What songs to sing at an old folks/retirement home?

Question

If I were to go sing at a retirement/old folks home, what songs should I sing? Ive got about 45 minutes to sing. Should I go for folk music, or jazz, or something else? Any specific song or artist suggestions? Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

rent some Lawrence welk DVDs

Answer 2

I was born in the late 30s and I love the music of the second World War Era, I always have. Great to listen to during dinner, for a quiet evening alone or with someone special ... or just socializing with friends. It is fun, and they are classics. Other post war songs are from the era 1946 to 1956 (My Formative years)

I can sing along with each of the choices I made so I hope this will get you started .

Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer
Sentimental Journey
Lili Marlene
We'll Meet Again
(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover
Swinging On A Star
Bell Bottom Trousers
I'll be seeing you
Dont sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me.
When Johnny comes Marching Home again
Waiting for the train to come in
This is the Army Mister Jones
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
G I Jive
Jukebox Saturday Night
Praise The Lord & Pass The Ammunition
Straighten Up And Fly Right
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
Long Ago (And Far Away)
It Had To Be You
The Trolley Song
Rum And Coca-Cola
Chattanooga Choo Choo
Sentimental Journey
On The Atchison, Topeka & The Santa Fe
It's Only A Paper Moon
Mairzy Doats
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive
It Might As Well Be Spring
Chickery Chick
Old Buttermilk Sky
Peg O’ My Heart
Mule Train
The Tennessee Waltz
Come On-A My House
Chattanooga Shoe shine boy
Glow-Worm
Don’t Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes
Sh-Boom
Love letters in the sand
Rock Around the Clock
Mr. Sandman
Sixteen Tons
Ain’t That a Shame
Don’t Be Cruel
Memories Are Made of This
Love Me Tender
Young Love
Wake Up Little Susie
You Always Hurt the One You Love
Swinging On a Star
Crazy Patsy Cline
Pretty woman
Stormy Weather
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime
Ghost riders in the sky
Cry
Me and my Shadow
Deep Purple
And the Angels Sing
Paper Doll
Earth Angel

Answer 3

OK, old folks home. That means people in their 70's, 80's, 90's, which would mean their musical tastes probably formed no later than 1950 and mostly includes music from the 30's and 40's. That would include stuff like big band, Gershwin, Rogers and Hammerstein (or the other great composers of musicals from that time), Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, Sinatra, Bing Crosby, the Andrews Sisters, the Judy Garland classics.

If you Google any of these names you'll find the names of hundreds of songs that are are ripe for your audience. If you REALLY want to get into it, check out the Top 10 songs from the years 1930 - 1950 to find some hidden gems that your audience will probably remember and enjoy even if you haven't heard of them. Check out this website for a year by year breakdown of hits: http://www.cusd.chico.k12.ca.us/~bsilva/ushist/top_songs.htm

Good luck and have fun!

Answer 4

My church has a program we do every Sunday afternoon at the nursing home and retirement village here in the Springs. We have a mixture of old hymns -- "Old Rugged Cross," "The Garden," "Amazing Grace," and we also have tunes from the 30s and 40s, "Harbor Lights," "My Funny Valentine," "Pennies From Heaven," "They Can't Take That Away From Me, " "Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All The Time)."

Those are some we do, and the folks just sing along, and bee-bop in the chairs, and some of them even get up and dance!!!! They are such a blessing to us all!!

Answer 5

I am a music therapist and I work in a nursing home. If you are spending time with seniors, they will love anything you do. Mix up your program: some old pop standards (think Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra), songs like "Danny Boy", "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", "Wonderful World". They love those songs! And include some folk. If they are like my clients, they will like religious music. So throw in a spiritual or two. Do one or two things they can sing along with. Get them participating. "You are my sunshine" and "Amazing Grace" are two you won't go wrong with. Someone requests them every time I do a music group. Good Luck!

Answer 6

Go to the "old Folks/retirement home" were you are going to sing and ask the people there, "what kind of songs would they like to hear"?

Answer 7

Frank Sinatra, Andrews Sisters, Dean Martin, anything from the 30s, 40s, or 50s. My grandfather was crazy about big band, swing, anything from his era, and that's usually the way to go. Maybe if you call in advance to see if whoever's coordinating the engagement s/he can check and see if the seniors themselves have any requests. I've done a few things like that before, it's a load of fun! Good luck!

Answer 8

Nursing Home Songs

Answer 9

I do like the old sentimental songs. I remember all the words to most of the songs I listened to when I was a kid -- and many that my mother had listened to when she was a kid! She always sang as she cooked worked around the house so I learned a lot of those great old songs. There's some decent music today, but I like the oldies much better.

Answer 10

Go eclectic. A few love songs, a couple of dance tunes, some sing alongs. Pick fun songs that your audience can participate in. The genre is not all that important...it is the fun element for audience participation.

Answer 11

Old folks seem to like old sing-along americana songs like Oh Susannah, Baby Face, old popular hymns etc. 50's songs are good also because they remember dancing to most of those.