When I Get Older…..

When the Beatles released their ‘Sergeant Pepper’ album in 1967 they could only have imagined to what extent they had revolutionized the popular music industry. It was groundbreaking in its use of technology – the band utilised effects and techniques that have now become standard industry practice and, for the first time, this album extended beyond the standard four tracks previously used for recording. It also introduced for the first time the idea of a ‘concept’ album in which tracks are linked across an LP - all of the tracks here address the theme of loneliness and are insights into people’s lives; there is a song that keeps returning and there are linked introductions to the songs with the band acting as comperes and audience noise used to set the atmosphere. Songwriting doesn’t always come easy and you can easily come to a grinding halt! When this happens don’t despair – it happens to everyone! “I’d spent five hours that morning trying to write a song that was meaningful and good, and I finally gave in and lay down!” (John Lennon) “Don’t force it. If you don’t have an idea …. don’t sit down to write a song … go mow the lawn!” (Neil Young) Extension: Use the films provided in the resources to watch this year’s song composer Timothy Jackson as he talks about his career writing music and offers advice on how to get started and make your music and words work together.

2 Will you still _____________________________________________________ Task: Taking the melody of the first verse of ‘When I’m 64’ you are to compose your own lyrics to fill in the blanks below 1 When I get older __________________________________ many years from now 2 Will you still _____________________________________________________ 3 If I stay out ‘til quarter to three _________________________________________ 4 Will you still _______________ Will you still ______________ When I’m sixty-four!! Tips: Keep listening to the melody played by the Orchestra. Try to work out how many syllables you will need to complete each line You must end the third line with something that rhymes with the word ‘four’

Here are some suggestions: 1 When I get older ___________________________________ many years from now 2 Will you still _____________________________________________________ 3 If I stay out ‘til quarter to three ______________________________________ 4 Will you still ______________ Will you still _______________ When I’m sixty-four!! wrinkly and grey look fondly at me all day long laugh at my jokes, sing me a song crawl back on the floor love me hug me Extension tasks: Now compose all of the lyrics for the second verse Think about what life will be like twenty years from now. Write some lyrics for two verses and a chorus following the same 4-line structure. Use your voices to put a melody to your words.