Reunion Songs
A contrafactum is a composition that makes use of an existing piece of music with different lyrics. At our reunion we enjoyed singing along with eight (8) contrafactums: Graduation Song, Memories by the Number, Ode for Class of ’72, You are my Nursing Friend, Hey Look us Over, Achy Breaky Bones, One of of Two Ain’t Bad and She Looks Like I need a Drink. What we lacked in musical talent we made up for in enthusiasm!
Our Graduation Song
What a friend we have in Time,
Gives us children, makes us wine
Tells us what to take or leave behind.
And the gifts of growing old
Are the stories to be told
Of the feelings more precious than gold.
Student days are seldom long,
Patient’s praise is nurse’s song
Friends with YouGives us all the hope to carry on.
Friends, I will remember you,
Think of you,
Pray for you,
And when another day is through,
I’ll still be friends with you.
REPEAT
Original Lyrics by Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert; Sung by John Denver
Adapted for Graduation Song by the Class of 1972
Memories by the Number
Chorus:
Now, we’ve got memories by the number, stories by the score
50 years goes by fast but we’re still nurses to the core
Yes, we’ve got memories by the number, stories that do not dim
And the day that we stop all stories that’s the day our world will end.
Memory number one was in September
West Lane residence our assigned meeting place
And memory number two was in October
First time patients got to see our smiling face
Memory number three was in January
That four-dollar cheque a welcome sight to see
We joyfully anticipated each rotation
Worked and played hard for three whole years
Memory number four was graduation
We proudly held our roses on display
And memory number five came at 10 years
We partied at the curling club til the light of day
Memory number six came at our 20th
At the cottage we all met full of cheer
And memory number seven was reunion 30
In the hot tub we swapped stories over a beer
Chorus
Memory number eight was our 35th
Memramcook the site where we went to stay
Each night there were stories and laughter
Wine tours and pampering the order of the day
Memory number nine was our 40th
Nostalgia night reminded us of our past fun
And memory number ten came at year 45
We walked along the river and all enjoyed the sun
Memory number eleven will soon be history
50 years and we still have lots to say
With hopeful heart we’ve waited for your knock on our door
We’ve waited and prayed that Covid would go away.
Chorus x ii
Original Lyrics Heartaches by the Number by Harlan Howard & Sung by Ray Price
Adapted for 1972 MHSN 50th Reunion by Gail Blair Storr
Ode for Class of '72
Here’s a reminder today of ‘72
To show us what we’ve all been up to
As our minds race back in time
We pray oh Lord don’t let it show
How much we’ve aged since 50 years ago
Chorus:
Fifty years ago and we don’t look the same
Pardon me if I can’t remember your name
I’m as young inside as if it’s only been a week or so
It takes a mighty strong bond to keep us nurses thinking of
The friendships made those 50 years ago
Memories of nursing years one through three
That will last us through all eternity
We’ve tried hard to make our school proud as far as we all know
We nursing graduates of fifty years ago.
Chorus x ii
Original Lyrics 15 Years Ago by Raymond Smith & Sung by Conway Twitty
Adapted for 1972 MHSN Reunion by Gail Blair Storr
You are My Nursing Friend
The other night friend as I lay sleeping
I dreamed we were in training again
When I awoke friend, I was mistaken
And I hung my head and I sighed.
Chorus:
You are my friend, my true-blue nursing friend
You make me happy when skies are gray
You’ll never know friend how much I miss you
Promise me my friend that you’ll stay
Always remember and we’ll be happy
Even if we can’t stay the same
But when you go home when our reunion is over
Don’t forget the fun that we had
Chorus x ii
Original Song You are my Sunshine by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell
Adapted for 1972 MHSN 50th Reunion by Gail Blair Storr
Hey Look us Over
Hey look us over, lend us an ear
We’ve been out of nursing for 50 years
No longer students, we’re all getting old
We’re celebrating 50 years
We’re all Alumnae now
And so, here we are to party old MHSN friends
No dancing now without our Depends
And with aches, pains and hot flashes
We’re ready to celebrate!
So, look out Moncton here we come!
Original Lyrics Hey Look us Over by Carolyn Leigh & Cy Coleman
Adapted for 1972 MHSN 50th Reunion by Gail Blair Storr
Achy Breaky Bones
You can tell the world I am a retired nurse
You can keep my grad pin when I am gone
You can tell your friends a Moncton grad I’ve been
And laugh and joke about me growing old
You can tell my arms go back to the gym
You can tell my feet to hit the floor
Or you can remind my hips these old retired hips
That nurses really do know how to jive.
Chorus:
But don’t tell my bones
My achy breaky bones
I just don’t think they’ll understand
No don’t you tell my bones
My achy breaky bones
They’re nearing the end of their lifespan
First find Louise tell her anything you please
But promise me you won’t make her laugh
Cause if she laughs you know the urine just might flow
Like it did in student days long ago
Each of us is older our bladders now leak too
So to be safe we advise cast off your shoes
While our bodies are older our spirits are young
And our Reunion finally has begun Chorus
Now find our two Donnas and ask them to start a conga line
Or you could find June and ask her to play the spoons
To try and keep our Lindas in conga time
How about it, Phyllis promise you won’t kill us
If we ask you to find Francine and Mary
You needn’t be wary they’re not at all scary
They’re just itching to join in on the fun. Chorus
Tell our three Joannes they do not need a fan
You can tell them they’ll have lots of fun
Or you can tell Gail her songs really fail
But as a nursing grad you’ll join the dance
Go get Marlene you know she will be keen
You know we all love to see her smile
Or tell both our Nancys we don’t need anything fancy
We just need them to join us on the floor. Chorus
Now it’s Wanda’s turn tell her not to look so stern
Helen and Paula are on the side waiting too
Both Pats would like to join but they’re acting shy
Send Gerry in to liven up this crowd
Judy’s over there smiling she thinks she is off the hook
Let’s give her the come-hither look
50 years later we still have lots of fun
As we Moncton Nursing Grads celebrate. Chorus
Marilyn is over there staring she wants to join us too
Let’s make room for Joan and Mary Lou
Doreen can grab Noreen they’ll be very serene
As they join their Moncton classmates one more time
Encourage Anne and Cheryl to cheer us from the sides
We know they are filled with Moncton pride
Our 50-year reunion should be a blast
Our friendships were always meant to last! Chorus x ii
Original Lyrics Achy Breaky Heart by Don Von Tress & Sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
Adapted for 1972 MHSN 50th Reunion by Gail Blair Storr
One out of Two Ain't Bad
Friends, we can talk all night
But it ain’t like we’re twenty again
We’ll tell every story we possibly can
There’ll be nothin’ left inside of here
It may only be for two nights
But that’ll never change the way that we feel
The hours are slowly fading away on us
I wish we never had to leave here
We’ve poured it on and we’ve poured it out
We tried to show you how just much we care
We’ll laugh and cry ‘til we’re too hoarse to shout
Yes, we’ve grown old it’s been so long
There’ll be laughter mixed among our tears
And all I can do, is keep tellin’ you
We’re 70 in the 20’s
There a’int no way we’re 20 in the 70’s
Now don’t be sad , don’t be sad ‘
Cause one out of two ain’t bad
Now don’t be sad
Cause one out of two ain’t bad
Original Song Two out of Three Ain’t Bad Lyrics Jim Steinman; Sung by Meatloaf
Adapted for 1972 MHSN 50th Reunion by Gail Blair Storr
Visit to Katie's Office - She Looks Like I Need a Drink
I could tell by the way Katie looked across that desk
That I wasn’t gonna like what she had to say
I could tell this time I may have crossed that line
I made a mistake I’m here to learn my fate
Now she’s at her desk, I’m a wreck inside as I walk in through that door
Chorus
She looks like I need a drink right now
She looks like she’s not gonna let me down
Nice and easy
She signals for me to sit down
She’s not dancin’ around what she plans to do
It scares me too
And all I can think, the way she’s looking at me
She looks like I need a drink
Third time this year that I’ve been standing right here
And I am nervous with very good reason
Now it’s a little bit hard I’m not gonna catch her off guard
Still I sit here and tryin’ not to show her my feelings
Chorus
I don’t know how this ends or where this goes
But the only thing I know is
Chorus
Yeah, she looks like I need a drink right now
Katie, I need a drink,
Yeah a nice stiff drink
Original Song You Look Like I Need a Drink Lyrics by Matthew Peters Dragstrem , Natalie Hemby & Rodney Clawson; Sung by Justin Moore
Adapted for 1972 MHSN 50th Reunion by Gail Blair Storr