General Chat

Looking around Residential Care Homes recently, we were surprised that the management were still playing Vera Lynn's 'White Cliffs of Dover' & similar WW2 songs.

Bearing in mind that the majority of residents were in their 80's (teenagers in the 1950's) rather than 90's, what 'calming' songs or artists would you suggest were used?

Perry Como, Jim Reeves, Dean Martin, Connie Francis, Nat King Cole all in the charts in the 50s so songs would be familiar perhaps? Neil Sedaka a bit later.

Country music emerging about then, my mum found Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams" soothing and country songs of that type really.

Daft, isn't it? They're stuck in a time warp! Give it 20 years & they'd have to be thinking about The Beatles or the Rolling Stones :-D

We thought may be Frank Sinatra.

Meat Loaf? I bet they would love it.

There is a lot of stereotyping about the tastes of the elderly.

The Platters were good, "Heavenly shades of night are falling, it's twilight time" ...now I'm going to be humming that all day lol :-)

It wasn't as bad as that.

Jerry Lee Lewis Buddy Holly The Inkspots Paul Anka Billy Fury Billie Holliday Nina Simone Ray Charles Chuck Berry Bo Diddly Gene Vincent
... the last thing that 50s teenagers wanted to hear was Vera Lynn"Forces Sweetheart".

National Conscription was extremely unpopular.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E-ga4mb9TU

Neil Sedaka, often overlooked but some memorable songs :-)

They don't want to be in a Timewarp.
Some modern music may get them up and dancing.

Sue, the music is supposed to induce calm. Too fast or catchy background music is not a good idea for the Elderly Mentally Infirm! :-D

Music of the time can trigger all the memories of it, which may help those with alzheimers.

I know myself when I hear a piece of music that 'takes me back' it can be very calming for a distracted mind. Even "Whiter shade of pale" which I've never particularly liked takes me to a little ice cream cafe where it was played constantly when I was 9/10, warm summer days and fresh sea air :-)

I don't mind 'We'll meet again' and love dancing to 'In the Mood' cos I can remember them, but on the whole, I am with Rollo here.

Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, a little Beatles, The Shirelles, Chris Montez's 'Let's Dance', Del Shannon's 'Runaway', Eddie Cochran, Status Quo, various pieces of jazz - fab.

More recently, I also like 'Shippin' up to Boston' but that could lift some people from their seats.

If you want slow, The Tremeloes are a little more sedate, same with 'House of the Rising Sun' and 'When a man loves a woman'.

One of my better-loved ones that I've already picked for my funeral is Mary Hopkins/Roy Budd 'For all my days' but I can't see a nursing home playing it to calm its residents.

Remember the hand jive? We include a bit of that in our jazz and swing dance classes, but it's also suitable for sedentary persons.

If the dont have any
Diana Ross David Cassidy Phil Collins Tina Turner Cher Donny Osmond or T Rex

I am simply not going :-D :-D

If I am ever in a home and they play jazz I am walking >>>> !!

Juke Box Jury - you can't please all of the people all of the time. ;-) :-D

6-5 Special, Rollo. :-D

Forgot The Three Degrees and Rick Nelson's 'Hello Mary Lou.'. :-D

Another fab one - Johnny Burnette 'You're sixteen, you're beautiful and you're mine.'

Come to think, it'd probably be quicker for me to list what I don't like. :-D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94W4WeE0cUg

"My grandpa, he's ninety five
And he keeps on dancin'
He's still alive
My grandma, she's ninety two
She loves to dance
And sing some, too
I don't know
But I've been told
If you keep on dancing
You'll never grow old
Come on darling
Put a pretty dress on
We're gonna go out tonight
Dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance
All night long
I'm a hard working man
I'm a son of a gun
I've been working all week in the noon day sun
The wood's in the kitchen
And the cow's in the barn
I'm all cleaned up and my chores are all done
Take my hand, come along
Let's go out and have some fun
Come on darling put a pretty dress on
We're gonna go out tonight
Dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance, dance
All night long
Pick on
Dance, dance, dance
Dance, dance,…
(Steve Miller Band)

In Ireland, the 'oldies' tend to go for Daniel O'Donnell, a chap from Donegal with a fine voice.

If they play music of 'the time' i.e. when one was a youth, I'm going to get landed with punk and Showaddywaddy.

All together now -

'I am the Antichrist...'

I am going in with Killer Queen :-D :-D :-D. Or I might change it to Fire by Arthur Brown that would stir the place up :-D :-D :-D

I'd be happy with the 70s :-)

"Where, or When!"
as a budding guitarist in 1960 i was introduced to this song....

sadly my Petals are no more but the affection remains

I believe that this is alluding to De ja Vu'


It seems we stood and talked like this before
We looked at each other in the same way then
But I can't remember where or when
The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore
The smile you are smiling you were smiling then
But I can't remember where or when
Some things that happen for the first time
Seem to be happening again
And so it seems that we have met before
And laughed before and loved before
But who knows where or when?

When you're awake, the things you think
Come from the dreams you dream
Thought has wings
And lots of things
Are seldom what they seem
Sometimes you think you've lived before
All that you live today
Things you do
Come back to you
As though they knew the way
Oh, the tricks your mind can play!


It seems we stood and talked like this before
We looked at each other in the same way then
But I can't remember where or when
The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore
The smile you are smiling you were smiling then
But I can't remember where or when
Some things that happen for the first time
Seem to be happening again
And so it seems that we have met before
And laughed before and loved before
But who knows where or when?

And so it seems that we have met before
And laughed before, and loved before
But who knows where or when?