Story Behind The Song

This song was written with children in mind but has found an audience with an older crowd too.

Song Description

This song describes all the things kids do that old folks used to do and probably better. They used to run faster, and play baseball, and pull their sister's hair. In this way kids learn to look at their grandparents or older caregivers in a whole new lig

Lyrics

BE NICE TO OLD PEOPLE
THEY USED TO BE YOUNG
THEY USED TO TEASE SIBLINGS
TO STICK OUT THEIR TOUNGUES
TO STAY UP PAST MIDNIGHT
TO GIGGLE, TO YELL
DON'T BELIEVE ME? JUST ASK 'EM
THEY'VE STORIES TO TELL

BE NICE TO OLD PEOPLE
THEY USED TO GET SCARED
THEY'D HIDE IN THEIR SHEETS FROM
THE MONSTERS WHO DARED
TO MAKE FUNNY NOISES IN CLOSETS, ON STAIRS
DON'T BELIEVE ME? JUST ASK 'EM
IF THEY GOT NIGHTMARES

BRIDGE
'THOUGH GRANDMA GETS TIRED
AND SOMETIMES MOVES SLOW
SHE PROB'LY RAN FASTER
THAN YOU LONG AGO
SHE PROB'LY DUG EARTHWORMS
MADE HER ROOM A MESS
WALKED INTO A PARTY
WITH MUD ON HER DRESS
'THOUGH GRANDPA GETS GRUMPY

AND SOMETIMES SEEMS HAZY
HE PROB'LY PLAYED BASEBALL, WENT SLEDDING, WENT CRAZY!
HE PROB'LY ONCE THOUGHT HIS OWN PARENTS WERE DOPEY
WAS STUBBORN, AND CARELESS AND SLOPPY AND MOPEY

INST.
BE KIND TO OLD PEOPLE
THEY SOMETIMES FORGET
THAT WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG
THEY - LIKED GETTING WET!
THEY'D PLAY IN THE BATH
WATER SPLASHED EVERYWHERE
AVOIDED SHAMPOOS
LOVED TO PULL SISTER'S HAIR

BRIDGE
AND WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG
THEY WOULD GET INTO TROUBLE
NOT EAT THEIR GREEN BEANS
TURN THEIR CRACKERS TO RUBBLE
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE BUT
I TELL YOU IT'S TRUE
THERE'S VERY FEW THINGS THAT OLD FOLKS DID NOT DO

BE KIND TO OLD PEOPLE 'CAUSE
ONCE THEY WERE LITTLE
ROUND, ROLLY BABIES
NOT CREAKY AND BRITTLE
THEY USED TO BE KISSED FOUTY-TWO TIMES AN HOUR
AND HUGGLED, AND SNUGGLED AND CALLED "WILDFLOWER"


INST.
BRIDGE
AND WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG
THEY WOULD WISH ON A STAR
THEY'D WISH FOR A HORSE, FOR A PUPPY, A CAR
THEY'D WISH THEY WERE OLDER
BUT NOW THAT THEY'RE WISE
THEY WISH ON THE STARS
THAT THEY FIND IN YOUR EYES