Singers & Songwriters of the Jewish Home San Francisco
photo: Gary Wagner
- Song of the Month: "I'm 100 Years Old"
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Anna had just turned 100 years old when eight or so Singers & Songwriters gathered for their weekly songwriting group. In talking about her milestone birthday, Anna said “I don’t feel my age at all” and conversation burst open about aging and what it takes to grow old well. Though their lyrics span the decades from teenhood to sixty plus – the average age of the songwriters was eighty-seven. This song received Best Jewish Song honors from the 2004 Just Plain Folks award, an international competition where more than 10,000 songs are considered by peer musicians and others in the music industry. In this photo, the Singers & Songwriters perform at the first Art of Aging festival which opened the 2004 American Society on Aging/National Center on the Aging Joint Conference at the San Francisco Hilton. View excerpts from their performance.
SONG OF THE MONTH:
"I'm a hundred years old"
I’m 100 years old or so I’ve been told
But I don’t feel my age at all
I’ll live and find out what this life is all about
And I hope and I pray it’s a ball!
When we were eighteen we had different lives
Some had husbands, some had wives – Did we ever carry on!
We graduated high school, went to college for a time.
Some had children, went to work – and then the war was on.
We went into the service: the Army, the Navy, the Shipyards,
the Air Force, the Coast Guard saved hundreds of lives.
The $64,000 question: Will we ever really have peace?
We watched while in that war so many, many died
Chorus
They say “Life begins at 40” – I can tell you it’s true -
Our 40’s and 50’s were sensational times
Just looking back on them – Oh boy, I can’t tell you
We were traveling gypsies on the road all the time
Chorus
Sixty is like a diamond – to see your children all grown up -
I’m happy, content – We’re still carrying on!
Keep your mind and body active - I can tell you that’s a must!
To go through the stages, it’s healthier to love
With peace in your heart - life will agree with you
It sounds like a dream – but it’s true – It’s true!
Chorus
© 1998-99 Composing Together Works/Jewish Home San Francisco. Words and music by
Singers and Songwriters of the Jewish Home in San Francisco with Judith-Kate Friedman,
California Arts Council artist-in-residence.
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