Season 83

UkeyDave said:

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Firstly, thank you everyone for your very kind comments. This is a great community.
There is no fancy video for this announcement but there is a long written entry from me and I make no apologies for that. A bumbling personal video appearance would not do what I want to say justice so you will have to deal with the written word instead.

What an emotional roller coaster for us all this week has been. It has truly surpassed my wildest expectations. I knew I was onto a good theme from the moment of its conception many months ago. It took me a long time to get up the courage to have a go at hosting.
I have laughed and I have cried but I have been thoroughly entertained and incredibly inspired.

I have been introduced to so many new songs to add to my “to learn” list and I thank you all for that. I can’t tell how much I’ve enjoyed this week.
At times, as I have listened to some of the heart wrenching stories you have shared, I have doubted the wisdom of the theme but this was always only a brief passing feeling as through all the sadness it was evident that there was something uplifting and therapeutic about the whole experience. I hope you felt that too. I am pleased I chose this theme. It created a unique experience and I really do feel that I know the contributors a little better than I did before.

Choosing winners this week has been a ridiculously impossible task. I know this is said every week by the host so I wont dwell on that.

In the end I narrowed it down to the highest scoring twenty entries. I then listened again and managed to dwindle it down to four. From these four I narrowed it further into the three I have chosen.

In the end there was only ONE way to choose from these favourites. My decision was based purely on the feelings the music engendered in me. Each of the three chosen entries struck something in my inner emotional core. I was incredibly moved by so many of the entries but these three (and a few others besides) just stirred me inside in a way that really defies explanation.

One thing I have learned this week about my own preferences is that a simplistic approach to making music seems best for what moves me. Each of the winning entries created a mood with their music that was in my eyes just perfection.

Without further ado then:

The first WINNER is MATTUKAHOLIC.
And even better is that Matthew is a first time seasonista. If I try to analyse why it was a winner I think it was something in what seemed to me his painfully sad voice that just gave it that special something. What a song to propose with. That is just genius in my book. I knew from the very first listening that this one would be in my top three. No question.

WINNER number 2 is ELMANN. Again the mood created, with hardly any lighting, low sound and such a simple strum and haunting accented voice just blew me away. This one sent a shiver down my spine the first time I heard it too. What a fantastic interpretation of this song.

WINNER number 3 is TOOTLER. In my book this is the best I’ve ever seen from Geoff. This just stirred up a perfect sense of England’s beautiful green and pleasant land. Whether this is an innate cultural thing for me, I’m not sure but this just seemed to capture the very essence of England to and moved me deeply and yet again it was simple but very effective. One other thing that intrigued me about this was I couldn’t spot the join between the two tunes Geoff spoke about.
You will all have your own favourites I’m sure. I’m not sure I could ever host the seasons again and top that week. It’s been truly memorable. Now I need to try and find something to contribute to Season 84. I have learned a lot about playing the Ukulele this week that I hope to transfer and use in my own playing. Don’t be too surprised if add a few more songs to my playlist that have been done this week and are a little “emotional”. Thank you yet again UU Seasons. It is a wonderful concept and long may it continue.

P.S. Can the three winners PM me their address and also let me know large or extra large for their prize of a T-Shirt. I have two in each size so hoping that will suffice.

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GinnyT11 said:

This is my first take, because I don't think I could sing the second verse a second time.

It calls up the feelings and admiration I have for my marvelous son, who is now married and living in L.A.

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