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

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

Waverly J. asked:


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!

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Comments

14 Responses to “What songs to sing at an old folks/retirement home?”

  1. ndtaya on May 3rd, 2009 8:42 am

    Something from their era, so they can sing along if they want. But honestly, you could sing almost anything and they’ll be thrilled!

  2. gloria on May 5th, 2009 4:48 pm

    Kisses Sweeter Than Wine, by Peter Paul and Mary

  3. nflhandicapper on May 9th, 2009 2:51 am

    Kum ba ya, Big Pimpin

  4. rodneyglenn@sbcglobal.net on May 21st, 2009 8:51 pm

    rent some Lawrence welk DVDs

  5. SweetNSourSofi on May 25th, 2009 5:58 pm

    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!

  6. cervy on May 27th, 2009 7:08 am

    jazz is a very good suggestion. go with classics like ella fitzgerald, billie holiday, or songs like “misty”, “all the things you are”, “my funny valentine”, etc. good luck!

  7. mickyyyyy on May 31st, 2009 2:32 am

    You should look for 1940’s or 1950’s or 1960’s material.
    Crazy by Patsy Cline
    Ny, Ny by Sinatra
    Hank Williams Senior
    Frankie Lane

  8. ThePeskyWabbit on June 3rd, 2009 5:41 pm

    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!!

  9. DR on June 11th, 2009 11:55 pm

    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:

    Good luck and have fun!

  10. beehapee on June 13th, 2009 8:01 pm

    classical, smooth jazz, oldies. etc. like “puff the magic dragon” lol jk. go to a music store that sells accompaniement tracks and ask the cashier. good luck! break a leg!

  11. Gypsy on June 17th, 2009 4:13 am

    Whatever you pick…Do NOT sing Burry me in the East Burry me in the West! I once had a friend do that and he had cane marks for three weeks

  12. Ally K on June 17th, 2009 8:26 pm

    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!

  13. KanDiez on June 18th, 2009 5:55 pm

    Sing some Mariah Carey songz, they’ll jus love it!

  14. RONBY on June 23rd, 2009 11:14 am

    MITCH MILLER AND HIS SINGERS SING LOADS OF SONGS FOR THE OLDER FOLKS ON TAPE OR CD. ALSO GET SOME MAX BYGRAVES TAPES/CDS TO GET THEM TO SING ALONG TO. THEY’LL LOVE IT

    HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME DOING IT.

    HAVE FUN.