Songs to sing at a Nursing Home- Page 2

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 8:47am

Mack the Knife

Standard, showtune, great song.
Trifecta!

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 9:27am

"Pore Jud is Daid"

[supportivemom]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 9:34am

Totally agree with PalJoey. My daughter has been singing at nursing/sheltered care homes for about a year now. They love the old standards- like the Andrews Sisters and other artists from the 40's and 50's. Granted, we live in the south, but whenever her voice teacher goes into Elvis songs- the place comes alive! It's a great thing you're doing!

Posted: 7/30/08 at 11:39am

Change some words from I'm Still Here to You're Still Here.

[Ceej]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 12:08pm

Gotta agree with the poster who said "good job" for doing this. I'm sure the concert will be a thrill for those people.

That being said, I can't believe nobody has suggested "Goodbye, Old Girl" yet. Or "If You Wanna Die In Bed."

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 4:15pm

Thank you to everyone, especially jewelchk, allofmylife, and Paljoey, who were extremely helpful.
Do you think "Was I Wazir?" from Kismet is too obscure?
Scaryclowns, "Mack the Knife" is a great idea!
I will definitely keep the between-songs banter for a minimum, since I only have about an hour and want to get as many songs in as possible.
THANK YOU AGAIN!!!!

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 4:29pm

Oh, and for the patriotic selection, would "God Bless America" be appropriate.
To those who suggested non-showtunes, I don't know much other than showtunes and classical, and I don't have time to learn anything new. However, some of my karaoke arrangements have been done by Sinatra, Darin, and other non-legit singers.

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 4:36pm

I Am Not Dead Yet from Spamalot

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 10:59am

Don't sing "Was I Wazir"--it might show off your voice but you'll lose them.

If you have to sing anything from Kismet, sing "Baubles, Bangles and Beads"--it was also a pop hit.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 1:48pm

I'd skip "Every Day A Little Death".

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 5:21pm

Thanks, again! Here's the list of songs I'm definitely doing:
Some Enchanted Evening
I Get a Kick Out of You
I’ve Got Rhythm
Night and Day
If I Were a Rich Man
Lullaby of Broadway
My Favorite Things
My Funny Valentine
There’s No Business Like Show Business
Edelweiss
Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’
Put On a Happy Face
Impossible Dream
Try to Remember
Don't Rain on my Parade
Something's Coming

I have room for about 5 more, or even more if you don't think I should do one of the ones listed above.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 5:25pm

"A Little Priest."

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 5:27pm

If it's a Jewish nursing home, you could go around the room when you sing If I Were a Rich Man and put the mike in front of different people's faces on the deedle-daidle-dum sections. They'll all know it.

[singingbackup]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 5:59pm

It might be a bit ballad heavy:

"NIght and Day" is a snooze, put in ANYTHING GOES, a real toe tapper
Maybe do DO RE ME: get the crowd to help sing along ("who here is named Ray?", etc..)

"Luck Be A Lady" can be a medley with Rich Man

Non Broadway but peppy and American: This Land Is Your Land

"Get Happy" or the original uptempo of "Happy Days Are Here Again"

"Over The Rainbow" is nice too, ballad yes but who doesn't know the words to that.

"Yankee Doodle Dandy" works well as both patriotic and broadway!

[Patash]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 9:12pm

Yes, God Bless America is appropriate. You're a Grand Old Flag and I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy will "bring down the house". In fact a George M. Cohan medley would thrill them.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 8/1/08 at 1:41pm

PJ, yes, it is a Jewish nursing home, and that's actually what I was planning on doing.
I can't do any medleys unless there's one readily available on Itunes.
I'll probably add Luck Be a Lady.
Night and Day is probably the song I sing best, so I really don't want to give it up.
I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy is a great idea!
Thanks again, and sorry for this post's format!

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 3:56pm

Here is the first draft of the concert's rundown. The indented sentences are the VERY brief patter between the songs. The whole thing should take just under an hour. Please tell me what you think!!!!

God Bless America
There’s No Business Like Show Business
Introduce self and concert
Something’s Coming
Lullaby of Broadway
Actual lullaby
Edelweiss
That song was from SOM. Another song…
My Favorite Things
By R&H. Biggest stage hit was SP
Some Enchanted Evening
Great audience!
I Get a Kick Out of You
I’ll let you participate!
If I Were a Rich Man
How dare you steal my thunder!
Don’t Rain on My Parade
It’s a tough business, I might never have a parade!
Impossible Dream
But, it’s okay!
I Got Rhythm
Actually, I don’t got a gal, but my love is my music
Night and Day
Speaking of night and day…
Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’
While O! was the first book musical, G&D is among the best of its form
Guys and Dolls
A few years later, MFL was given the same accolade (5s)
On the Street Where You Live
Get Me to the Church
But before you go to the Church (or Shul), you have to dress up
Puttin’ On the Ritz
Steppin’ Out With My Baby
Marriage isn’t always perfect, but love lasts forever
My Funny Valentine
I have to go, but don’t despair!
Put On a Happy Face
I hope this concert brought back great memories!
Try to Remember
Bye!

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 4:45pm

Does anyone have any input?

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 8/22/08 at 10:30am

I performed the concert on the 14th and it was a great success! Thanks so much, everyone!

[Corodon]

Posted: 3/24/18 at 11:14pm

Great thread, but ten years old now. I play at assisted living residences and "memory care" units regularly. PalJoey here has great advice, and your list looks good.

If they're 80 now, they were 20 in 1958. Elvis, Doris Day (Que Sera, A Bushel and a Peck) and young Rock and Roll, including things like Love Potion No. 9 (1959).  

Sing-alongs like Side By Side, You Are My Sunshine, What a Wonderful World

Broadway standards are still the best. Try some from Annie Get Your Gun, including the saucy Doing What Comes naturally.

Blue Skies, O What a Beautiful morning, Bye Bye Blues, Bye Bye Blackbird, Zippedy Doo Dah...

I like to close with Happy Trails (Dale Evans). 

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 3/25/18 at 11:11pm

Wow, I can't believe this was almost a decade ago already! No idea how you found this thread lol, but yes, the older songs went over the best.

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 3/26/18 at 12:16am

This will probably incite some groans, but...

"Hold Me in Your Heart" from Kinky Boots is good choice 

(Yes, I know this is a decade old lol)

Updated On: 3/26/18 at 12:16 AM

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 3/26/18 at 3:29am

Like PalJoey said, peppy and familiar. You want them involved. Also think of songs they may have sung along to. (Let Me Call You Sweetheart, nonsense songs like "Mairzy Doats" or "Bushel and a Peck" Also songs like "Mame" which they can ALL sing "Mame" to when pointed, without remembering all the lyrics.

[nealb1]

Posted: 3/26/18 at 3:11pm

Anything you can do, I can do better

[Demitri2]

Posted: 3/26/18 at 3:23pm

"Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" is a timeless piece.