My Favorite Things Parody Not a Favorite

The Sound of Music musical contains so much potential for an engaging experience for individuals in long-term care settings. Most recently, I pieced together the "favorite things" of the long-term care residents I work with and created a couple of parodies of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things." They thoroughly enjoyed the performance of the validating end product.

In the moment, it occurred to me to test the waters for their reaction to another parody of the same tune that has made its way through cyberspace for a number of years, winding up in countless email forwards. This "old geezer" parody has been accompanied by the faulty claim that Julie Andrews wrote and performed it at Radio Music Hall on her 69th, receiving a four minute standing ovation. I discovered it years ago when a coworker handed it to me to include in a mini musical we created from The Sound of Music. At the time, I sang it with a level of unease, wondering if the residents found the lyrics as humorous as the unknown author must have. But I kept my thoughts to myself.

So, this time, I asked the residents to give me their honest reaction to the lyrics which, I for one, do not find at all amusing. These are a few of their words:

"Lousy."

"It's a disgrace."

"It's a real downer."

"It makes me feel hopeless."

Some folks, who rely on hearings aids, dentures, and walkers; and who live with failing memories and dementia may not find the parody funny at all. It hits just a little too close to home.

The lyrics are as follows:

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favourite things.

Cadillacs and cataracts and hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favourite things.

When the pipes leak,
When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favourite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.

Hot tea and crumpets, and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heat pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favourite things.

Back pains, confused brains, and no fear of sinnin',
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin',
And we won't mention our short shrunken frames,
When we remember our favorite things.

When the joints ache,
When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I've had,
And then I don't feel so bad.
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Kareen King is a Registered Drama Therapist and founder of The Golden Experience, offering keynotes, concerts, and workshops to enrich lives in long-term care. For booking information, contact her at kking@thegoldenexperience.com or visit www.thegoldenexperience.com.

Kareen's CD's which feature original songs that give voice to individuals in long-term care settings, have been used as caregiver training tools, gifts for long-term care staff and volunteers, and for personal inspiration. To hear samples and to purchase, click http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/KareenKing.