Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

The Songs About Getting Older

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
July 22, 2017
416 replies
148261 views

""Hope I die before I get old," sang 21-year-old Roger Daltrey in 1965—and 43 years later, he's still singing it. Rock 'n' roll has always been invested in a Byronic cult of blazing youth and beautiful corpses. But as tyros have turned into reunion-tour warhorses, rockers have had to come to terms with the ironies—and the indignities and the glories—of old age."

What are the songs that talk about getting older, looking back, etc?

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Deboo

Contributor ⭐⭐

My absolutely favorite: Beautiful in My Eyes by Joshua Kadison:

You're my peace of mind,
in this crazy world.
Your're everything I've tried to find,
your love is a pearl.

You're my Mona Lisa, you're my rainbow skies,
and my only prayer, is that you realize,
you'll always be beautiful, in my eyes.

The world will turn,
and the seasons will change.
And all the lessons we will learn,
will be beautiful and strange.

We'll have our fill of tears, our share of sighs.
My only prayer, is that you realize.
You'll always be beautiful, in my eyes.

You will always be, beautiful in my eyes.
And the passing years will show,
that you will always grow,
evermore beautiful, in my eyes.

And there are lines upon my face,
from a lifetime of smiles.
But when the time comes to embrace.
for one long last while.

We can laugh about it, how time really flies.
We won't say goodbye, 'cause true-love never dies.
You'll always be beautiful, in my eyes.

You will always be, beautiful in my eyes.
And the passing years will show,
that you will always grow,
evermore beautiful, in my eyes.

The passing years will show,
that you will always grow,
evermore beautiful, in my eyes.

If anyone would like to listen to this outstanding song, here's a link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WMNf7AOnd8

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RonandDeb

Contributor ⭐

Thank you so much for sharing the YouTube link. I'd never heard this song before. It truly is beautiful!

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Deboo

Contributor ⭐⭐

You are very welcome. : )

D

Deboo

Contributor ⭐⭐

One more - Through The Years by Kenny Rogers:

I can't remember when you weren't there
When I didn't care for anyone but you
I swear we've been through everything there is
Can't imagine anything we've missed
Can't imagine anything the two of us can't do

Through the years
You've never let me down
You turned my life around
The sweetest days I've found
I've found with you
Through the years
I've never been afraid
I've loved the life we've made
And I'm so glad I've stayed
Right here with you
Through the years

I can't remember what I used to do
Who I trusted whom, I listened to before
I swear you've taught me everything I know
Can't imagine needing someone so
But through the years it seems to me
I need you more and more

PrairieGal2

Contributor ⭐

For decades, my favorite is "Hello In There," by John Prine. He's still gettin' around and singin' it!

"Hello In There"

We had an apartment in the city,
Me and Loretta liked living there.
Well, it'd been years since the kids had grown,
A life of their own left us alone.
John and Linda live in Omaha,
And Joe is somewhere on the road.
We lost Davy in the Korean war,
And I still don't know what for, don't matter anymore.

[Chorus:]
Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger,
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day.
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello."

Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more,
She sits and stares through the back door screen.
And all the news just repeats itself
Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen.
Someday I'll go and call up Rudy,
We worked together at the factory.
But what could I say if asks "What's new?"
"Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do."

[Chorus]

So if you're walking down the street sometime
And spot some hollow ancient eyes,
Please don't just pass 'em by and stare
As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello."

T

tsrcramer

Contributor ⭐⭐

"Forever Young" - the Rod Stewart version. As you grow may you always stay young in mind an spirit.

May the good Lord be with you down every road you roam.
And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you're far from home.
And my you grow to be proud, dignified and true.
And do unto others as you'd have done to you.
Be courageous and be brave.
And in my heart you'll always stay

Forever young. (Forever young)
Forever young. (Forever young)
Forever young. Forever young

May good fortune be with you, may your guiding light be strong,
Build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond.
And may you never love in vain.
And in my heart you will remain

Forever young. (Forever young)
Forever young. (Forever young)
Forever young. Forever young

And when you fin'lly fly away, I'll be hoping that I served you well.
For all the wisdom of a lifetime, no one can ever tell.
But whatever road you choose, I'm right behind you win or lose,

Forever young. (Forever young)
Forever young. (Forever young)
Forever young. Forever young
For forever young

Songwriters: CREGAN, JIM / DYLAN, BOB / HARLEY, STEVE / SAVIGAR, KEVIN

S

SharonC291906

Contributor ⭐⭐

When I was Seventeen (Sinatra)

The Best is Yet to Come (Sinatra)

Too Old to Cut the Mustard (Clooney & Dietrich)

Let's Hang on to What We Got (Frankie Valle & The Four Seasons)

Try to Remember (Nana Mouskouri)

Sunrise Sunset (Theme song for Fiddler on the Roof)

M

Morrene

Contributor ⭐

Simon and Garfunkel: Old Friends from the Bookends album

Old friends
Old friends
Sat on their park bench
Like bookends
A newspaper blown through the grass
Falls on the round toes
On the high shoes
Of the old friends

Old friends
Winter companions
The old men
Lost in their overcoats
Waiting for the sunset
The sounds of the city
Sifting through trees
Settle like dust
On the shoulders
Of the old friends

Can you imagine us
Years from today
Sharing a park bench quietly?
How terribly strange
To be seventy

Old friends
Memory brushes the same years
Silently sharing the same fear

Time it was
And what a time it was
It was . . .
A time of innocence
A time of confidences

Long ago . . . it must be . . .

And from Bob Seger's Against the Wind:

Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then
I have a photograph
Preserve your memories
They're all that's left you

S

smetro

Contributor ⭐⭐

As much as I LOVE Simon and Garfinkel, had forgotten "Old Friends!" THANKS! - for a beautiful memory, which now, sadly, is closer to my own life than when I first heard the song...

J

JWB193

Contributor ⭐⭐

There's An Old Man In Our Town. Kenny Rogers

TwentyYears Ago. Kenny Rogers

Fast. Luke Bryan

Watered Down. Trace Adkins

I Wish I Was 18 Again. George Burns

Last Time For Everything. Brad Paisley

Yesterday, When I Was Young. Roy Clark

DeanaGold

Contributor ⭐

I love Young At Heart, sung by Jimmy Durante!

Also loved Seems Like Old Times when Diane Keaton sang it in Annie Hall

Deana Gold

UpperHandsPiano

Contributor ⭐⭐

Beatle's When I'm 64 is the classic!

Carol King's Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

I loved Sinatra's version of Young At Heart 🙂

G

guyintower

Contributor ⭐

This is a hard one to answer. # 1 to me is Father and Son by Cat Stewens, but a good #2 is My Old Friend by Eric Claption. Enjoy the ride to older times everyone and keep on rocking.

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