Some Songs Of Our Lives
Musical tributes to aging and elders abound, including many remarkably sensitive songs by young artists — John Prine was 26 when he wrote “Hello in There” about the loneliness of old age, and Paul Simon was 27 when his “Old Friends” with Art Garfunkel, about friends on a park bench, came out on “Bookends” in 1968.
Then there’s the Rolling Stones’ “Mother’s Little Helper” (“What a drag it is getting old/‘Kids are different today,’/I hear every mother say,” 1966) and John Lennon’s “Grow Old with Me” (“The best is yet to be”) in 1980.
Senior News readers chimed in with a raft of favorite songs about getting old. Here is the expanded version, with links to video performances and key lyrics. Bet you can’t help humming.
• “Those Were the Days,” Mary Hopkin, 1968.
Those were the days, my friend
We thought they’d never end
We’d sing and dance forever and a day
• “Turn Turn Turn,” Pete Seeger (from Ecclesiastes), 1959.
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
• “When I’m Sixty-Four,” The Beatles, 1964.
When I get older losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a Valentine
• “Forever Young,” Bob Dylan, 1974.
May you build a ladder to the stars
Climb on every rung
And may you stay
Forever young
• “Who Knows Where the Time Goes?” Sandy Denny, 1969.
Your fickle friends are leaving
Ah, but then you know it’s time for them to go
• “September Song,” Frank Sinatra, Lou Reed, Ella Fitzgerald, by Kurt Weill, 1938.
But it’s a long, long while from May to December
And the days grow short when you reach September
• “Old Man,” Neil Young, 1972.
Old man, look at my life
I’m a lot like you were
• “The Circle Game,” Joni Mitchell, 1966.
We can’t return, we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go ‘round and ’round and ’round
In the circle game
• “Stop this Train,” John Mayer, 2006.
Stop this train
I wanna get off
And go home again
• “When Day Is Done,” Robert Katscher, English lyrics by Buddy DeSylva, Harry Pollock 1926.
When day is done and shadows fall I dream of you.
When day is done I think of all the joys we knew
• “Young at Heart,” Frank Sinatra, by Johnny Richards and Carolyn Leigh, 1953.
If you should survive to 105
Look at all you’ll derive out of being alive . . .
If you are young at heart
• “Today,” Randy Sparks/The New Christy Minstrels, 1974.
Today while the blossom still clings to the vine
I’ll taste your strawberries, I’ll drink your sweet wine
• “Landslide,” Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, 1975
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m getting older too
• “Both Sides Now,” Joni Mitchell, 1966.
But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
Well, something′s lost, but something’s gained
In living every day
• “The Old Gray Mare,” traditional folk, 1843.
The old gray mare, she ain’t what she used to be
Many long years ago.
• “Old Folks at Home” (“Swanee River”), Stephen Foster, 1851.
O dear ones, how my heart grows weary,
Far from the old folks at home.
• “Don’t Let the Old Man In,” Toby Keith, 2018.
Don’t let the old man in
I wanna leave this alone
Can’t leave it up to him
He’s knocking on my door
• “Cats in the Cradle,” Harry Chapin, 1974.
When you comin’ home, son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then, Dad
• “Heart of My Heart,” The Four Aces, 1920.
Heart of my heart, meant friends were dearer then
Too bad we had to part
• “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” The Carter Family, 1928.
Oh, can the circle be unbroken?
By and by, Lord, by and by
There’s a better home awaiting
In the sky, Lord, in the sky
• “Sunrise Sunset,” Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, “Fiddler on the Roof,” 1964.
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
• “Father and Son,” Cat Stevens, 1970.
It’s not time to make a change
Just sit down, take it slowly
• “Knocking on Heaven’s Door,” Bob Dylan, 1973
It’s gettin′ dark, too dark to see
Feel I’m knockin’ on Heaven′s door
• “Memory Lane,” Buddy DeSylva, music by Larry Spier and Con Conrad, 1924.
Though my dreams are in vain
My love will remain.
Strolling again memory lane with you…
• “Try to Remember,” Tom Jones (“The Fantasticks”), 1960.
Deep in December, it’s nice to remember
The fire of September that made us mellow
• “Get Up and Go,” Pete Seeger (The Weavers), 1964.
How do I know my youth is all spent?
My get up and go has got up and went
• “Getting Older,” Billie Eilish, 2021.
I’m gettin’ older, I think I’m agin’ well
I wish someone had told me I’d be doin’ this by myself
• “Grampa,” The Judds, 1986.
Grandpa, tell me ’bout the good ol’ days
Sometimes it feels like
This world’s gone crazy
Grandpa, take me back to yesterday
When the line between right and wrong
Didn’t seem so hazy
• “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” Glen Campbell, 2014.
You’re the last face I will recall
And best of all, I’m not gonna miss you
• “Ooh La La,” The Faces, 1973.
I wish that I knew what I know now
When I was younger
• “Help the Aged,” Pulp, 1998.
Help the aged
One time they were just like you
Drinking, smoking cigs and sniffing glue
Help the aged
Don’t just put them in a home
Can’t have much fun when they’re all on their own
Give a hand, if you can
Try and help them to unwind
Give them hope and give them comfort
’Cause they’re running out of time
• “Still Crazy After All These Years,” Paul Simon, 1975.
Four in the morning
Crapped out, yawning
Longing my life away
I’ll never worry
Why should I?
It’s all gonna fade
• “Thinking Out Loud,” Ed Sheeran, 2014.
And darling I will be loving you ’til we’re 70
And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23
• “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” Bob Dylan, 1964.
Your old road is rapidly agin’
Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand
For the times, they are a-changin’
• “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” Elton John, 1974.
All my pictures seem to fade to black and white
I’m growin’ tired, and time stands still before me
Frozen here on the ladder of my life
• “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston (by Dolly Parton, 1974), 1992
I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you dreamed of
• “Old Time Rock & Roll,” Bob Seger/Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, 1979.
Still like that old time rock and roll
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock and roll
• “I Will Follow You into the Dark,” Death Cab for Cutie, 2005
Love of mine
Someday you will die
But I’ll be close behind
I’ll follow you into the dark
• “In My Life,” John Lennon & Paul McCartney/The Beatles, 1965.
Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more
• “My Way,” Frank Sinatra (by Paul Anka), 1969.
And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
• “Live Like You Were Dying,” Tim McGraw, 2004.
And he said someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin’
Like tomorrow was a gift and you’ve got eternity
To think about what to do with it
• “As Time Goes By,” Dooley Wilson in “Casablanca,” 1942 (by Herman Hupfeld, 1931).
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by
• “7 Years,” Lukas Graham, 2015.
Soon, I’ll be sixty years old, will I think the world is cold
Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me?
Thanks to songsters Jackie Hogan, Sydney Larson, Michele Francesconi, Mark Larson, Julie Fulkerson, Joan Rainwater-Gish, AI, Seabury Gould and others. There are more! See a longer list on HumboldtSeniorNews.org and contribute others by emailing tpease@humsenior.org.
