Season 179 - I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue

There is a BBC Radio 4 institution, a radio comedy panel show where old comedians go to try and stay awake for 30 mins whilst indulging themselves in witty parlour games to amuse the regular listener. This has been going on for over 40 years and is still going strong. The show proffers a number of different rounds, many of them musical, or at least have musical intent!

For SOTU 179 I give you, “I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue”… the antidote to panel games…

Round One - One Song To The Tune Of Another (Video Round)
This regular round is the bones of the season. Quite simply, you take the words from one song and sing them to the tune of another song… so if you were to sing, oh I don’t know, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana to the tune of “When I’m Cleaning Windows” by George Formby, it would sound something like this…



Now this is a comedy radio show and as such most of the songs they choose have a comedic edge albeit sometimes unintentionally! But you can take this seriously and adapt quality lyrics and give them a new edge or meaning by attaching them to a very different melody and style. It’s entirely up to you… it’s a fun week, but I think this “game” can also create something pretty moving.

Round Two - Ukulele Songbook (Written Round)
This is a written round only! Outrageous! No videos required, it’s just a bit of thread based fun while you practise round one. This will also have no influence on the prize giving, just type and be silly. It’s another classic “Clue” round and all you have to do is take a song title and substitute part of the title with a ukulele pun or associated word. Extra kudos if you can get a pun in the artist as well as the song title!

So I’ll start us off shall I…

• Strum As You Are - Nirvana
• When Will I See Uke Again - The Flea Degrees

The Prizes
A final regular round is The Uxbridge English Dictionary. The panelists submit alternate meanings for words in the English dictionary and a collection of some of the best have been published in a rather silly book. There are THREE copies of the book up for grabs this week. This is just the prize, alternate meanings of words are not part of this Season as it’s got nothing to do with the ukulele, it’s just a cool “Clue” thing you can win.

I will indulge myself this Season and pick three joint winners personally. I have no preconceived ideas what will impress me, I just want to see what you come up with and take it from there.

Good luck, enjoy and HAVE FUN!!!

Here’s the Official Season Playlist

Oh and the rules are as usual…

• No videos posted before Sunday morning, July 19, Hawaii time.
• Say or note that it’s for Season 179.
• Post up as many tunes as you like!
• Season ends Sunday, July 26, at a minute before midnight, Hawaii time.
• Multitracking, looping, duets are all fine... anything goes but the uke must be up front and centre
• Songwriters can create their own words as long as the tune is written by someone else or vice versa… otherwise it’s just a new song innit

OMG I don't even, but that intro video was fabulous. I love it!

Holy schneikes, this will be fun!

I already have an entry for Round Two, but I'm not jumping the gun!

Most of my playing/singing sounds like I have the wrong time

ISIHAC. Best programme on the radio and a new season started last week

I reckon you should have incorporated a game of Mornington Crescent into the week :biglaugh:

While you're thinking of entries for this week, don't forget there is still a day and a bit of Season 178 to go.

A letter to Eleanor.

OK
Here is the lyrics of Beds are Burning. A political song about land rights for aboriginals by Midnight Oil.
To the tune of Click Go the Shears.
The irony is intended as the pastoralists were responsible for most of the dispossession of the native people of Australia.
Very rough as I have the flu. We spent most days last week babysitting an ill grandson. This week they are off to Fiji and I have what he had.


The mummbled beginning of verse two should be "Four wheels scare the cockatoos".

Round Two: The Dreadnoughts -- Katie Barre the Chord

<drops mic>

Round 2
All I Want is Uke by Uke2

This is the lyrics of One by Metallica set to the music of One by U2, which makes this still a song called One. I added some percussion and vocals just for fun.

ubulele said:

Who has time to learn the rules??

Click to expand...

We can just keep it simple and use the kamakawiwoʻole variation?
I'll start with a traditional opening gambit...

Walthamstow Central

wee_ginga_yin : A perfect start to the Season, that's brilliantly done Rob! The lyrics of Eleanor Rigby are totally transformed and feel wonderfully natural to the Fats Waller tune. Top job Sir!

pabrizzer : Firstly Sir, thank you for giving your all to my Season despite your flu! I hope you feel better soon. As for the tune... LOVE IT! The chorus lyrics are just perfect... "how can we sleep when our beds are burning" into that lovely riff is bang on the money. A great choice of songs too and the irony adds a whole extra level of intrigue. Clever stuff Brian!

xommen : Very very clever Wim, that's a whole extra brownie point right there! I love the shaker too (I'm a sucker for a shaker). I actually prefer what you've done with the Metallica lyrics to their own version... you've added some extra feeling, depth and meaning to the words. Very well done my friend. One + One = One. Who knew!

Three in and you've already blown my mind! I knew the Seasonistas' genius would be up for the challenge. Keep it coming!!!

And keep round two coming too... I shall endeavor to add a new one every time I post up some comments... so I may get desperate by the end of the week!!

• "D - D U - U D U Town" - Petula Clark

And don't forget you've still time to wow Tootler in Geoff's amazing Season 178 kids!!!!

(sorry I've not had chance to enter Geoff, I've been sunning myself in Spain)

Samantha is known for her lovely ditties. She tells me this is one of her favourites ;-)

I have one for the Uxbridge Dictionary.

Baritone - sound frequency emitted by Barry.

mikef said:

We can just keep it simple and use the kamakawiwoʻole variation?
I'll start with a traditional opening gambit...

Walthamstow Central

Click to expand...

In that case, I'll play the Wonderful world tuck

Kings Cross & St. Pancras

Round 2: Whole Lotta Strum - Led Ukelin

Clap your hands if you feel that irony is for you!

Hey mike and everybody -

I likely won’t be able to participate this week, as I’m off to Toronto to attend the James Hill Ukulele Institute, and the day after I get back I’m flying out to the Big Island for a family vacation.

This will be my second year at the Institute, where I’m learning how to teach the James Hill/Chalmers Doane ukulele method. Beyond being a fantabulous player, James is really an amazing teacher and ambassador for the ukulele… his method resembles more of a music conservatory course of study (being that it is notation-based with a lot of integration of music theory), yet it remains fun and informal.

I’ll try to check out some of your posts; have a great Season (wow… what a challenging theme, Mike)!

-B

PS - I'll at least give your round two a go:

"Peghead Sue" by the Hollow Bodies

UkeFoote said:

Hey mike and everybody -

This will be my second year at the Institute, where I’m learning how to teach the James Hill/Chalmers Doane ukulele method. Beyond being a fantabulous player, James is really an amazing teacher and ambassador for the ukulele… his method resembles more of a music conservatory course of study (being that it is notation-based with a lot of integration of music theory), yet it remains fun and informal.

"Peghead Sue" by the Hollow Bodies

Click to expand...

Whereas my method is more of a non-music Shed of coarse study.... Just hit the bloody things strings with a finger and frantically move your left hand randomly up and down the neck...the Ukelele neck...your own neck...a Turkey neck ...any bodies neck . Spasmodically poking at various strings !!!!!!:nana::biglaugh: