Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Our celtic band, 'The Brave Bodhrani" featuring several female members on bodhran (notice I didn't say male members) has been invited to play at several seniors homes hereabouts.. My question is what songs should we play? Advice please.

# Posted on February 10th 2011 by skin&bow

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Haven't those poor old souls suffered enough?

# Posted on February 10th 2011 by fidkid

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Best If you Irish Stick to old Standards
they might sing along to -

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
If Your Irish
Danny Boy
Paddy Reilly
Irish Rover
Wild Rover
Noreen Bawn

Funny enough if you are playing to the old folks, and even a few Traditional tunes with song's they know. You'll get far more appreciation, than any session or stage preformance,and what's more, they mean it !
jim,,,

# Posted on February 10th 2011 by FIDDLE4

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Anything by John McCormack should be a hit. It's what most of them are most familiar with and recognize as "Irish." Instrumental dance music is just noise to 99.9% of them.

# Posted on February 10th 2011 by Seosamh Ui Sinan

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

and Fields of Athenry will bring a tear to their eyes.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by Bredna

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

"The Longer You Live the Sooner You Bloody Well Die"

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by ceolachan

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Actually, things that hark to older times or have geographic ties would do nicely, and for some chuckles, like

"The Mountains of Mourne"
http://ingeb.org/songs/ohmaryth.html

There are some great comic songs in the tradition...

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by ceolachan

The other great thing about the comic tradition is that they often have choruses that people can join in with.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by ceolachan

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Go back as far as Second World War standards - some Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Marlene Dietrich.

Recite a bit of Stanley Holloway's narratives.

Some waltzes, especially those with lyrics. A few polkas and marches.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by oldstrings

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Assuming this is not a windup, despite the fact that all evidence seems to point that way, which side of the Atlantic are you on, skin&bow? It makes a difference in what the old folks were listening to in their younger days.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by AlBrown

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Lots of dance tunes & lascivious song lyrics.
Leo McGuire's Song
May 18th 2006 by Rudall the time
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/10058/comments#comment209560

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by Ben Steen

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

I've actually done this. We just played what we knew best, standard Jigs, Polkas, Reels and Hornpipes. They loved it. Contrary to popular belief, old people don't have to have heard something 50 years ago to like it. That way you don't have to put up with learning or playing boring, dirge like popular tunes from the 1940's.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by fabphil39

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

& the women, tending to live longer, outnumber the men; & love to dance. Not cry.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by Ben Steen

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Any song you like, just remember to bring spoons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TS9ugnarQQ

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by Toppish

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

You don't need spoons. They will probably offer a meal certificate, but I would be surprised if the cafeteria expects you to provide your own utensils.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by Ben Steen

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Musical spoons, of course.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by Toppish

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

I played in one of the homes one time as a favour to my wife.
On way over I was thinking "oh God, it'll be awful - they'll hate it".

But it went OK.

The best part was people in their wheelchairs tapped their feet.
FIDDLE4 is right as usual -- they were desperate to hear "Danny Boy" / Londonderry Air -- English music

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by Hup

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

I played a set of jigs, reels and hornpipes for a seniors home full of Irish nuns in Australia. They loved it, a pair of them asked for Mrs McLeods and then got up in the aisle and danced it, they are both over 90!

Here is me doing An Phis Fhliuch in the nursing home :

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-1VMrZpeCo[/url]

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by Moondyne Fiddler

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Sorry :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-1VMrZpeCo

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by Moondyne Fiddler

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

It's a question of what you want to play down deep. People, regardless of age will respond to heart and soul. Personally I have no knowledge or connection to sentimenatl, popular, or the pub-Irish songs. Don't assume.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by horatio spens the blademan

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

As the self-proclaimed Executive Director [PhD,CFRE] of the Ballybeginishgweedortuam Bicycle, Bodhran, Steam & Folk Life Museum & Seniors Home you should know how to take care of the people and bicycles in your care. I expect you will live long enough to discover that aging is mainly a corporeal phenomenon, and brings wisdom more than senility. Though their bicycles may have begun to wobble, their minds will still be dancing.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by gam

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Do whatever you normally do, along with one or two "crowd-pleasers" of the type suggested.
If they sing along, be sure to invite members of the audience to do their own party pieces. You'll usually find a gem or two, and even if there are a few less than stunning singers there too, they'll all enjoy it.

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by RockyRoader

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Moondyne Fiddler..
That was well done there and on you own too,,, Mighty !
To those folk's there, that's like a Jimmy Page guitar recital : )
An Phis Fhliuch - BTW. I hope you did not tell those Nun Lassie's
there, any other silly names for this tune - lol...
jim,,,

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by FIDDLE4

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

At an old folks' home in Baddeck we sang "The Rolling Hills of The Borders". Erm, ..... First line of chorus:
"When I die, bury me low....."

# Posted on February 11th 2011 by DonaldK

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Wheelchair square sets go down well, no shortage of dance tunes. But back to song - another - one with a nonsense chorus to chortle -

"The Family Ointment"

# Posted on February 12th 2011 by ceolachan

& yes, we too used to do this, with the square sets too...

# Posted on February 12th 2011 by ceolachan

Re: Irish Music in our local Seniors Home...what songs?

Return of Whiskey

# Posted on February 12th 2011 by zippydw