Here are some ideas for another music focused CST session. The suggestions make for a dynamic activity and the session runs best if you have access to ‘Spotify’ and ‘YouTube’ to quickly search for music choices. A good bluetooth speaker for playback and a wifi enabled large screen TV would also come in handy.
Inheritance Tracks ❤️💙
Does anyone listen to the musical segment of the BBC Radio 4 programme ‘Saturday Live’? It’s known as 'Inheritance Tracks' and in it famous people share two of their favourite tracks - one which they inherited from a previous generation and one which they would recommend to future generations. They tell their story about why they chose those tracks and what their music choices mean to them.
It really is a lovely musical interlude. There’s a podcast with dozens of celebs sharing their inheritance tracks here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02pc9my/episodes/downloads
Take a listen to get the gist of it …
Ask members to share their two inheritance tracks. (Maybe ask them ahead of time so they can discuss their choices with their care partner?)
Bring their stories to life by playing their tracks and go around the room, including yourself.
(PS My 'Inheritance Tracks' are at the bottom of the page, by way of offering an example. Feel free to add yours in the 'Comments' section.)
Greatest Hits 💿
Another idea is to show members the front covers some of these well known greatest hits albums (on a screen or as print offs, or better still the actual vinyl album covers!) and ask them to guess at some of the tracks which should be included in the track-list on the reverse cover.
Maybe choose just a few tracks and if members get stuck give them the first word or two of some of the better known songs.
Ask members which one of the tracks from each of the albums they have remembered together they would like to listen to (or skip!). Keep going for as long as time allows or for as long as enjoyment is sustained.
I’ve chosen the best selling greatest hits albums of all time, but obviously you might want to add others or change things around a bit, especially if you know your members' favourite groups and artists.
Here goes. Front cover first , followed by the back cover so you can move on to members’ song choices.
Disco Dancing 💃
Maybe finish with a few tracks from this 70s disco album? Get people up dancing, or moving in their chairs, according to mobility needs.
Videos 🎬
If possible when playing song choices throughout this session hook up to YouTube to show original videos that went with the songs.
If you have people’s inheritance tracks ahead of time, you could line up the videos, print off single covers and print off lyrics, so everyone can sing along.
My Inheritance Tracks
'Danny Boy', Eva Cassidy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7AraiaMnmg
This song always catches me unawares when it comes on and I have to stop what I'm doing to sit down and listen to it. It immediately makes me think of my late mother and father and my childhood (though it would have been a different version we listened to then). It is a very sad song, but has a deep meaning and significance. It cuts across the generations and makes you think about people who have passed and helps you think about when we will meet again in some future life. "I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me."
'Cloudbusting', Kate Bush - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pllRW9wETzw
I would share this track with future generations because it's a cracking song, but also by way of an introduction to Kate's music and voice. I love the uplifting beat and lyrics of the song. It's based on memories of the character's father and how when she thinks of him her day immediately brightens. "Every time it rains you're here in my head, like the sun coming out. I just know that something good is going to happen." It's a song to sing (and dance) along with for sure and the steam train at the end of the track makes you feel like you have arrived somewhere nice. I just love it!
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