCK, I'll start looking into those songs you listed, and OldePhart I'll be sure to check out Jon's YouTube for some catchy tunes.

Aloha Natalie,
One song came to mind, " I'll Be Seeing You" from the 40s.
In the early 60s during an impromtu Kanikapila at Waikiki with my some of my friends, an elderly lady asked me if I knew that song, I said yes and sang it for her. Noticed her crying towards the end of the song. I asked her if she was okay, she reply yes then explained the significance of that song to her. It was a song she related to as her husband was an Army Aviator on a bomber that was shot down over Germany (WWII) and was killed.
I was 15 years old at that time and that particular moment and Lady stayed with me since then. Always think about her when I hear or sing that song.................

Aloha, Natalie! Everyone likes this instrumental. (open in youtube for chords that ukulelezaza has posted) Other uke versions I've seen don't actually ring the ascending bells on the uke (they usually use another instrument, or worse yet, mouth the bum-bum-bum bum parts--oy vey!) This version rings like a clear bell.

Just because some people are older, doesn't mean they ain't necessarily hip. A lot of today's seniors probably listened to the Beatles, Stones, Dylan and such during their misspent youth. I'd move your timeline up a few decades.

Talk to them, engage them, and see if you can get some audience participation. Invite them to sing along with the chorus of "Blowing in the Wind" or whatever. Make it fun for both you and them.

One thing I think would be fun would be a set of familiar tv/movie themes. Like the theme from Alfred Hitchcock, the Godfather, Gilligan's Island, the Addams Family, Hawaii 50, etc.

Go in with a varied repertoire, see what people like and build your next set accordingly.

Stardust.

JJ

My dad, who is 83, is in a rehab facility in Boynton Beach where there's live musical entertainment every Wednesday afternoon. I think people who perform at rehab facilities and retirement and nursing homes are absolute angels. I've never performed there, but I've played "Let The Rest Of The World Go By" for my mom and dad. It was the song they danced to at their wedding. The music for it is in the Daily Ukulele Volume 1. If fact, there are a number of songs from that book that would probably go over really well with seniors. Good luck, and please let us know how it goes.

hey Nat,

it's so great you're doing this, it will be truly appreciated by the folks I've no doubt. From my own experience, they will be aware of many of the popular standards from the 20's through 40's so they are a good reference point to begin with. Also, I think many would know and love a lot of the old-time folk and traditional songs. Old spirituals too. Like you mentioned, "You Are My Sunshine" was by far the most known and loved song in the place I worked. But I wouldn't throw away "I'll See You In My Dreams", they'll be into it for sure!

Two other things as an aside:

1. don't underestimate the power of a smile. If you're smiling as you perform for them and meeting their eyes, they will find that really infectious and love you for it. Nothing like seeing folks smiling back in your direction...makes it a lovely communal and interactive kind of thing. Also, if you can choose some songs that are easy to pick up on lyrically and melodically, getting them to sing along is another rewarding aspect of doing this kind of thing. If they feel relaxed they'll also be more likely to open up and start chatting and sharing their stories with you.

2. don't forget about good ol' kids songs. Might seem condescending but you gotta meet people where they're at. As the memory starts to wane, early childhood memories sometimes come back into view, and, especially if you're playing to folks with dementia, kids songs can be great fun to share and create a sweet, relaxed and fun vibe for them too. They can also open doors for conversations and reminiscences.

Anyway, have a ball mate! The truth is, the days are long in nursing homes and the routines are mundane. To have someone like yourself visiting occasionally will be an incredible blessing for them and I think you'll experience that same blessing in doing it, only magnified.

These are some pretty great suggestions, that's for sure. Jon really nailed some tips, Natalie. I also like the theme song idea mentioned below--good idea! If you get enough of them, snippets, you could have a small quiz show of it (like Jon's Charles in Charge theme video, which is killer).

Lil Rev plays senior's homes routinely, and any of his videos show songs they'd love (eg. Drop Baby Drop), or this lovely ditty: Shaving Cream (man, Rev is so funny, too).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z99tPuOp9k

The "third rail" for nursing home entertainers: I'd stay away from any songs about the end of life. The seniors, and I work with them every day, are angels, yes. But they don't want to become true angels just yet. lol Even bands with names like that--for instance, Megadeth, or Five Finger Death Punch--really would not go over well.

I could be wrong , though.

There is an adults only version of Jesus Loves Me. I always carry extra copies of the words because people request a copy. There is also an adults only version of These are Few of My Favorite Things and it was sung by Julie Andrews.

Just adding on to what @itsme said, I would add some 50s-60s songs into your repertoire. My mom is in a skilled nursing facility because of early onset Alzheimer's. Music is constantly playing there -- generally standards, pop songs and show tunes from the 40s - 60s with some hymns here and there. I think it's great you are doing this!

Adding to the list "Red Red Robin" (a banjo fave, works well in strumming on the uke), Woody Guthrie faves (This land is your land, Roll on Columbia), any Stephen Foster songs. If the residents were born in the 30's or 40's, they sang these in school or listened to them.

" We gotta get out of this place" By The Animals

Thank you all so much for your suggestions! It looks like the song possibilities are endless. I've got a lot to work with here. And thanks also for your tips (smiling, etc.). I went to visit my grandmother while I was home for Christmas. I don't think she really grasped who I was, but I just kept smiling and she kept asking for hugs, so we both enjoyed the visit. If I can bring even a little happiness to patients' daily routines, I think it will be incredibly rewarding.

I have to give credit to my mom for doing this for as long as I've been alive (30 years). She goes to several facilities and always has a story or two about the people she meets. When I think about my favorite things, music is right up there. And sometimes these homes are so silent. We need to spread the music everywhere we can.

"Nobody knows the trouble I've seen"

Look here and scroll down about halfway till you get the section titled Sing the 20th Century. There's a list of songs from about 1900 to the mid 1960's. Good list and roughly 100 of them or so are in The Daily Ukulele. this would make a great pool of songs to choose from for a retirement home performance.

http://www.themeister.co.uk/dixie/tin_pan_alley.htm

eugene ukulele said:

hey Nat,

2. don't forget about good ol' kids songs. Might seem condescending but you gotta meet people where they're at. As the memory starts to wane, early childhood memories sometimes come back into view, and, especially if you're playing to folks with dementia, kids songs can be great fun to share and create a sweet, relaxed and fun vibe for them too. They can also open doors for conversations and reminiscences.

Click to expand...

Very good point! I agree!

@coolkayaker1: Thanks for the Lil' Rev "Shaving Cream" link! Great!

Petey

Is there a way to attach a pdf to this forum? If so, I have a few sheets of "nursing home" type songs with simplified chords and lyrics.