Lyr Req: Songs about retirement

Subject: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: GUEST,songbird
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:22 PM

Does anyone have any suggestions for a funny song for someone retiring after 30 years in a school?
Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Forsh
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:24 PM

I suppose if you worked at it, a parody of 'San quentin' may do the job! (St Josephs may you rot, & burm in hell... !)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Barry Finn
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:00 PM

This one "I'm 90 Yrs Old" is a corker. It's from the singing of John McCutcheon.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Barry Finn
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:01 PM

This is on one of John McCutcheon's recordings.
"I'm 90 Years Old""

Barry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Barry Finn
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:02 PM

Woops!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Cool Beans
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:08 PM

"I Did It Their Way," Bob Blue's (I think) spoof of "I Did It My Way," about a teacher (!) at the end of his/her career.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Cool Beans
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:10 PM

It's in the Digitrad under "Their Way." I was right about Bob Blue, but it's about a teacher who becomes a full professor by doing it "their way" (not a teacher whio's retiring).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Amos
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:11 PM

You work in a grade school, all of your life
You try and provide for your kids and your wife
When your too old to instruct anymore
They gove you a gold watch and show you the door.

You're too old to teach!
Too old to teach!
Too old to teach, but too young to die!
Who will take car eof you, how'll you get by?
When you're too old to teach and your too young to die.

You don't ask for favors, when your time is through.
But you've got a right to what's coming to you.
You wrangled their tykes, and their insolent spawn,
You helped them live well, now your energy's gone

You're too old to teach!
Too old to teach!
Too old to teach, but too young to die!
Who will take car eof you, how'll you get by?
When you're too old to teach and your too young to die.

Now the principal glad, you can tell by his eyes.
He don't like old-timers, they're canny and wise.
He's got his stock options, and he's gonna have fun.
He's got his retirement dough, you've got none.

You're too old to teach!
Too old to teach!
Too old to teach, but too young to die!
Who will take car eof you, how'll you get by?
When you're too old to teach and your too young to die.


(Adapted from a union song from the '30's called "Too old to Work").


A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:21 PM

Well, there's Roy Acuff's "When our Old Age Pension Check Comes to the Door"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: bfdk
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 05:36 PM

Probably not quite what you're after, but your query made me think of Judy Small's Alice Martin.

Best wishes,

Bente

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Jim Lad
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:33 PM

The Two Hundred Year Old Alcoholic.
There was a similar thread about a month or more ago.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Bert
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 09:38 PM

The Goodnight Loving Trail by Utah Phillips.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Suffet
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 10:22 PM

Greetings:

I was actually commissioned to write a song to sing at the retirement party for the principal of the Riker's Island Academy in New York City. Riker's Island, if you don't already know, is the site of several of the city jails. The Academy is a school for the inmates.

The Old Timer's Song
Music: The Streets of Laredo (traditional)
Lyrics: Stephen L. Suffet © 2002

I was riding to Rikers one day in September,
I was taking Queens Transit out to the Rock,
When I met an old timer, I'll always remember,
These words he did say as he wished me good luck:

Oh, once in the Bronx I taught junior guidance,
Once in Jamaica I taught private school,
It was then to old Sheepshead and then to Abe Lincoln,
I was young and ambitious, I was nobody's fool.

It was then as a trainer that I met Elayna,
But five years at E.D. were time in the hole,
That place just got sicker, the chair would have been quicker,
Until the Alternatives rescued my soul.

Oh, they made the the principal up at Bronx Regional,
I never did falter, I never did fail,
Captain Richard applauded me, and one day rewarded me,
By telling me, "Son, you are going to jail."

Now my sentence expired, I mean I retired,
To Vermont or Hawaii now I must choose,
If it were not for my draft board, who knows but the Good Lord,
I might be uptown and still selling shoes!

Notes:
Stanza 1, line 2: Queens Transit = a bus line, the Rock = Riker's Island
Stanza 2, line 3: Sheepshead, Abe Lincoln = high schools in Brooklyn
Stanza 3, line 1: Elayna = his wife, whom he met when he was a teacher trainer
Stanza 3, line 2: E.D. = Eastern District High School in Brooklyn, later closed and reopened as three smaller schools
Stanza 3, line 4: Alternatives = Office of Alternative Schools and Programs
Stanza 4, line 1: Bronx Regional = an alternative high school in the Bronx
Stanza 4, line 3: Captain Richard = the Superintendent of Alternative Schools and Programs, present at the retirement party
Stanza 5, line 3: If it were not for my draft board = began career in teaching to get draft deferment
Stanza 5, line 4: selling shoes = his career before teaching


I'm not saying that you can use this song the way that it is, but it does show you how you can write your own song and customize it for a parcticual person.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 04:49 AM

Gold Watch Blues?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 06:21 AM

Not a song, but Bob Newhart's "Retirement Party" always makes me chuckle (like a lot of his stuff).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 07:52 AM

Take this job and shove it. Johnny Paycheck

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: GUEST,Janine
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 09:02 AM

Archie Fisher did a wonderful and v. funny song about someone who's going to grow old very disgracefully. Sorry I never knew the title but try looking for the singer.

Jan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Ref
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 09:14 PM

Can't remember the writer, but try googling "I Just Don't look Good Naked Anymore."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs about retirement
From: Leadfingers
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 09:21 PM

Another Utah Phillips song - All Used Up !!