Ten For Today: Hope I Don't Die Before I Get Old

Charles Aznavour, Austin Gravelding, John Prine, Franz Scheurer & Murray Hinder, 10cc, The Mark & Clark Band, George Jones, Pulp, Glen Campbell, Tom Jones

We’re talking a LOT about old ageing these days, and speaking as someone who is staring directly at her third act, I have to say, I am seeing ageism everywhere – even from people my age and older. I should start by saying that I am and always have been a political animal, and I make no apologies. I am an unabashed liberal (Note that I didn’t say progressive. I’d go into detail on that here, except I don’t feel like dealing with the trolls that will rear their smug, ugly, privileged heads.) who believes that our government (which is us) has a moral obligation to take care of people when people need taking care of. I also think that Joe Biden has been the most effective president of my lifetime, certainly on domestic economic policy. Now, if you had told me four years ago that I would write that sentence four years hence, I would have said GTFOOH.  

All of that aside, ageism. I have cared for multiple elders in decline. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. And please understand that I am NOT saying that’s where we are right now. But the infantilization of elders is wrong and unfair, and I am seeing LOTS of it around. And DON’T get me started on the public policy failures related to elders and ageing. I have never lived in another culture, but I think we are the only ones who do this. Related, in my fantasy world, there will be an Old Women Uprising in defense of one good old man (and the highly competent woman in the line of succession behind him) that results in changes in care. As one of my friends said when I was explaining this movement, “Rise Up! Rise Up! Rise Up Before 5 AM!”

Here are Ten for Today: Hope I Don’t Die Before I Get Old.

You likely know this one as “Yesterday When I Was Young,” which has been recorded in English by hundreds of artists, including Glen Campbell (more on him later), Julio Iglesias, Roy Clark and more, but it was written in French, by this guy, and released in 1964.

This is from 1970, by an upstate New York artist who released a couple of albums in the early 70’s. He was not yet 30 when it was released, and it definitely sounds like a 30-year-old’s take.

Grab the tissues. Here’s a very worldly young man performing his 1971 song.

I don’t mean to make you sad, but I have no choice. This is an Australian folk duo who released an absolutely beautiful album in 1974. Fifty years later, Franz is still out there recording, and released an album last year.

Young men sing about old men in 1974.

This 1977 gem resonates with me as I sit in this big house, surrounded by treasures that would be treasures to few and memories that end when we end.

Does this remind you of someone else who refuses to go quietly? Good for both of them. This is from 1982. If I was on the campaign, this would be the walk-out music. I might tinker with the Medicare line, because Medicare is a force for good, not to be dismissed (or cut).

This is from 1998, and the brilliant philosopher/Pulp lead singer Jarvis Cocker has said it is him, at the ripe old age of 34, whining about getting old. I adore it, and wonder how he feels about it now, at 60.

Glen Campbell, one of my all-time favorite musical performers, had a long and storied career. The tale is a little fuzzy (is that irony?), but he and those around him started to notice cognitive decline in 2009 while he was recording his stunningly beautiful 2011 release (his 61^st studio album) Ghost on the Canvas. Post-Alzheimer’s diagnosis, he did the Glen Campbell Goodbye Tour, and I was lucky enough to see him twice in 2012. His diagnosis had been announced, and in the live show, band members, including many of his children, stepped in when he meandered or forgot something. An underrated guitar player for his entire career, he seemed to be in a very comfortable place with that, while he was occasionally forgetting words to his songs. It was an incredibly moving, very human experience, especially as I was dealing with the same thing in my family. This song, which Campbell co-wrote, with its “Witchita Lineman” echoes, is one of my favorites from that album.

This seems like a good place to end. It is stunning. The song was written in 1966 by Bobby Cole (and the original is really, really good) and presented to Jones, who has said in interviews that he couldn’t sing it then. Here he is in 2021.

Personally, I hope I don’t die before I get old. Old people know stuff. Just ask them.

I need a nap. Have a great day. Be kind to everyone you meet. You have no idea about their old, achy bones.

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