songs for female 80th b-day show

Post links to music sources and discuss music choices for shows
Active Member
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:01 am

songs for female 80th b-day show

Postby Brent » Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:11 am

i am creating a slideshow for a co-worker who's grandmother is turning 80 at the end of august...
i need some ideas on good songs for an 80 year old daughter/mother/grandmother/great grandmother...
thanks in advance.
brent

Robert Barnett

Re: songs for female 80th b-day show

Postby Robert Barnett » Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:16 pm

Ask you co-worker what her favorite songs are, favorite artists, favorite types of music is. If she hates Pop, Rap, etc. it doesn't matter what the song is she will hate it. But, if she love Elvis and Frank Sinatra and you use that she will love it. This is all about the Birthday girl and no one else.

Also, don't' make it a vintage looking thing or an over the hill thing. People think those are funny and appropriate but I doubt the person they are for really find "Hay your turning 80, you have one foot in the grave and nearly at the top of the hill" all that funny. Sure they may laugh to be polite but, deep inside it hurts.

Vintage shows are the same way most times. Few people I have ever met really want to be reminded that they are getting to the point that death is staring them in the eyes. But, don't go too modern either. I tend to look at the era from when most of the images provided were taken and center on that for my design and feel. So if I have 100 images, 20 for the 20s, 10 for the 30's and 50 from the 60's with a smattering of other decades I go with the 60's.

It is a shame but until the end of the 70's taking pictures of family and family events were big and then seemed to die down a lot and then in the late 90's on it picked back up. So don't be surprised if there isn't much during the 80's and early 90's. Sometimes it is interesting looking at photography trends.

Robert

Esteemed Member
User avatar
Posts: 416
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:13 am
Location: Northeast US

Re: songs for female 80th b-day show

Postby Mac » Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:11 pm

I'm kind of confused about your use of the term 'vintage' Robert as I don't see anything objectionable about it.

As it happens though, I made a show for my mother's 80th birthday last year, and while this was certainly longer than what you'll be making, here's a list of the songs I used. They were generally chosen go along with the time period and some of the later ones we listened to as a family.

Louis Armstrong - When You're Smiling. This was popular the year my mother was born. There were few pictures from the 20 and the 30s, so when the 40s came I did a quick fade this and went to . . .

Glenn Miller - American Patrol. This was a great song to use; very lively, picking up the pace after Armstrong's sleepy tune.

Dean Martin - Everybody Loves Somebody. Even though this song came later than the period covered in the show, I came to the point where my father came on the scene so I chose this.

Frank Sinatra - Under My Skin. The 50s.

Mel Torme - You Better Love Me While You May. Great song.

Ned Miller - From a Jack to a King. Early 60s. My parents had this record, which was VERY popular at the time.

The Beatles - Good Day Sunshine. We were a Beatles family and this song is a fun song to synch a show to.

Herb Alpert - The Lonely Bull. We teased my mother about her Tijuana Brass 8-track. By the time we reached California on our cross-country trip, all of us boys were hooked!

Ringo Starr - Sentimental Journey. This version is a bit less slow and dreamy than Doris Day's and again, appropriate for a Beatles family.

David Allen Coe - You Never Even Called Me By My Name. I would have been remiss in not including a country and western song for my mother, but since we always tease her about it, I included this song a song about a song which is the perfect country and western song. Very funny and a great punchline!
PSP 0.1
Kaypro 8086 4.77Mhz CPU, 728Kb memory, dual 5.25" high density floppies
Windows 1.0, Windows Paint
Kodak Pocket Instamatic 60 with Magicube
Model E-41 Ditto Machine

Robert Barnett

Re: songs for female 80th b-day show

Postby Robert Barnett » Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:42 pm

What I mean by "vintage" is turning everything black and white or sepia, graining them up, adding vingnettes and other things that makes all of the images look like they were shot 50,60 or 70 years ago. Most people don't mind seeing old photos of themselves, but when you make all of them look 60 years old or whatever deep inside they take offense. They may smile and be kind about it, but deep down they hate it.

As for the music, you did exactly what I said you used music the birthday girl liked and you matched to the era. You didn't use disc or rap for a 70 year old photo. You didn't use a form of music the birthday girl hates. The show is about the birthday girl not about the likes of the rest of the family. Showing images with other family members is one thing, but using music that the birthday girl hates makes the show more about the family and their likes than about celebrating ones important persons birthday.

Of course you can do what you like. But, myself when dealing with birthday shows especially for older people I try to design for their likes and dislikes otherwise I might as well make the show about me.

Robert

Esteemed Member
User avatar
Posts: 416
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:13 am
Location: Northeast US

Re: songs for female 80th b-day show

Postby Mac » Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:55 pm

As for the music, you did exactly what I said you used music the birthday girl liked and you matched to the era. You didn't use disc or rap for a 70 year old photo. You didn't use a form of music the birthday girl hates.


I hate risking derailing the thread here, but this reminds me of one of my pet peeves, and one reason why I dislike weddings. Okay, I understand that the bride and groom may have their own musical tastes, but this a party where they invite treasured guests to share a day. I think it's rude to invite all these people and play obnoxious music at club-like volumes. I can't say how many weddings I've been to where there are old people who may not have seen each other for years just sit there not saying a word because you have to yell multiple times for the other person to hear what you're saying :evil:
PSP 0.1
Kaypro 8086 4.77Mhz CPU, 728Kb memory, dual 5.25" high density floppies
Windows 1.0, Windows Paint
Kodak Pocket Instamatic 60 with Magicube
Model E-41 Ditto Machine

Esteemed Member
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon May 28, 2007 8:43 pm
Location: NY

Re: songs for female 80th b-day show

Postby nantory » Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:57 am

Here are a few good songs:

In My Life-The Beatles
Remember When-Alan Jackson
These Are The Special Times-Celine Dion
Another Year Has Gone By-Celine Dion
Memories Are Made of This-Dean Martin
Memories-Elvis Presley
Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World
Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole - Over The Rainbow

Honorary ProShow PHD
Posts: 902
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 6:08 pm
Location: between here and there

Re: songs for female 80th b-day show

Postby stickgirl » Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:50 am

If it were me, I would choose popular music from the 50s-60s because that is what she probably remembers the most. Music from the early 50s might possibly take her back to that special someone she dated or perhaps even married.

I wouldn't use anything modern (meaning the 80s+) unless you know that she spends time listening to music.

Kathy

Active Member
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:01 am

Re: songs for female 80th b-day show

Postby Brent » Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:20 am

thanks guys for your repsonses... i will def give these songs to my co-worker and see if her grandmother likes any of these...
i am making the show very simple, as my co-worker does not want me to spend alot of time on this. there are old pictures that are B&W and very old, and some newer ones, so i am just gonna do a chronologically order show, starting with the earliest pics first...
i've researched some after i posted this, and found that alot of people like to put the same decade music to the decade of the pics... i am pretty much gonna leave it up the the birthday girl and my co-worker to decide what music... i am a young guy, and although i like all music, the early music(30's-60's/70's) i can not get into all that much, so i know i would have a hard time finding songs to put in show, as i do not like the majority of them... i would use more modern era songs, and like you said, she may not like that, and it'll ruin the whole show...
i just was trying to get some songs from you to give to my co-worker so she wouldn't have to work so hard on finding songs...
thanks again for your help, and if you got more songs, please share them...
brent

.
User avatar
Posts: 7501
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:35 pm
Location: Kirkland,Wash, USA, Earth

Re: songs for female 80th b-day show

Postby gpsmikey » Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:12 am

One thing that I didn't hear anybody really address (although it looks like Brent's co-worker will run them by the grandmother) is the person's personality and the target audience. Some people have a great sense of humor and love things that poke fun at them etc (as long as it is in good taste). Others, don't even go there - they have no sense of humor about the issues. You really have to know about the target audience before you pick the show style and music. I do agree though with the comment about the weddings etc where they have the "music" so loud that all the hearing aids fall out and nobody can hear themselves speak ! Humor is very odd too - not all is the same - I find humor is a very important part of my being, but I can't stand "The Three Stooges" - too stupid. On the other hand, Leslie Neilsen cracks me up (Naked Gun etc - although I don't watch it over and over)

mikey
You can't have too many gadgets or too much disk space !!
mikey (PSP6, Photoshop CS6, Vegas Pro 14, Acid 7, BluffTitler, Nikon D300s, D810)
Lots of PIC and Arduino microprocessor stuff too !!

Return to Music Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests