Sing Along in 2065

After working in a Nursing Home for over four years and leading countless sing alongs, I can't help but wonder what songs we'll be singing when we're 80 years old. There obviously wasn't as much music for them to explore back in the day, but it still amazes me that almost all residents (including those with dementia) can recite the lyrics to 40-50 songs from their generation. It is scary to think what songs will be included in our sing along books. Will Sir Mix-a-Lot make an appearance with "Baby Got Back?" Ace of Base with "I Saw the Sign"? Chumbawamba's "Tub-thumping"? Or perhaps if we're a bit luckier,... "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey? John Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane"? "Free Falling" by Tom Petty?

I suppose that it's very unlikely that we'll even have sing alongs on our Nursing Home activity calendars. We will all be wheeling around the hallways with our headphones in our ears, jamming out to whatever genre of music we like best. Or showing off whatever advanced music media player is the "it thing" in 60 years. I'll probably still have my discman at the rate I'm going. But in all seriousness, I will miss singing "The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi", "My Wild Irish Rose", and "Love's Old Sweet Song" with my elderly folks. The most violent song I've sung with them is called "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning". I'm serious. Now, it does involve murdering the bugler... but the singer delivers this message in a playful sing-song voice. All in fun.

On another note, check out Young@Heart. Coolest singing group EVER. I hope they'll have me when I reach 70. Besides their versions of "I Wanna Be Sedated" and "Stayin' Alive" (hi-lar-ious), this man's performance of "Fix You" is my favorite, made me shed a few tears. Fast forward a bit to get to the song, but if you have the time, the intro is sweet. He performed while on oxygen, what a rockstar. And a few weeks before he passed away, he made the comment, " "Although I wish there was more pleasant news about my condition … Oh well, I don't expect to get out of this world alive." Now that guy has a good story.