Before
Christmas I was playing with my guitar - trying to learn the chords to the song
“Beloved Wife” as sung by Natalie Merchant.
Maybe because my wife and I have been married for over 40 years this
song really gets me. I love it. And I
started thinking of other songs about aging that I’ve grown to love as
well. I decided to make a list.
As I worked on my list I
realized that there must be a lot of great songs out there – related to aging –
that I’ve never even heard. So, I sent out an email that asked participants in
the National Academy of Elder LawAttorneys' member’s listserv to suggest additional songs. The response was
overwhelming - from Country and Bluegrass, Folk and Blues, Rock and Broadway, the suggestions flooded in. While I was already aware of
many of the songs, there were quite a few that were new to me. Some of them
made me laugh, others tore me up completely.
I had a
wonderful Christmas holiday sorting through and listening to the suggested songs. And I promised to compile a list of some of
the ones that most appealed to me (with emphasis on songs that are easily
available via hyperlink).
So, here is Jeff
Marshall’s List of Great Songs about Aging – with help from my friends - in alphabetical order with hyperlinks. Thanks to
everyone who contributed. I hope you enjoy them. And if you decide to come up
with your own list, perhaps you will share a song or two by adding a comment below.
100 Years – Five for Fighting
All My Rowdy Friends
Have Settled Down - Hank
Williams, Jr.
Beloved Wife - Natalie Merchant
Borrowed Time – John Lennon
Cat’s in the Cradle – Harry Chapin
Don’t Let Us Get
Sick – Warren Zevon
End of the Line – Traveling Wilburys
Father and Son – Cat Stevens
Forever Young – Alphaville
Gentle Annie – (Stephen Foster) - Jay Unger
Glory Days – Bruce Spingsteen
Good Riddance (Time
of your Life) - Green Day
Grandma’s Hands – Bill Withers
Grow Old Along With
Me - Mary Chapin Carpenter
Hands of Time - Ron Sexsmith
Hazy Shade of Winter – Simon and Garfunkel
He Went To Paris - Jimmy Buffett
Hello in There – John Prine
In Color - Jamey Johnson
It was a Very Good
Year - Frank Sinatra
Just Breathe - Pearl Jam
Living Years - Mike & the Mechanics
My Way – Frank Sinatra
No Time at All – from Pippin
Not Dark Yet – Bob Dylan
Ol' Man River - Paul Robeson
Old Friends – Simon and Garfunkel
Old Man – Neil Young
Our Town – James Taylor
Remember When – Alan Jackson
Rockin` Chair - Hoagy Carmichael
September Song – Willie Nelson
Shouldn’t I be less
in Love with you - from “I Love
You, You're Perfect, Now Change”
Silver Threads Among
the Gold – John McCormack
Skin – Chris Trapper
Still Crazy After
All These Years – Paul Simon
Stop This Train – John Mayer
Summer of 69 – Bryan Adams
Teach Your Children - Crosby, Stills & Nash
That Lonesome Road – James Taylor
The Circle Game – Joni Mitchell
The Dutchman - Steve Goodman
The Way - Fastball
The Way We Were – Barbara Streisand
Through the Years – Kenny Rogers
Time - Pink Floyd
Time Passages – Al Stewart
Too Old To Cut the
Mustard Anymore – Rosemary
Clooney with Marlene Dietrich
Turn, Turn, Turn – The Byrds
Waitin' On A Woman – Brad Paisley
When I Get My Wings - Will Hoge
When I Go – Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer
When I'm Gone - Phil Ochs
When I’m 64 – The Beatles
Where’ve You Been - Kathy Mattea
You’re Aging Well – Dar Williams