The Project:
Thanks to local foundation support, and the cooperation with Robinson Terrace Nursing and Rehabilitation and The Pavilion Senior Living in Stamford, New York, and the help of several interns, we have created eight genre specific collections of sing-a-long songs.
Each collection of music includes 24-32 songs of yesteryear and usually takes two 45 minute sessions to complete. The songs are in alphabetical order and the lyrics are large print. Not every resident takes a book (some can’t see and some prefer to listen), but for many, the large print books provide a sense of security and community.
Our current collections are (in order of creation):
- Secular/Popular Holiday Songs & Traditional Christmas/Sacred Songs (now being split into two collections)
- American Catalog (camp songs, early American songs, folk songs, Bicycle Built For Two, Beautiful Dreamer, and more!)
- 60s & 70s Pop Rock (John Denver, Bob Dylan, Hits from the 60s, Motown, etc.)
- Hymns, Gospel, and Spirituals (Traditional hymns, Bluegrass Spirituals, etc.)
- Classic Country (Many of the songs are on the top 100 best country songs ever list!)
- Early Rock & Roll (Elvis, Doo Wop, Buddy Holly, etc.)
- Beatles (our favorites from their catalog!)
- Future Collections: Classic Rock, Broadway Musicals, and Torch Songs
The Digital Tablet Engagement Project:
When the Pandemic hit in 2020, we all experienced a taste of what nursing home, senior home, and hospitalized/institutionalized individuals live with on a daily basis. During that time, many of our clients were on lock-down and we were unable to conduct our normal, in person community music programming, so we began adapting and brainstorming a way to bring regular musical participation to those who need it most, but who may not have access to music due to geographic, economic, or institutional care limitations.
When we finally received our non-profit status in September of 2020, we began working diligently to develop a digital program that can be utilized by both activities directors in homes, as well as home caregivers, to greatly improve the quality of life of their loved ones.
At first we didn’t know if people with dementia would engage with a person leading them in song on a screen, but we soon found that we could transform them within thirty seconds from an agitated, crying, screaming, fit throwing state to a smiles and engagement for well over 40 minutes via an ipad, our first Christmas sing-a-long video, and a set of headphones. Our hypothesis had been correct in that the digital bedside sing-a-long had merit and could be used to help increase the quality of life for all individuals who choose to engage with our music programs regularly.
Our Mission to Bring the Power of Music to Those Who Need it Most!
The Community Music Network, Inc. has spent the last four years designing, implementing, testing, and researching this series of Sing-a-Long collections. The program has had great success as an in person facilitation, but only serves those who can make it to a nursing home community room performance, leaving many bedbound and isolated. In addition, many elders who are being cared for at home are also living in isolation with caregivers who are doing the best they can to provide engagement and structure, but who need resources in order to keep their loved ones at home.
By the year 2030, the need for elder care will increase 75%, with one in five American citizens needing to be cared for. The baby boomers have come of age to a health care system that is not prepared for them and our current social security and medicaid institutions are being restructured and restricted. Caregivers who are stuck and unable to afford institutional care for their loved ones will be put in a position to care for them at home while still working and providing for their families.
Meanwhile, research proves over and over that music is one factor that can be an amazing alternative to isolated, drugged, bed-bound ageing for those living with a variety of conditions, to include: Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, TBI, mental illness, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and general cognitive decline due to progression of disease, isolation, and lack of therapeutic resources proven to help.
Digital Sing-a-Long Collection:
Community Music Network Sing-A-Long Songs:
60s & 70s Folk & Pop Rock
Annie’s Song (John Denver)
Blowing in the Wind (Bob Dylan)
Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell)
Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel)
Circle Game (Joni Mitchell)
Cat’s in the Cradle (Harry Chapin)
Close to You (The Carpenters)
Dust in the Wind (Kansas)
59th Street Bridge Song (Simon & Garfunkel)
Happy Together (The Turtles)
I Can See Clearly Now (Jimmy Cliff)
I Feel the Earth Move (Carole King)
I’m a Believer (The Monkeys)
If I had a Hammer (Peter, Paul, & Mary)
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
Leaving on a Jet Plane (John Denver)
Lean on Me (Bill Withers)
Little Boxes (Pete Seeger)
Moonshadow (Cat Stevens)
One Tin Soldier (Billy Jack soundtrack, Coven)
Puff the Magic Dragon (Peter Paul & Mary)
The Rose (Bette Midler)
Rocky Mountain High (John Denver)
Sing (The Carpenters)
Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel)
Stand By Me (Ben King)
Sunshine on My Shoulders (John Denver)
You’ve Got a Friend (James Taylor/Carol King)
Community Music Network Sing-A-Long Songs:
Hymns, Gospel, Spirituals
Amazing Grace
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Bringing in the Sheaves
Day By Day
Do Lord
Down By the Riverside
Down to the River to Pray
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
How Great Thou Art
I Saw the Light
I’ll Fly Away
In the Garden
Jesus Loves Me
Jesus Loves the Little Children
Just As I Am
Keep on the Sunnyside
Kumbaya
Michael Row the Boat Ashore
Morning Has Broken
Ode to Joy
Old Rugged Cross
Poor Wayfaring Stranger
Put Your Hand in the Hand
Rock of Ages
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
This Little Light of Mine
Wade in the Water
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
When the Saints Go Marching In
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Sing-a-Long Songs – American Catalog
Alexander’s Ragtime Band
America the Beautiful
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
Beautiful Dreamer
Bicycle Built For Two
Buffalo Gals
Clementine
Down By the Old Mill Stream
Down in the Valley
Erie Canal
Goodnight Irene
Home on the Range
House of the Rising Sun
I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
In the Good Old Summertime
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
Mockingbird
Oh, Suzanna
Old Dan Tucker
Old Folks At Home
On Top of Old Smokey
Polly Wolly Doodle
Red River Valley
Shenandoah
She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain
Sixteen Tons
Skip to My Lou
Streets of Laredo
This Land is Your Land
Wabash Cannonball
Yellow Rose of Texas
You Are My Sunshine
Community Music Network Sing-A-Long Songs:
Secular Holiday Favorites
Blue Christmas
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting)
Deck the Halls
Feliz Navidad
Frosty the Snowman
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Here Comes Santa Claus
Holly Jolly Christmas
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Jingle Bells
Jingle Bell Rock
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Let it Snow!
My Favorite Things
Nuttin for Christmas
O Christmas Tree
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Silver and Gold
Silver Bells
Twelve Days of Christmas
Up On the Housetop
We Need a Little Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
White Christmas
Winter Wonderland
Community Music Network Sing-A-Long Songs:
Traditional Christmas Hymns and Carols/Sacred
Angels From the Realms of Glory
Angels We Have Heard on High
Away in the Manger
Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella
Do You Hear What I Hear?
The First Noel
Go Tell it on the Mountain
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Good Christian Men Rejoice
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Holly and the Ivy
I Saw Three Ships
I Wonder As I Wander
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Joy to the World
Little Drummer Boy
O Come All Ye Faithful
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
O Holy Night
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Silent Night
We Three Kings
What Child is This?
The Community Music Network Sing a Long Songs:
Country & Western Favorites
Always on my Mind
Angel From Montgomery
City of New Orleans
Coal Miner’s Daughter
Crazy
Delta Dawn
Desperado
Don’t it Make My Brown Eyes Blue
The Gambler
Georgia
Ghost Riders in the Sky
Grandma’s Feather Bed
I Fall to Pieces
I Walk the Line
I Will Always Love You
Jolene
Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
Me & Bobby Magee
On the Road Again
Ring of Fire
Rocky Top
Snowbird
So Lonesome I Could Cry
Take Me Home Country Roads
Tennessee Waltz
Thank God I’m a Country Boy
Wichita Lineman
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
The Community Music Network Sing a Long Songs:
Early Rock and Roll
Bye Bye Love
California Dreaming
Can’t Help Falling in Love
Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You
Doo Wah Diddy
Earth Angel
Everyday
Heartbreak Hotel
Hound Dog
I Only Have Eyes For You
Johnny B Goode
Love Me Tender
Mrs Robinson
My Girl
Only You
Peggy Sue
Put Your Head on My Shoulder
Rock Around the Clock
Runaway
Stand By Me
That’ll Be the Day
Unchained Melody
Under the Boardwalk
Wake Up Little Susie
The Community Music Network Sing a Long Songs:
Beatles Catalog
All My Loving
All Together Now
All You Need is Love
Blackbird
Can’t Buy Me Love
Eight Days a Week
Eleanor Rigby
Hard Days Night
Here Comes the Sun
Hey Jude
I Saw Her Standing There
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Imagine (John Lennon)
In My Life
Let it Be
Long and Winding Road
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Norwegian Wood
Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da
Octopus’s Garden
Rocky Raccoon
Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
She Loves You
Something
Ticket to Ride
Twist and Shout
When I’m 64
Yellow Submarine
Yesterday
You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away