Sing-a-long guide for 2016 voters

It’s funny how music accompanies virtually every phase of our lives.

Each era produces a plethora of songs that we remember long after they were pop chart hits.

Down through the decades, presidential candidates not only selected slogans for their campaigns, but they added various vocal renditions that fit their personalities and serve as vehicles to rev up rally crowds. For instance, Bill Clinton’s 1992 run for the White House featured Fleetwood Mac’s anthem, “Don’t Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow).” Republican Mitt Romney’s backers heard a lot of Kid Rock’s “Born Free” out on the stump. Texan George W. Bush chose Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” as his descant on the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

And the catchy 1932 tune, “Happy Days Are Here Again,” will forever be associated with Franklin D. Roosevelt’s bid for and ultimate election as commander-in-chief.

Choosing a president is serious business given the challenges American citizens face in coping with an ever-changing world. But, a little levity never hurts — especially now with the unusual tenor of the current national contest between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. And, who knows? A little bit of humor might even help lower the temperature of some of the rhetoric coming from persons in both major political parties.

I’m an admitted “old-school” soul, thus most of the songs found here are from the 1950s and the 1960s. Perhaps one or more of these titles might tickle readers’ fancy or come close to describing how many members of the electorate feel about the choices before them in November. • “You Talk Too Much” (Joe Jones). • “Cry” (Johnnie Ray). • “Ain’t That A Shame (Fats Domino). • “Yakety Yak” (The Coasters). • “Don’t Be Cruel (Elvis Presley). • “That’ll Be The Day” (Buddy Holly and The Crickets). • “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (Jerry Lee Lewis). • “Money Honey” (The Drifters). • “Devil or Angel” (Bobby Vee). • “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” (Connie Francis). • “Baby, You’ve Got What It Takes” (Dinah Washington and Brook Benton). • “Wild One” (Bobby Rydell). • “The Great Pretender” (The Platters). • “Let The Good Times Roll (Shirley and Lee). • “Help!” (The Beatles). Because both Trump and Clinton have high unfavorable ratings, it’s in vogue for voters to disdain both and vow to sit out this presidential election. Hopefully, they won’t because the stakes are too high.

Permit this writer to borrow a song from 1970 that cautions people about “Burning Bridges” (Mike Curb Congregation).