Oldies Radio – and I am One!

by Wendy
(www.retirement-online.com)


Me? Listening to Oldies Radio? Say it ain't true!

My father died in 2005 and was housebound for the last two years of life. When I first fell into the role of Caregiver, he asked me to dial in his favorite Oldies radio station.

Some of the music I enjoyed... it brought me back to my childhood days when Grandma played piano and we all gathered around her to sing! Music played on Lawrence Welk shows, Big Band music... REAL Oldies. Those Were the days!!

But other songs I absolutely Loved! They were songs from back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s when I went to Rec Center dances, high school dances and later the bar scene. My memories flood back when I hear certain songs... music does that to most of us! I love remembering old friends and the fun we had.

The reason I'm writing this: when did I become an OLDIE!

Sure, Dad was an oldie in his mid-80s. But me, I was in my early 50s at that point, surely not an Oldie! How did I qualify to enjoy Oldie Music?

Yikes! MY Generation is OLDIE MUSIC!

Are you kidding me?

Time goes on and "Oldies Music" is all forgotten... buried in my dad's apartment when he passed away. Ok,Honestly, I do listen to that same radio station frequently when driving.

Fast forward to yesterday, sitting in the dentist chair, waiting patiently for him.

I hear a song from my past but can't name it... listening intently, I discover it is “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple.

HOW did I remember that bands name? I rarely know who played what songs, or the name of any song. It's just not in my genetic makeup to remember trivia like that... grin!

So, there in the dentist office, I am reminded of Oldies Radio...

Really? This deep rock and roll stuff – this is Oldies Music?

WOW! The Beatles, The Stones, all rock 'n roll Oldies!

p.s. Anyone else remember In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida? That song just popped into my head as I wrote this! It was 17 minutes long and when I just googled it, Wikipedia wrote about it (look at all the newer mentions of this song towards the bottom of the page). Strange world we live in!

Comments for Oldies Radio – and I am One!

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really old
by: Anonymous

Anything you mentioned seemed new to me. Beatles etc. seem to belong to my son's generation. We used to argue about Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.
"RELATIVITY"
by: Ricardo

Wendy, I got a kick out of your commentary concerning "oldies." The station that I listen to once in awhile claims to be an oldies station.....well, as we age the oldies that they are now playing, I do not consider oldies.....I guess they are to individuals in their forties or fifties, but not to me!

My oldies would be from the fifties&sixties..... once again, everything is relative to the individual!

Also, on the same subject, I enjoy reading the "Parade" magazine section in our Sunday paper. On the inside front cover there is a page with questions from readers about Holywood "stars and what they are up to..... well, I no longer recognize any of the "so called" stars, so I just skip the page......again relativity....is the world passing me up or what....guess so!!!

Wendy Rikk, I watch the ENTERTAINMENT show on tv and get caught up on what the celebrities are doing. WHY I watch it is what I struggle with. WHY do I waste my time? Grin!
Oldies Rejoice
by: Joe W.

Wendy,

Hi! I think that music is a major cure for any anxiety or depression situations that every retirement bound senior should consider early in their retirement life.

Oldies Radio was my favorite music for the past year or so. Then, this year I changed my radio musical diet. Because Oldies Radio seemed to get stuck in a rut and spin the same disks over and over until even a senior like me got very bored.

Today, I listen to a local radio station that still plays the Oldies but the difference is they will also play some of today's favorites and selections in between.

An expanded selection of music is very good for the good old soul. Don't get stuck in the past. Seniors could always use a 'new rhythem' to fuction in this brave new world called the retirement life.

Thanks.

Joe W.

Wendy: Good Point, Joe -- totally agree there. I have several programmed stations on my car radio and I jump from one to another until I find what appeals to me on that specific day!
When you get older . .
by: Anonymous

I too like oldies. Sometimes, appropriately, I can hear The Beatles When I'm 64 lyrics in my head:

'Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm 64. We can rent a cottage on the Isle of Wight . . .'
Hooooray for the Oldies!
by: Patricia

Occasionally public TV here in CA airs some of the Oldie concerts as a fund raiser and it's fun to "rock out" with them. My son will be 50 years old this year. We are 19 years apart but interestingly share appreciation of the same music from the late 70ies.

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