yunakitty 2 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Can you guys help me compile a list of "old timey songs" that the residents will know? Our population is on average about 85, ranging from one 71 year old to a 101 year old. I got a karaoke machine and my father is a karaoke DJ so he has or can get every song ever made, but I don't know what to tell him to get. "Old stuff" is not working, ha! So far, I have: Let Me Call You Sweetheart Bicycle Built for Two/Daisy Don't Get Around Much Anymore New York, New York I know the last two are not really OLD, but they all sing them when our bi-weekly entertainer comes and does them. So I added those. They are a hit and we always end the karaoke session with them, but I need more stuff! Don't get me wrong, I have a lot more songs (about 300) but they are mostly recent stuff from my personal collection and a bunch of country stuff we got for Wild West Month. I also have My Fair Lady and Phantom of the Opera soundtracks, which they love. What do your residents like to sing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADInfo 0 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Here are a few websites with some classics from the 20s. Hope this helps. http://www.geocities.com/paris/cafe/8636/songs.html This is a HUGE list! http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Classi...the-20s/3865461 http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/pr...aspx?pid=838654 Singin' In the Rain (thought that was newer, but they might know it) Hope that helps! -Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen 0 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 My residents' favorites include "You Are My Sunshine," "I've Been Working on the Rail Road," "Let Me Call You Sweetheart," "Home On the Range," "She'll Be Coming Around The Mountain," "God Bless America," "America," & 1st verses of hymns (we have no residents who have any other faith tradition but Christian) "Amazing Grace," "In The Garden," "Love Lifted Me," "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "The Old Rugged Cross," "When The Saints Go Marching In." We sing acappella & everyday on memory care & lots on the nursing home unit. They love to sing & sometimes when I play familiar music, a resident will start singing & before you know it, an impromptu sing-a-long can begin. It's true that music really is magic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themusiclady 1 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 If you'll be using CDS, I use songs from all these artists: Doris Day Fats Waller Fats Domino Patsy Cline The Happy Goodmans Frank Sinatra Elvis Bing Crosby Dorsey Brothers Billie Holiday Ethel Waters Judy Garland Ella Fitzgerald Louis Armstrong Glen Miller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy 0 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 To add to this, does anyone know where to get some good sing-a-long cd's? I have elderson, but they are slow and a little boring. I'm looking for something a little peppy. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaRee 0 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Here's just a few songs that my residents enjoy: Amazing Grace You are my sunshine Bicycle built for two Has anybody seen my gal America Yankee Doodle She'll be comin'round the mountain Give my reguards to broadway How much is that doggie in the window To the person who posted above me, I used the eldersong for awhile and agree with you. What I did was download the same songs from the book, just with some other artist singing. You may not be able to find all of them, but most of the ones I did find were much more upbeat and had some personality instead of being monotone and boring. My residents love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themusiclady 1 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Do you have good local entertainers? I know as a therapeutic musician I am biased, but you can't beat getting someone in regularly who's good to perform and engage the residents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunakitty 2 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 Do you have good local entertainers? I know as a therapeutic musician I am biased, but you can't beat getting someone in regularly who's good to perform and engage the residents! Yes, I actually do have a very talented guitarist/singer who plays every other Wednesday. He used to play every Wednesday but budget cuts forced me to reduce his performances (he's $100 a time.) My residents wanted something else musical in place, and since I can't play any other instruments but I can sing, I chose karaoke. They actually really like it and I've convinced girls that sing for fun at my dad's karaoke bar to come in and sing too. They like it because they get way more turns than at the bar and the guys telling them they are pretty are way less sleazy. We do a finishing number where we sing Don't Get Around Much Anymore and then New York, New York, while kicking like Rockettes. It brings down the house! This has become one of my favorite activities! Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! I'll be getting those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccrady 0 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 I have recent recieved the Sentimental Sing-Along Collection by Sentimental Productions (www.sentimental.cc). It is wonderful and it came with a lyric disk so I could print out lyric to hand out to residents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjlady 0 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 To add to this, does anyone know where to get some good sing-a-long cd's? I have elderson, but they are slow and a little boring. I'm looking for something a little peppy. Thanks I use Sentimental Reflections sing alongs. They are CD's with great backgrounds and themes also have the words along the bottom of the screen to folllow along with. My residents love activities using these CD's. Just go to Sentimentalonline.com or call 1-800-762-0338. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kflynn9179 0 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Here are a few websites with some classics from the 20s. Hope this helps. http://www.geocities.com/paris/cafe/8636/songs.html This is a HUGE list! http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Classi...the-20s/3865461 http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/pr...aspx?pid=838654 Singin' In the Rain (thought that was newer, but they might know it) Hope that helps! -Amy I have a sweet man with Parkinson's who sang Zip-ba-dee-do dah to me as I bathed him!! I was the sweetest! They love that song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpage 0 Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 I have a sweet man with Parkinson's who sang Zip-ba-dee-do dah to me as I bathed him!! I was the sweetest! They love that song. See if you can get the sound track from the Music Man. You might be able to get it through Amazon. Those are some great songs and they will know them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derussell 0 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 One of the residents in my Alzheimer's Unit is speaking more and more Spanish lately. Although she enjoys watching polka bands and other musical groups on DVD, I'd really like to find her a quality Spanish sing-a-long or... Do they make Spanish Polka DVDs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennb54 0 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 (edited) Bennie in Texas! I'm a firm believer in using music and singing in Memory Care. It changes any bad scene; especially if you know their favorite. When they are becoming agitated, or having emotional moments…music can change the atmosphere and since that's my love I keep songs ready. At any moment I will break out with a favorite to change the atmosphere! They join in and I love how it transforms them from lonely, bored, sad, or just confused. I use all you mentioned in my Memory Care and have a wonderful musician from Assisted Living who comes every Thursday at 3:30pm and plays all their favorites. It's great to utilize other residents that have the gift of music, who grew up in that era, and can add more to the entertainment. The musician reflects back on some of the songs: such as what was going on during the time that music arrived. This is therapy for all and there is no charge. Most of my residents always enjoy the hymns (Amazing Grace, Blessed Assurance, What A Friend, I Come to the Garden Alone, How Great Thou Art, He's Got the Whole World, This Little Light Of Mine, Give Me That Old Time Religion, When the saints go marching In......All the patriotic songs they remember: America, Star Spangled Banner, My Country Tis of Thee, Battle Hymn of Republic, etc I also have band cds such as Benny Goodman, etc., they love hearing those and then some days it's just Country Western where they get up and dance. You should see them move in those wheel chairs. Some forget they are bound and get up and dance with caregivers! I like getting them engaged with songs that require movement: If you happy and you know it clap your hands...they love this one! I also taught them a song with rhythm using clapping titled "You are a Mighty God." It amazes the staff to see them engaged in this song because of their memory loss. However, they remember it every time I bring it out. We clapp four times at different times, and they get their hands ready when we do this song....they wave during other portions of the song. It's an awesome song for seniors and am so happy when we sing it and they become engaged. Even a man that is usually slow about engaging joins in on these type songs. Email me if you'd like it. Bennie in Texas! Edited November 10, 2009 by jennb54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevon 0 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Here's just a few songs that my residents enjoy: Amazing Grace You are my sunshine Bicycle built for two Has anybody seen my gal America Yankee Doodle She'll be comin'round the mountain Give my reguards to broadway How much is that doggie in the window To the person who posted above me, I used the eldersong for awhile and agree with you. What I did was download the same songs from the book, just with some other artist singing. You may not be able to find all of them, but most of the ones I did find were much more upbeat and had some personality instead of being monotone and boring. My residents love it! Attn Directors of musical activities: Kevon Re'mon'te performs a Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra Tribute Show. He captures the vocal qualities of two of the greatest crooners the world has known. The music for his performance has been digitally mastered and sounds identical to the original recordings.This technology allows him flexibility in price without compromising the integrity of the music. Seniors love him and music buffs marvel at his amazing voice. One listen and you'll know why Kevon has such a large Internet following and fans all over the worldhttp://www.GigSalad.com/kevon_remonte_palm_coast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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