As you grow up and start working, you start attending retirement parties for your senior co-workers. You hang out, chat with colleagues, tell stories, eat, and play songs. While attending them is fun and easy, planning them is a whole other ball game. (But still fun, nonetheless!)
By making a playlist about retirement songs for the upcoming party, you’ll be able to let your co-worker know how much they mean to everyone they used to work with while also showing them what they can look forward to post-retirement.
When creating a playlist consisting of songs for a retirement party, it’s important to keep in mind that the song selections that we’re recommending are just that. If there are songs that are personally significant to your co-worker, then you should definitely include them as well. (If the party is supposed to be a secret, you can try approaching your co-worker’s family to get some hints on what sort of songs they like)
But with the vast variety of songs that exist, coming up with a mere 10 or 20 songs can seem like a daunting task. Which songs to include? Which ones would be apt? Well luckily for you, we’ve made a list of 17 Amazing Retirement Songs.
Happy Retirement Songs
1. Don’t Worry, Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin)
The iconic whistle, the straightforward, almost too simplistic lyrics, McFerrin’s jovial voice. This song was meant to lift moods, and it does a very good job of doing that. No matter how bad things may get, just weather through it because good times will come.
2. Good Riddance [Time of Your Life] (Green Day)
Contrary to the unfriendly sounding title, the song is all about making the most of what little time we have on earth by cherishing every little moment.
3. My Way (Frank Sinatra)
Being your own person is the central theme of the song, and that could exactly be the send-off that your loved one deserved and needs. A popular funeral song for older generations, this song’s relevance makes it a perfect song that is apt for an older loved one.
4. Troubadour (George Strait)
Growing old is something that everyone goes through. Although it’s a universal phenomenon, people treat it very differently. With many songs in country music focusing on pain, Troubadour is a refreshing song about how people can remain young at heart even if they age physically.
5. You’ve Got A Friend (James Taylor)
Sometimes, it can feel like everything in your life is going wrong. But like Taylor sings in the song, ‘To brighten up even your darkest nights’ your friends will always be there as a pillar of strength.
6. Don’t Stop Believing (Journey)
As young adults, we’re all hopefully optimistic about the future. But as we grow older, our expectations begin to temper, and we start losing that sense of optimism. This inspiring song is about holding on to that youthful faith in life.
Fun Songs For A Retirement Party
7. I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
A staple at karaokes, this upbeat is song is perfect for belting out your sorrows with its strong lyrics about self-empowerment. No matter what you’ve gone through, you’ll survive and come out stronger than ever.
8. Cups (Anna Kendrick)
When you retire, your co-workers will terribly miss you. This is a sweet song to remember all the ways in which they’ll be missing you when you’re gone.
9. Hit The Road Jack (Ray Charles)
A popular phrase for asking someone to get out, Hit The Road Jack can be a playful manner of telling your co-worker to finally leave the workplace. But make sure that all of it is in good fun.
10. I Want To Break Free (Queen)
A song to remind your co-worker that he’s finally free from the shackles of having to work every day, I Want To Break Free is a song that can be used to let your co-worker know that the rest of their days will be full of freedom.
11. Feeling Good (Michael Bublé)
While the original from Nina Simone is quite the song, it’s Bublé’s version with the wonderful orchestra accompaniment that brings an added dimension of freedom and badassery.
12. With a Little Help from My Friends
Out of the Fab Four, Ringo was often the one who stood out due to his absence on vocals. As the title of the song suggests, this song is about relying on your friends when you’re faced with any trouble. Ringo’s involvement in the song is perhaps the most notable aspect of the song
Inspiring Song For A Retirement Party
13. I Hope You Dance (Lee Ann Womack)
When life comes at you fast, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and lose sight of what’s really important. I Hope You Dance is a song about having the courage to start over no matter what happens.
14. Remember Me (Miguel)
A song that made its appearance in the animated film Coco, this upbeat, yet tearful song that is about remembering your loved ones no matter how far away they are. Because despite the distance, they will always be by your side. This makes it one of the best retirement songs for a cherished co-worker.
15. The Show Must Go On (Queen)
This song is about pushing forward in life no matter what obstacles you face. Written by Mercury towards the end of his life, The Show Must Go On perfectly encapsulates his nature of always staying strong.
16. Forever Young (Rod Stewart)
Stewart has said that Forever Young was one of his favorite songs due to the fact that it was a song dedicated to his children. It’s a song about learning from the mistakes we make when we’re young and helping our children when they’re in a similar situation, thus remaining forever young.
17. What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
Another classic and uplifting song, What A Wonderful World never fails to give you the hope that you would require following the death of a loved one. For all its flaws, humanity still has a way of redeeming itself. And that is the wonderful world that Armstrong is singing about.
So now that you’ve read about the best retirement songs for a party, you might be interested in reading about what you can do to provide some help for your co-workers in their post-retirement life.
