Family reunion songs?

[fudge stripe cookays]

Here's a new concept, ya'll.

I'm attempting to put together Mix CD ideas for a huge family reunion I'm wanting to throw together when I dig up enough (living) people. ;-)

Here are some of the ideas I have so far, that either mention family, family reunions, love, places where my folks lived (a LOT of freaking places!), or actual family members.

I know some of these are cheesy, but when you have all types of age groups and socio-economic groups, you gotta try to play to please everyone.

Let's see how many we can collect! It might give everyone some ideas.

"Family Affair" - Sly and the Family Stone
"Family Reunion" - O'Jays
"We are Family" - Sister Sledge
"Summertime Thing" - Chuck Prophet
"Grandpa, Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ole Days" - the Judds
"Chicago" - Frank Sinatra
"That 70's Song" - Cheap Trick (for the great "Wisconsin!" yell at the end)
"Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" - Van Morrison
"Alberta Bound" - Gordon Lightfoot

[CBHagman]

1. How about "I'll Be Seeing You"?

That will please people of the World War II generation (and probably bring some tears, too), plus it's just a beautiful song.

Other ideas:

"The Leader of the Band" by Dan Fogelberg

"Your Daughters and Your Sons" by Nan Hoffman

"Between the Wars" by Billy Bragg

"The Hands that Built America" by U2

"My Hometown" by Bruce Springsteen

Yeah, there's a particular political slant to some of those. Whaddaya gonna do?

"Happy Adoption Day" by John McCutcheon

"My Mother's Eyes" by Bette Midler

I wish I could remember the name of a particular song by Cherish the Ladies. I seem to recall it dealt very specifically with the experience of immigrant women.

Ah, well. If you like Irish music and/or are from Detroit, listen to Cathie Ryan's self-titled album and see what you think. Some of the songs are wistful and sad, and some are upbeat, and a couple deal with family and immigration.

http://www.geocities.com/celticlyricscorner/ryan/cathieryan.htm#its

You could also get some music appropriate to the ethnic group. How about some polkas or ceili music? The csardas for Hungarians?

[fudge stripe cookays]

2. Those are great!

I don't know why I didn't think of the Billy Bragg!

We actually had a couple of jazz musicians in the mix too, so some of those would fit. And "I'll Be Seeing You" of course!

Keep em coming! I'm taking notes!
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[CBHagman]

3. Just thought of a few more.

How could I possibly forget Carrie Newcomer? If you haven't heard of her, do seek her out. She's usually classified as folk, but like Mary Chapin Carpenter and Alison Krauss, she really doesn't belong to just one category.

There's a particular song, "Gathering of Spirits," that might suit a family reunion, especially this lyric:

"let it go my love my truest,
let it sail on silver wings
life’s a twinkling that’s for certain,
but it’s such a fine thing
there’s a gathering of spirits
there’s a festival of friends
and we’ll take up where we left off
when we all meet again."

And this:

"just east of eden
but there’s heaven in our midst
and we’re never really all that far
from those we love and miss
wade out in the water
there’s a glory all around
and the wisest say there’s a 1000 ways
to kneel and kiss the ground"

http://www.searchlyrics.org/carrie_newcomer/the_gathering_of_spirits.html

I really like the compilation "Betty's Diner," which includes "Gathering of Spirits."

http://www.carrienewcomer.com/carrie_flash.html

And how could I forget "Jubilee" by Mary Chapin Carpenter? It's on the "Stones in the Road" album.

http://www.lyricsdepot.com/mary-chapin-carpenter/jubilee.html

And if you like jazz vocals, you might check out some of those collections on the Verve label (i.e., songwriter collections for the Gershwins, Jerome Kern, Rodgers & Hart, etc.). Those have intergenerational appeal, and of course some of the songs (e.g., "Manhattan" by Rodgers & Hart) have place as a theme.

[fudge stripe cookays]

4. I think I've heard Carrie on KGSR from time to time...

I'll actively search that one out. It sounds good.

And the lyrics on the MCC one aren't quite the same vibe I want, but then I remembered.... "Stones in the Road" is such a great song on its own. I really like the Joan Baez version.

I thought of a few more as well:

"My Father's Eyes" - Eric Clapton
"See What Love Can Do" - also Eric
"Living Years" - Mike and the Mechanics

And I've already been checking out my old Ella and Frank and stuff for good standards. Verve stuff is always so classic. And then for fun, there are the Martini Lounge albums to add a touch of 50s/60s strangeness for that era.

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[fudge stripe cookays]

5. Another good one I heard the other day....

"Father/Daughter" by Paul Simon, on the Wild Thornberries soundtrack.

[CBHagman]

6. Yes, that is lovely.

Then there's "The Old Man" (I think that was composed by Phil Coulter and recorded by John McDermott), plus "The Voyage," which is on the first Irish Tenors CD. I think that's another Phil Coulter tune.

[fudge stripe cookays]

7. In that direction,

"Old Man" by Neil Young. :-)

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[fudge stripe cookays]

8. Another one I found yesterday at Half Price Books...

"Teach Your Children" by CSN. Why didn't I think of THAT one before? And "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?"

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