Can the uke help to heal? We can try

greenie44

greenie44

Big King Velour
UU VIP
Joined
Jun 2, 2011
Messages
1,185
Reaction score
141
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Can ukulele playing heal? Can music offer comfort and solace in the face of tragedy? I'd like to think it can, and maybe we can do it together.

Those of us in the United States have probably heard of the shootings in Lafayette Louisiana earlier this week. The words 'senseless tragedy' don't even begin to scratch the surface of this event. Two young women were murdered - 22 year old Mayci Breaux and 33 year old Jiliian Johnson. Jillian was, in the words of my friend Tony (who was a friend of hers) and many others "a force of nature" - and a uke player in the band The Figs. Tony also said

The thing that tears at us is we look at the twenty-thirty somethings and until this tragedy didn't realize we were seeing a person who shared our idealistic ideals but was actually living them out. She was capable of what we weren't. Jillian was remarkable.

I asked Tony if there was anything that this community of uke people could do to help, and he suggested a collaboration on one of The Figs' songs.



If any of you out there would like to participate, please PM me. I figure we can get a basic track down and they circulate it so that others can add in their contributions, even if it's only singing on the chorus or chording along.

Let me know please, and thanks in advance. It's a small gesture, but it might help a bit.
 
Thanks for posting this. I read about this in my news feed this morning and immediately bought both of their albums on iTunes - it makes me so sad that I had never heard of them or Jillian before and that it took a senseless tragedy to bring their names to nationwide (worldwide?) attention. Really great music!

And I hope people do participate in your collab. I'm completely clueless about anything to do with recording, so I think I'm out - but I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this.
 
Last edited:
I'm in with my u-bass, just sent you a PM. Have an iRig HD all ready for it's inaugural for this, with Audacity or GarageBand or even Final Cut Pro X.
 
Thanks to those who have stepped up. Janeray - you could participate; it would be pretty easy and I could guide you through it if you want to take a try.
 
greenie44 said:
Thanks to those who have stepped up. Janeray - you could participate; it would be pretty easy and I could guide you through it if you want to take a try.
Click to expand...

Thanks - really the only recording device I have is my iPhone. If that would suffice - count me in for some chords!
 
Hey Rick... I'm in Sir... just let me know what you need :)

(pending my new recording equipment turning up in time... which it should...)
 
So I figure it goes something like this. Those E chords on line 3 seem like some kind of passing chord, and I'm not sure if that F#m on the 2nd line of the bridge shouldn't be a D, but that should get you started.

Code: 
Cross That Bridge - The Figs

[F#m]The Superdome is [D]rumblin'
[F#m]The quarterback is [D]fumblin'
[F#m]You know it's kind of [D]humblin'[E]
[F#m]To cross that [D]bridge when it's [F#m]burnin'.
[F#m]Cross that [D]bridge when it's [F#m]burnin'.

(Instrumental verse - 1st 4 lines of verse 1)

[F#m]The aqueducts are [D]crumblin'.
[F#m]The Colosseum's [D]tumblin'.
[F#m]An old blind man keeps [D]mumblin'[E]
[F#m]"Let's cross that [D]bridge when it's [F#m]burnin'".

[F#m]Cle-o-pat-ra—[D]she's the kind
[F#m]of girl who'll make you [D]change your mind.
[F#m]Drop your sword and [D]fall in line,[E]
[F#m]and cross that [D]bridge when it's [F#m]burnin''.

(bridge - go straight in)
[E]Floss that tooth 
when it's [F#m]rotted.
[E]Stretch that calf 
when it's [D]knotted.
Slash that vein 
when it's [D]clotted,
and [F#m]cross that [D]bridge when it's [F#m]burnin''.

(Instrumental verse -1st 4 lines)

[F#m]"Look at what a fix we're in"
[F#m]said the god of rain and wind.
[F#m]I guess it's just the way of men[E]
[F#m]to cross that [D]bridge when it's [F#m]burnin'.

[F#m]"Look at what a fix we're in"
[F#m]said the god of rain and wind.
[F#m]I guess it's just the way of men[E]
[F#m]to cross that [D]bridge when it's [F#m]burnin'.
[F#m]Cross that [D]bridge when it's [F#m]burnin'.
 
redpaul1, I just received an email that you made a post on this thread asking why I remade the key, but I don't see your post listed here. I took the sheet greenie44 posted in Dropbox and went from that, didn't change the key, just moved the chords above the lyrics, spaced lines and added the repeat at the end.
 
Let me know how to contribute, greenie!
 
kohanmike said:
redpaul1, I just received an email that you made a post on this thread asking why I remade the key, but I don't see your post listed here. I took the sheet greenie44 posted in Dropbox and went from that, didn't change the key, just moved the chords above the lyrics, spaced lines and added the repeat at the end.
Click to expand...

Yeah, sorry about that. At the time, I hadn't yet access to greenie's dropbox, which is why (once I did have access) I deleted my OP (the original is in the key in the version I posted). As soon as I saw the version in the dropbox (Jon's version), I realised my question was better addressed to him, and in any case, irrelevant, 'cos that's the key we're doing it in.

All that said, I now notice you've placed the "Bridge:" direction/notification in the wrong place. That had me quite confused for a while. Until I realised it was just a typo, it took me ages to figure out why you'd tacked the first line of verse 3 onto the end of verse 2 and added the last line of verse 3 to the bridge.

Using the original format (for ease of composition/layout inside the 'code' tags) you have:
Code: 
The (Em)aqueducts are (B7)crumblin'. 
The (Em)Colosseum's (B7)tumblin'. 
An (Em)old blind man keeps (C)mumb(D)lin' 
"Let's (Em)cross that (B7)bridge when it's (Em)burnin'" 
(Em)Cleopatra — (B7)she's the kind of 
(Em)Girl who'll make you (B7)change your mind, 
BRIDGE:
(Em)Drop your sword and (C)fall in (D)line, and 
(Em)Cross that (B7)bridge when it's (Em)burnin'.  
(D)Floss that tooth  when it's (Em)rotted. 
(D)Stretch that calf  when it's (C)knotted.
(D)Slash that vein  when it's (C)clotted, and 
(Em)Cross that (B7)bridge when it's (Em)burnin'.

What it should be of course is:
Code: 
The (Em)aqueducts are (B7)crumblin'. 
The (Em)Colosseum's (B7)tumblin'. 
An (Em)old blind man keeps (C)mumb(D)lin' 
"Let's (Em)cross that (B7)bridge when it's (Em)burnin'" 

(Em)Cleopatra — (B7)she's the kind of 
(Em)Girl who'll make you (B7)change your mind, 
(Em)Drop your sword and (C)fall in (D)line, and 
(Em)Cross that (B7)bridge when it's (Em)burnin'.  

BRIDGE:
(D)Floss that tooth  when it's (Em)rotted. 
(D)Stretch that calf  when it's (C)knotted. 
(D)Slash that vein  when it's (C)clotted, and 
(Em)Cross that (B7)bridge when it's (Em)burnin'.

Agreed, it's only a typo, and doesn't materially change anything in the songsheet. I only mention it here & now in case anyone else should get similarly confused. HTH
 
Last edited:
Thank you....I don't have the technical moxie to make a You Tube video, so we're going to do this song in our jam session the Saturday as a tribute to her.....
 
redpaul1 said:
Agreed, it's only a typo, and doesn't materially change anything in the songsheet. I only mention it here & now in case anyone else should get similarly confused. HTH
Click to expand...

Got it, and thanks for the correction. I'll fix it ASAP. Still have to lay down the bass track, been very distracted with building management responsibilities.
 
Nickie said:
Thank you....I don't have the technical moxie to make a You Tube video, so we're going to do this song in our jam session the Saturday as a tribute to her.....
Click to expand...

That's brilliant Nickie. :)

Has anyone layed any tracks down yet?
 
I saw a new track in Dropbox. I'm literally right in the middle of working out and recording the bass part right now (4 PM Pacific Time). Rick, should I follow The Figs bass line starting on the first instrumental, or can I start at the beginning with soft single notes?
 
Last edited:
kohanmike said:
I saw a new track in Dropbox. I'm literally right in the middle of working out and recording the bass part right now (4 PM Pacific Time). Rick, should I follow The Figs bass line starting the on the first instrumental, or can I start at the beginning with soft single notes?
Click to expand...

The arrangement would work better in my opinion if you bring the bass in after the first verse - yeah, at the instrumental - then back it off again at the breakdown (2nd last verse) then kick it in hard for the last verse. Just to give the song some colour and dynamic.
 
OK, I finished the bass part and uploaded it to Dropbox. Did follow The Figs arrangement. My first collaboration like this, it was work with new calluses, but fun.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

W
Baritone Uke Sizes - HELP!
Replies
7
Views
221
Kei
Kei
R
Help me find my dream uke
Replies
10
Views
299
70sSanO
70sSanO
G
New member here! Help me find my second uke ever!
Replies
4
Views
118
PTRarch.
PTRarch.
Freya Vie
Setup Hurts to Play My 5-string Uke – Help Me Please
Replies
10
Views
452
Freya Vie
Freya Vie
kittywolf13
Help ID vintage uke?
Replies
4
Views
277
Eggs_n_Ham
Eggs_n_Ham
Top Bottom