What are good classic songs to play at a birthday party?
I’ve been hired to play the accordion at a Scottish woman’s 91st birthday party next Sunday. They’ve requested “the classics,” stating “Danny Boy” and “My Old Man’s Dustman” as examples. I could cover a lot of eras and genres with this, but I want to make sure I’m choosing worldwide classics rather than just American classics.
Thanks!!
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18 Answers
Sounds like they want songs from Grandma’s youth, which would be WWII era.
Ain’t Misbehavin’ Fats Waller
Basin Street Blues Glenn Miller
Begin the Beguine Glenn Miller
Chattanooga Choo Choo Glenn Miller
Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree
Over the Rainbow
Stardust
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
I’d look up golden oldies. The Old Grey Mare; She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain When She Comes; You Are My Sunshine; Waltzing Matilda; I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl that Married Dear Old Dad; Darlin’ Clementine; come to mind.
Also songs from World War II era.
The Ash Grove
Midnight In Moscow (played slowly)
Moon River and other Johnny Mercer songs
Stephen Foster songs
Do Polkas count as classics? Being an accordion player, you probably know them better than I do
You could also play some more recent Broadway tunes. They are not strictly classics, but I doubt that anyone is going to get up in arms if you played Tonight from West Side Story or Memories from Cats.
Scottish as in born and raised in Scotland? There are loads of Scottish songs that she’d probably be pleased to hear. English, maybe not so much.
Several that spring to mind:
“Bonnie Doon”
“Loch Lomond”
“Sailing Home to Mingulay”
“Scotland the Brave”
“Blue Bells of Scotland”
How about a few jigs and reels for an upbeat tone? Find some tunes used for Scottish country dancing.
You might also look up some albums of traditional Scottish music on Amazon, listen to samples, and pick some lively ones. It’s not all bagpipe laments. I’d bet that most traditional tunes you find will have a full-length rendition somewhere on the web.
Can’t pin-point many exactly, but I would go for more traditional Scottish songs if she is indeed Scottish born and bred, like reels or maybe a playful ballad or two. I also agree with Jeruba on her selections—I am particularly fond of “Scotland the Brave” and can vouch for it being a merry, up-beat sort of song that everyone likes to clap along to.
Better still….. copy the lyrics onto A4 and hand them round, you’ll be a legend .
When Irish Eyes are Smiling
Oh my god Waltzing Matilda, YES!
My welsh friend used to sing “A Guy is A Guy”. That would be cute. Also, if you want to go international, you could play the Swedish birthday song, “Ja, ma han liva.” Also, Old Grey Bonnet, Ma He’s Making Eyes At Me, Sweet Georgia Brown, Let’s Misbehave.
I love “My Old Man’s a Dustman.” Haven’t heard that since I lived overseas in the ‘70’s.
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