The “Can’t wait ’til I’m Older” Blues

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for The "Can't Wait 'til I'm Older" Blues.

The "Can't Wait 'til I'm Older" Blues is one of 12 songs from the Juno-nominated song collection "Dinosaurs, Dragons and Me" Donna Rhodenizer has written these songs using a variety of styles including a lullaby/tango, bluegrass, blues and pop in a variety of skill levels for singers from ages 5-12+.

Learn more about this fun collection for elementary-aged kids, choirs and solo vocal students. The 122-page book provides the vocal score, full score and separate lyrics pages for 12 songs. Enjoy! 

Please note: audio tracks for the e-book version are sold separately. Print copies of the book include CD (24 tracks)

Stream or Purchase from many streaming sites including:  Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

The Dinosaurs, Dragons and Me CD (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental) tracks (24) are available for download or physical CD on this website.

The “Can’t Wait ‘til I’m Older” Blues

I was listening to an interview on the radio while I was driving. The interview subject was talking about how much they had anticipated growing up, only to find it wasn’t as glorious as they had imagined it would be. That simple thought got me started on this song about youngsters who want to grow up, but once they do, they wish they were young again!

Later, at school I talked to my students and I asked them if they ever wanted to be a grownup and be able to decide things for themselves like what time they went to bed, the kind of car they wanted to drive, and what they would eat for a meal. Most of the students nodded their heads in agreement that adults had things pretty good.  However, I asked them a few pointed questions. When it was time to eat a meal, who cooked that meal? Who bought the groceries for that meal? Who worked at a job to pay for the groceries? What about owning a car? How many of the students drove themselves to soccer practice, piano lessons or to a friend’s house? None! The adults did the driving, and they also paid for the gas, the maintenance on the vehicle and the payments for the car. Things were not looking so rosy for the adults at that point. Now we had the right attitude to sing a blues song!

Each verse explored an item the kids thought would be great to have once they were older: a sporty red car, a great job, and their own place.  Once they examined some of the adult responsibilities that came with those items, the chorus was simple to write:  “I’ve got the ‘Can’t Wait ‘til I’m Older, so I can Wish I were Younger’ Blues.”

Perhaps another day I will write a song for adults to sing as we wish we were carefree kids again! That song will have to wait for another day though. Right now I have to deal with cleaning and shopping and laundry and errands and bills and taxes………

Teaching Tips

    Introduce the song and create an emotional connection by having a discussion.

• Discuss the title of the song. What do you think the composer is going to write about in the song?
• Discuss things that adults can do that children wish they could do (e.g. own a car, have their own house, etc.)
• Are there things that children can do that adults wish they could do? (e.g. playing in the yard while someone else makes dinner, not needing to grocery shop, etc.)

Talk about the blues scale, flatted thirds and accidentals. Find places in the music where the blues notes and accidentals are used.

Listen to the descending blues scale at the end of the song. Practice this several times to become comfortable with the tricky intervals before singing the entire song.

Discuss 12/8 meter. Each of the four beats are subdivided into 3 eighth notes. Count to four while clapping three times on each beat to get used to the feeling of 12/8 meter.

Improvise your own notes and/or lyrics for one (or more!) of the verses. You may create new lyrics, or scat your melody.

• You are invited to send us your performance of The "Can't Wait 'til I'm Older" Blues. Maybe your video will be featured here on this page.
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