Season 163 : April Fools, Tricksters and Twisted Tunes

Here's a great, foolish love song from one of Jamaica's great songwriters, Bob Andy:



Don't take any wooden nickels, y'all. Thanks for a fun Season, Tommy.

IamNoMan said:

Before I joined the Seasonistas I became interested in the songs and music of George Formby. I started a thread and got a lot of valuable input from the UU crowd, including many of you. My study of Formby languished after a while for two reasons. 1. I became a Seasonista and the weekly challenges took up much of my practice time. 2. My banjolele has a very low action on the 4th string, (groove in nut from previous linear tuning). I have resisted changing the tuning on it to linear but I suspect UAS will soon cause me to purchase a soprano banjolele, (I originally planned for May anyway). Well here's how I'm doing so far. My earlier video.

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Tommy! Don't stop! Lovely bit of George there! You just made my night! And thanks for a great week. I hope you enjoyed it yourself!

barefootgypsy said:

Tommy! Don't stop! Lovely bit of George there! You just made my night! And thanks for a great week. I hope you enjoyed it yourself!

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Thank you so very much Lesley. I have enjoyed my season as I hope you will enjoy yours. I really enjoyed your Formby this week. I hope I can start to approach the level of your solos.

myrnaukelele said:

There are a lot of "twisted tunes" in old time music. Often they add an extra measure at the end. However mostly these tunes are fiddle tunes and you just follow the fiddler (and remember to play that extra measure at the end). They are also referred to as "crooked tunes".

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I once saw Dave Swarbrick play with Martin Carthy. He said "All our music is in 'one' time. This next tune is in seventeen ones."

This song sort of fits this weeks theme. It certainly fits the day. It is based on a Shaker Dance Tune. It's about a guy who certainly knew all the tricks. To all of you who are Christians: "He is Risen".

IamNoMan said:

Thank you so very much Lesley. I have enjoyed my season as I hope you will enjoy yours. I really enjoyed your Formby this week. I hope I can start to approach the level of your solos.

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That's kind of you to say so, Tommy - the Formby solos... in fact they are fiendish to get a grip on, and when you can do the split-stroke and the finger-lifts it's very hard to do them fast in a song... I still can't do it fast enough! Of course the youngsters do pick it up in no time - because they're youngsters! The thing is to stick with it and keep practising! I can recommend some facebook groups that will help.... I'll message you on there! Bless you Tommy - it's been a fun week - gotta get back to the fair now!

uke4ia said:

I once saw Dave Swarbrick play with Martin Carthy. He said "All our music is in 'one' time. This next tune is in seventeen ones."

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I saw Dave Swarbrick play a couple of times - he's from my home town - last time he was in his wheelchair with oxygen, but still fiddling beautifully! He's incredible -

SOTU 163 Update #8 Wrap up.

Here are the last day's entries for Season 163 "April Fools, Tricksters and Twisted Tunes"

Ukulele Underground, Kickstarter New UU ULTRA Wide Neck Ukulele, Aldrine pops up with an April fools spoof. Our UU Webmaster does qualify as a Trickster!


UkeCan1, Party Pieces: Silly Face Tricks, Not bad Wendy. That's one of the problems with party pieces. you get started on them and they breed like rabbits. I'll sedyer peep and raise you a chocolate bunny.


OnlyUkeThatMatters, I Would Be a Fool (Bob Andy), Oh Ralf this is such a nice cover. Your stage presence is excellent and you clearly are enjoying yourself. The Seasons really do make a difference don't they?


IamNoMan, When I'm Cleaning Windows


IamNoMan, Lord of the Dance, Make a Joyous Noise, 4.5.2015

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to making this a wonderful season. You'all get No Prizes this week and The Cincinnati Children's Hospital gets the $100 as promised. I will wait a couple of days to post a wrap up video in case there are any late entries.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to making this a wonderful season. You'all get No Prizes this week and The Cincinnati Children's Hospital gets the $100 as promised. I will wait a couple of days to post a wrap up video in case there are any late entries.

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Kids causes are always worthy of a first prize, well done mate.