Season 306 "Blue will find us, and the sun"

305

resubmitting this song. I had video and audio sync issues with the last one.

Jon and Joo seeing you two getting together has brought some happiness to me.

I hope and wish like mad but sometimes .....

I think there may be a glimmer of hope at the end of the song .......



Written for and inspired by your season j&j.

Blue certainly finds me, hopefully so will the sun....

"moving to a higher vibration"

can we, as humans, as individuals, and as a species, evolve a bit, spiritually and mentally, and in how we carry ourselves in the world? probably not! but it's a nice thought!

Nothing personal here, but a bit of a positive look in to the future for this protagonist..
From Ross Wilson's "Go Bongo, Go wild" album

Had a bonza Christmas Day yesterday with all of my descendants.
Having a quiet, lazy Boxing Day today.
A beaut George Harrison song.
Endings and beginnings I guess....

Hi again, Joo and Jon! On a more serious note this time, in keeping with this week's theme ... "Marlene" has disappeared along with what was left of my voice! I wanted to do this, though, and time was pressing as we are returning to the "Mother Country" tomorrow for a few days.

Yes .... a time of reflection! These past six months have been a nightmare for me, as my husband has been dangerously ill and I feared (indeed, I was told) that I was going to lose him. On a more minor note, at the same time, and owing to circumstances completely beyond my control, I have had to come to terms with the increasingly hurtful and unpredictable behaviour of someone I held/hold very dear to me. I am so thankful to be able to say that, with the New Year just around the corner, Harry, my husband, has made a miraculous recovery and that, hopefully, the other business is on the way to being resolved; I, can, therefore, start 2018 with a feeling of optimism.

But, looking forward, I think I need a timely reminder of how to live and the words of this song are what I would wish for the future for everyone I love and about whom I care. Thinking particularly of you Both, Joo and Jon, in this time of new beginnings for you, but sent with love to all Seasonistas. HAPPY NEW YEAR ... I HOPE YOU DANCE!!!

(And P.S., sorry about the voice!)

To our hosts a huge congratulations on the occasion of formalizing your togetherness! - it’s simply amazing that you have found each other. We have all drawn great enjoyment watching you two come together right in front of us!!! I’m so very happy for you.

For your season of hope in troubled times, I could think of no better expression than the song we’ve put together here. This is “Ain’t No Reason” by Brett Dennen. Brian sings, whistles, and plays baritone and bass ukuleles; Ani plays synthesizer and adds some vocals as well.



We’ll be playing this and other tunes in a concert January 27 2018 at Woodstock Ukulele Studio on Portland, Oregon Territory

one last note: the Martin baritone used in this video is for sale

Joo and Jon, I'm so happy you're sharing the next phase of your journey with us!

I hope I didn't botch this old Tull song too badly ...

No backstory on this one. It was just the first thing that came into my head when I read the theme.

306

Song about a guy going home to a love and giving up traveling.

Thank you everyone for the entries.
Beautiful, heartfelt stuff everyone.
Please keep bringing more!

Here are the comments to the entries so far.

The Cloverdale Kid "we can get better" Frank Turner
way to kick things off Lefty. thanks for introducing us to Mr Frank. super performance mate, you put it all out there like always. the road rising up to meet me. aye. love joojoo and pancho

pabrizzer " Travel Happy Travel Well"
one of the few times we don't even know what to say Brian. we love this so much, felt every word, felt your love and friendship. such a beautiful, beautiful lyric and melody. we're humbled and moved. wishing you and your family all our love. j&j

pabrizzer "The Birds and the Bees"
Absolutely stunning version Brian. Wow! Free and easy as the birds and the bees. Hard to imagine a better interpretation. Totally smashed it and put your soul all over it. so much love from us. j&j

Wim van ommen "Red Flag Day" U2
This is a super choice of song Wim, the contradiction, the tension between hope and fear. You always play with such depth of feeling and you really have got that U2 sound down. warmest wishes to you and your family brother. j&j

berni armstrong "The Song Continues On"
Perfectly structured song Berni. The story is something itself, but the lyrics you've used to tell it, the flow of each verse into the chorus really lifts the melody and sense of reconciliation the song comes to terms with. Beautifully written, played and sung. Thank you for re-posting it this week brother. Love from us. j&j

steve phillips "I Can See Clearly Now" Johnny Nash
Such a lovely song, Steve and it is a perfect match for your voice. There's a gentleness and sincerity in your vocal that makes your music so easy to listen to - we could feel this coming from your heart. The uke sounds rich and warm too. love from j&j

Ryan Bridgett-Blake "One Day Like This" Elbow
You play and sing these songs so well, Ryan. Your voice on this is so raw and passionate and shows the feeling you must have been experiencing on the day. Thanks for sharing the story with us mate. A beautiful day for sure. Guess her mind was on other things at the registry This is really excellent. love from us brother j&j

ukulele extra cheese "Never Been Any Reason" Head East
What an awesome song cheese. We both really appreciate the songs you choose always and the way you play and sing. Super rhythm you have going here and the percussive stuff really adds to the groove. glad you are in for this week mate and hope you keep sharing more next year. did we mention the art work on that uke? Fantastic. j&j

Limousin Lil "The Birds and the Bees"
Great energy you brought to this Val and thanks for singing the intro too. We both really like your voice on this one, maybe the cold is a blessing in disguise sometimes. have a lovely Christmas and new year with the family. j&j

pabrizzer "Carry On" JJ Cale
Wow Brian. Dunno what made you think of this song but it's perfect and your version is as good as it gets to us. We've said to you before; the depth of soul, the world-weariness in your voice just lays everything bare. This song is such a good example of that, why we both love your music so much. j&j

Old Gardener Guy "One Heart" Rory McCleod
the choice of song, the arrangement, the mix, the stark beauty and sadness of the images. you're able to marry each of these things together to create a deeply moving and stunning work of art, Rob. thank you so much. this utterly blew us away.

UkeintheHeartofTexas "Stand by Me" Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Alan, your music is always from the heart, it's always deeply affecting. Thank you for sharing that background to why you played this song for us this week. Don't stop doing what you do. j&j

Joko MacKenna "Father and Son" Cat Stevens
We love you Joko. Thanks for years of stories and laughs and great music brother. j&j

Mark C "Morning Has Broken" Cat Stevens
Very nice, Mark. Beautifully played arrangement. We loved the framing of the shot, the mood of it, the dark and light, how the door in the background was open. Hope 2018 brings good things brother. j&j

Jazzbanjorex "Putting Us Away"
It's an excellent song, Rex and the lyrics fit the theme of this week perfectly. your voice is sounding superb and the playing is great as always. We also loved the spaceship background, very telling. We hope for good things for you and your family in the coming year. j&j

pabrizzer "Where?"
Superb song Brian. We both feel the truth of these words too. you clothed it in the most appropriate melody and the harmonica and recorder magnify the sense of loneliness and despair. glad the theme inspired you cause you sure inspire us. j&j

BirdsEyeViewOfMyUke "moving to a higher vibration"
the mix, the way the uke has that airy, verby sorta 70's sound that matches the lyrics and the video, and the lyrics are super! and we love your earthy, warm vocal too Lynda. thanks for writing such a fantastic song for the week. have a great new year and 2018. j&j

Rustyy "Xmas Card" Ross Wilson
eh Rusty, you brought Ross Wilson! It's an excellent song mate, can almost see the hint of a smile on your face as you're playing it! We love the mix, the effect on the uke and the strong vocal on top, sung with such conviction. You sold it. thanks Rusty, one of our favourites of yours. have a great new year. j&j

pabrizzer "All Things Must Pass" George Harrison
one of the loveliest versions of this song we've heard, Brian. Inspired choice for this week and a sublime performance mate. Makes us wish we'd chosen this as the theme song for the season. side by side with several of your other songs this week, there's a lightness and peace in your voice here. it is beautiful to listen to. j&j

Limousin Lil "I Hope You Dance" Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers
We can hear and feel the sincerity in your voice, Val. You sang it with such love and tenderness. Felt it. The way the uke carried that driving rhythm only made the lyrics reach us deeper. Fantastic choice of song for this season too and for a new year, looking ahead. Thank you for bringing this. We love you. j&j.

Fleffikon "Ain't No Reason" Brett Dennen
One of the finest things we've heard for sometime, Brian and Ani. We had the shivers. Such a sweet arrangement and warmth in the mix and wow, what a crazy awesome song. Amazing, love it so, so much. Thanks for playing for us this week. Wishing you both every success in the coming year with the new studio and all that's ahead. j&j


306

Another song about going home. IMHO

Comfort and Consolation that you are not alone

Lyrics.
I sing myself to sleep A song from the darkest hour
Secrets I can't keep In sight of the day
Swing from high to deep Extremes of sweet and sour
Hope that God exists I hope, I pray
Drawn by the undertow My life is out of control
I believe this wave will bear my weight So let it flow
Oh sit down Oh sit down Oh sit down Sit down next to me
Sit down, down, down, down, down In sympathy
Now I'm relieved to hear That you've been to some far out places
It's hard to carry on When you feel all alone
Now I've swung back down again And it's worse than it was before
If I hadn't seen such riches I could live with being poor
Oh sit down Oh sit down Oh sit down Sit down next to me
Sit down, down, down, down, down In sympathy
Those who feel the breath of sadness
Sit down next to me
Those who find they're touched by madness
Sit down next to me
Those who find themselves ridiculous
Sit down next to me
In love, in fear, in hate, in tears
In love, in fear, in hate, in tears
In love, in fear, in hate, in tears
In love, in fear, in hate

The blue will find us, and the sun, and this song suites very well





BTW: Dear j&j, my wife and I had last week the 24th repetition of our wedding day, a good omen, isn't it? Best wishes!

When thinking of how I wanted to react to this week's theme, I started off thinking of reconciliation between old lovers that had split. But then I realised I had probably covered that already with the song I resubmitted as an extra this week. So my mind started thinking tangentially of reconciliation with the loss of a loved one through death (life goes on) or even reconciliation to the idea of our own mortality. But in the end, I woke up in the wee hours of Boxing Day remembering an incident narrated to me by an ex-combatant of the Spanish Civil War who had fled over the Pyrenees towards the end of the war (when Franco's victory looked inevitable).

As the lines of potential refugees trudged northward, Italian ground attack aircraft would often strafe the columns of largely civilians, with heavy machine gun fire, perhaps for vengeance against "the reds", perhaps to discourage others from fleeing or perhaps just for sadistic "fun". Hundreds are known to have died this way, but the incident in this song was one in which the pilot chose not to pull the trigger. Bill, who told me the story said the pilot had flown so low that they could clearly see his face as he passed just overhead. Though the expression on that face was inscrutable and much speculation as to why the pilot acted as he did, filled up the column's thoughts as they crossed the border into relative safety.

I know it is not exactly the tale of hope, Jon probably wanted when he set the theme, but who am I to argue with my muse?

S O S

Someone sing something cheerful and forward-looking at once! Our much-anticipated trip to the UK is off ... got to the Airport to find that our flight had been cancelled (owing to bad weather at London Stansted and the vagaries of Ryanair). So now, instead of an evening meal in a cosy English pub and the anticipation of a family reunion tomorrow, we have returned to a dark, cold, snowbound house and a frozen pizza (well, DID actually heat the pizza up.) This is an EMERGENCY!!!!

How does this suit, Val?

Sing John Ball is a song written by Sydney Carter about the radical 14th century priest. He was involved in the peasants' revolt of 1381 when he gave a speech advocating that all were born equal. His speech contained the famous line "When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?" His views antagonised the authorities and after the collapse of the peasants' revolt, he was tried and executed.

The song isn't an account of Balls' life but rather a summation of his views on humanity that we are better when we work together in fellowship.

The song is popular with UK folk musicians.


Lyrics. (I actually sang this a tone higher in A with a capo on the second fret)

Sing John Ball
Sydney Carter

[G] Who will be the Lady, [C] who will be the [G] Lord
[G] When we are ruled by the [D] love of one another
[G] who will be the lady [C] who will be the [G] lord
In the [C] light that is coming in the [D] morn[G]ing

Chorus
[D] Sing John Ball and tell it to them all
[G] Long live the day that is dawning
[G] I'll crow like a cock, I'll [C] carol like a [G]lark
[G] For the [C] light that is coming in the [D] morn[G]ing.

Eve is the lady, Adam is the lord
When we are ruled by the love of one another
Eve is the lady, Adam is the lord
In the light that is coming in the morning. Cho

All shall be ruled for fellowship I say
All shall be ruled by the love of one another
All shall be ruled for fellowship I say
In the light that is coming in the morning. Cho

Labour and spin for fellowship I say
Labour and spin for the love of one another
Labour and spin for fellowship I say
And the light that is coming in the morning. Cho x2

Thank you, Geoff, that was very cheering! He sounds like an admirable chap and certainly should never have been executed; Michael O'Leary, on the other hand .....

If this is a season about self-reflection then I'll humbly offer this one. It's a relatively recent one by Kurt Vile and the lyrics really resonate with me for one reason or another.

Well worth checking Kurt Vile out, he's an excellent lyricist and plays with a pretty distinct style that I can't really capture.

Here’s one about reconciling with the past and looking forward to a better future.