Nursing/Retirement home songs

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by leew3

I agree that you've got a great list and thanks for sharing it. I would only add Moon River as this gets our assisted living crowd singing along every time!

Well, THAT's a little creepy... We literally just added this song today!! Good to know it goes over so well. We figured it likely would. Love the Audrey Hepburn version. We also added Rose Garden and Gentle On My Mind today. We're on a roll. This retirement thing is AWESOME!

[Guitars44me]

Here in So Cal, a few In Spanish go over great. Cielito Lindo. Volver Volver. South of the Border, too. And stories of too much fun in Mexico…. Of which I have a LOT.

In fact pretty much any song that has iYiYi in it. Ha ha Ha.

I try to stick to pretty much upbeat songs, but not much works better than Tennessee waltz. Anything that’s been a hit eight or 10 times for eight or 10 Artists Should work well.

Beatles, Ray Charles, Willie, Great American Songbook, etc.

The advice above about not spending too much time looking at a book, or iPad or whatever is excellent. The more eye contact you can make, the better.

I used to get up often and go over to sing right next to people who were obviously into it, but I’m not doing that lately for good reasons…

Have FUN. Fun is easy to sell, usually….

Oh, I’ve had a lot of people holler Freebird. It gives me a chance to do the worlds quickest song. You flip them off, (behind your other hand) and say no charge! Only if they’re having fun, and you have to be careful about it… and SMILE

Paul

[Nama Ensou]

If we're actually focused on playing stuff people like then there are really good ways of dealing with songs that they want to hear without looking down on them and my way of dealing with Freebird is to just play an acoustic version of it for them. It's actually a really nice sounding song and I've never had a negative reaction over doing my own no-guitar-solo version of it.

[hairpuller]

"This Little Light of Mine"
"Amazing Grace"
"I've Been Everywhere Man"

Scott

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by Nama Ensou

If we're actually focused on playing stuff people like then there are really good ways of dealing with songs that they want to hear without looking down on them and my way of dealing with Freebird is to just play an acoustic version of it for them. It's actually a really nice sounding song and I've never had a negative reaction over doing my own no-guitar-solo version of it.

The folks who asked me for Free Bird did it in a very humorous way. I don’t believe they actually wanted the song, they just know it is fun to yell Free Bird.

I don’t know free bird, but if someone really wanted it I would get as close as possible. Like maybe gimme Three Steps.

Most Folks are forgiving if you do not know a zillion songs. They just want you to play and sing from the heart, in my experience.

Carry on

Paul

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by Guitars44me

Most Folks are forgiving if you do not know a zillion songs. They just want you to play and sing

Yep, my experience matches yours and I've only had one time ever that a woman stormed out because I didn't know a particular song. Most of the time, though they may be disappointed, they get over it quickly enough and are still able to have fun.

[Stonehauler]

50s, 60s, and early/mid 70s would probably be good at this point. Christmas and other holiday music at the appropriate time of the year, folk songs, sing along campfire music, maybe even some hymns if the audience is predominantly Christian. Patriotic songs for whatever country you live it are also good, especially if you have veterans in the home. I guess it would also depend on if you were going in solo or if you had a 2 or more piece band with you.

Figure stuff from their teenage years though 35 or so…. Remember, some of these folks are sadly losing their mental faculties. Even some kids songs or silly songs might be appreciated by some.

[Pnewsom]

It turns out that all the songs I played in the Vancouver Legions and Service Clubs back in the 70's still work great in today's Assisted Living places. The most amazing things is that I still remember the lyrics for those tunes. Wish I could say the same for the more recent material I've had to learn a few times.

Sadly, the pay hasn't improved much...

[leew3]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

Well, THAT's a little creepy... We literally just added this song today!! Good to know it goes over so well. We figured it likely would. Love the Audrey Hepburn version. We also added Rose Garden and Gentle On My Mind today. We're on a roll. This retirement thing is AWESOME!

I play the intro on harmonica and accompany Rokdog who sings it. Gentle on My Mind is a good call as well and I'll think about adding it to our set list if Assisted Living gigs continue. I'm retiring in May and looking forward to whatever is next too!

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by leew3

I play the intro on harmonica and accompany Rokdog who sings it. Gentle on My Mind is a good call as well and I'll think about adding it to our set list if Assisted Living gigs continue. I'm retiring in May and looking forward to whatever is next too!

Intros are sometimes one of the most challenging parts of learning a song for me. They oftentimes are very iconic and detailed, foreshadowing the coming song. But they can also be difficult to play well on just an acoustic guitar, especially if you're a cowboy chord player with limited abilities, like me! I'll often spend just as much (and more) time learning to play an intro well as I do on the entire arrangement of a song.

That said, I am noticing a significant improvement to my playing day after day. My fast strumming abilities have improved and songs like Gentle On My Mind and Wake Up Little Susie which previously would have been hard for me are becoming more and more doable. I love going back to songs we've thought about doing before and dismissed because our abilities to perform it well weren't there and finding out we can now play them.

Another thing that is VERY common in a lot of these older songs is how often they employ key changes during the songs. Frankie Valli's 'My Eyes Adored You' goes up a half step like four times! It used to be annoying to me and was sometimes cause for dismissing a potential song but now that I'm working through it, it has taken my playing to another level as it forces me to work farther and farther up the fretboard.

We were originally going to wait until the end of June to retire but decided to pull the plug in December. So far we're loving it. We're booking a ton (by our standards) of the ALF gigs for the coming year.

[121]

Here's one that might work.

[1armbandit]

The wife and I just played at an assisted living a couple of weeks ago. We had my dad in there for a pre/post OP stay. At 63 we were not the youngest folks there. We did basically the same set we do when we play on the street or when we are invited to play anywhere.
We have some gospel, 60's pop and contemporary Christian songs. It was suprising how many sang along to the songs.

My suggestion is just play and sing and they will probably enjoy it.

Jack

[mr. beaumont]

I think this can be very "reigonal" as well.

[James_214ce]

https://youtu.be/Z3_lIPESVTw

[Guitars44me]

I wonder how long this video will stay up here…..

Funny, and true, too.

I find folks love stories about foolish excess in my and their youth. Most of us were young once….

Fun thread.

Paul