Season 162: Desert Island Ukes

For Season 162 of the Ukulele, the theme is "Desert Island Ukes". "Opel", by Syd Barrett, is an amazingly surreal song that evokes that "lonelier than lonely" quality of a "distant shore"; where distance from our normal world is both literal and metaphorical.



LYRICS:
On a distant shore, miles from land stands the ebony totem in ebony sand
a dream in a mist of gray... on a far distant shore...

The pebble that stood alone and driftwood lies half buried
warm shallow waters sweep shells so the cockles shine...

A bare winding carcass, stark shimmers as flies scoop up meat, an empty way...
dry tears... crisp black squeaks tall reeds
make a circle of gray in a summer way, around man stood on ground...

I'm trying I'm trying to find you
To find you
I'm living, I'm giving,
To find you, To find you,
I'm living, I'm living,
I'm trying, I'm giving
 
UkeCan1 said:
Imagine a world without Gilligan's Island! Hard to fathom. The main "song from the series" is the show's theme song, which tells the story of how the 7 castaways got that way. One of my old singalong groups favorite things to do was to take the words of this silly song and sing them to any tune named. I did it a while back to "House of the Rising Sun", and then let Rex pose me a challenge song ... he chose "Johnny B. Goode". Recently Tommy did a way cleverer mashup than mine of the Gilligan theme, HOTRS, and "Amazing Grace". I have a playlist for "Gilligan's Island"-related silliness such as this. I have a very full week, but I might have to give Tommy's song a go.
Click to expand...




A local radio station used to play "Stairway to Gilligan's Island" by Little Roger and the Goosebumps.
 
Every little thing is gonna be all right ... Three Little Birds

The first thing I would want to do, if I found myself marooned on a desert island, is to reassure myself, with a happy island tune, that every little thing is gonna be all right.



This song's been on my "do" list for a while ... happy for the perfect opportunity to learn it. Busy week ... I'd love to do some fun Gilligan-ish mashup-y stuff and so forth ... probably will not have time. (But then, you've heard me say that before....)

(I guess between the Chicken Dance and this, I've just done four birds this morning.)
 
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Long ago and far away in Bailey de Hob there lived an Ukulele player named Tommy. He took a job as BBQ chef on a Cruise with St Brendan. Stay Tuned for the next installment.
 
Great idea Geoff. Desert island makes me think of laying on the beach at night, listening to the sea, giving new names to a million constellations. Nature would get me through it. Home on the Range, thanks again to you all for watching.

 
Beneath My Coconut Tree

Away from home again. Wrote this this morning. Bed hair - in my pajamas and a very rough take on my laptop.


paoriginal

Ain’t got no worries
I’m feelin’ real free
Ain’t got no worries
Beneath this coconut tree

Feelin’ real happy
Nothin’ bugging me
Feelin’ so happy
Beneath my coconut tree

Come and join me
It’s a great place to be
Come and join me
Beneath my coconut tree

The sun is shining but I’ve got a shady place
I’m contented got a big smile on my face
 
First Batch of Comments

A great start. Some excellent entries already.

xommen "Some days are better than others". Good official opener Wim. Appropriate sentiments for the theme. It definitely had "U2" written all over it.

UkeFoote "Opel" This song has a surreal quality which suits the theme and which your performance captures very nicely.

UkeCan1 "Three Little Birds". I see Wendy you are getting into role for this season and ever the optimist - everything will be alright. I like it and well performed. Your Flea is perfect for this season, of course.

Wee_ginga_yin "My Oh My". I see you are looking back while sitting on your island. A classic Rob performance. Excellently done. Toy uke? doesn't sound like one there. It suits the performance.

IamNoMan "St Brendan's Fair Isle" I'm not familiar with this song but it's obviously a modern, light hearted take on an ancient legend. Good choice and nicely done.

bonesoup "Home on the Range" An interesting choice but it is definitely appropriate even though it was written with somewhere else in mind.

Pabrizzer "Beneath my Coconut Tree" I like it. Great Original looking on the brighter side of life and the Flea sounds great.
 
162nd Entry 1:

So I'm sitting there on the beach of this desert island looking out over the waves where the wreckage of my ship that has stranded me floats. And I think of my loved one somewhere Beyond The Reef.

 
Uh-oh, Rex! Clearly Pabrizzer has failed to heed your (and Rustyy's) warning about the dangers of coconuts from earlier in the thread....
Even I said I wouldn't be so foolhardy as to lie under one!

Tootler said:
UkeCan1 "Three Little Birds". I see Wendy you are getting into role for this season and ever the optimist - everything will be alright. I like it and well performed. Your Flea is perfect for this season, of course.
Click to expand...

Geoff, thanks! Had I ever left that role? Surely not. :)
Yeah, Rex pointed out earlier the appropriateness of Tiki Uki for this theme.
(The new Epiphone will have to wait for rock week or something.)
 
162nd Entry 2:

As I sit on a busted old crate that use to hold crabs I wiggle my toes in the sand of this desert island beach. I recall a beach long ago and far away where I held the one I loved.

Hey look over there! A soccer ball!

 
Tootler said:
A great start. Some excellent entries already.

xommen "Some days are better than others". Good official opener Wim. Appropriate sentiments for the theme. It definitely had "U2" written all over it.

UkeFoote "Opel" This song has a surreal quality which suits the theme and which your performance captures very nicely.

UkeCan1 "Three Little Birds". I see Wendy you are getting into role for this season and ever the optimist - everything will be alright. I like it and well performed. Your Flea is perfect for this season, of course.

Wee_ginga_yin "My Oh My". I see you are looking back while sitting on your island. A classic Rob performance. Excellently done. Toy uke? doesn't sound like one there. It suits the performance.

IamNoMan "St Brendan's Fair Isle" I'm not familiar with this song but it's obviously a modern, light hearted take on an ancient legend. Good choice and nicely done.

bonesoup "Home on the Range" An interesting choice but it is definitely appropriate even though it was written with somewhere else in mind.

Pabrizzer "Beneath my Coconut Tree" I like it. Great Original looking on the brighter side of life and the Flea sounds great.
Click to expand...
Gee, thanks for totally ignoring my entry Geoff. Much appreciated. Slap in the face duly received. Oh, don't be troubled in "not discounting it", I'll save you the trouble. :rolleyes:
 
Hippie Dribble said:
Gee, thanks for totally ignoring my entry Geoff. Much appreciated. Slap in the face duly received. Oh, don't be troubled in "not discounting it", I'll save you the trouble. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Your entry's not been ignored. There's a comment on You Tube but I forgot to copy and paste it into the comment list on the thread. I was busy setting up the playlist - your entry's first in the playlist and copying it into the thread got overlooked. My apologies.

Which reminds me I need to link the playlist in the OP.
 
Well, personally, I think if you are stranded on a desert island, the most important thing to have is a good attitude. You may just be there a while, so why not lean back and relax.

You know, groove on your situation. Like this watery fellow here seems to be doing.

 
Thanks for the wonderful theme, Geoff.
This is what I will sing.
Let's say I have been stuck there for...months....
and badly need a song to lift up my spirits and remind me to stay alive.

PS: I got a cold...blocked nose and slight sore throat...
but I'm free to record it today
so here it is.

 
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Tootler said:
A great start. Some excellent entries already.

xommen "Some days are better than others". Good official opener Wim. Appropriate sentiments for the theme. It definitely had "U2" written all over it.

UkeFoote "Opel" This song has a surreal quality which suits the theme and which your performance captures very nicely.

UkeCan1 "Three Little Birds". I see Wendy you are getting into role for this season and ever the optimist - everything will be alright. I like it and well performed. Your Flea is perfect for this season, of course.

Wee_ginga_yin "My Oh My". I see you are looking back while sitting on your island. A classic Rob performance. Excellently done. Toy uke? doesn't sound like one there. It suits the performance.

IamNoMan "St Brendan's Fair Isle" I'm not familiar with this song but it's obviously a modern, light hearted take on an ancient legend. Good choice and nicely done.

bonesoup "Home on the Range" An interesting choice but it is definitely appropriate even though it was written with somewhere else in mind.

Pabrizzer "Beneath my Coconut Tree" I like it. Great Original looking on the brighter side of life and the Flea sounds great.
Click to expand...

Thank you Geoff!
 
If stranded on a desert isle, it's probably best to remain optimistic!

 
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