The Problem With... Train's "Hey, Soul Sister."
- Thread starter seeso
- Start date
lol i dont really know how to take that. but Brit's been hounding me to do a video for it..
rvabdn
Active member
hmmm. I think I might be that guy.
shwee
Well-known member
Interesting. For me, that song was like most songs that come on the radio nowadays (IMHO). It was one of those songs that was really enjoyable to listen to once in a while in the car, but after a while, it was like it just wouldn't go away. I never really hated the song, I just kind of got all the enjoyment that I was going to get after hearing it three times. And then I was done. I actually didn't even know it featured a ukulele for a while, and I never had any desire to want to learn it for myself either. Most of the time, when a song gets a really large amount of hatred from the public, it's not necessarily a bad song. It's usually just a mediocre song that the radio stations keep playing over and over until no one wants to hear it anymore. That's what Soul Sister was to me.
puremarkska
Well-known member
Conspiracy Theory time!
So the ukulele is tuned 2.5 steps above the guitar (ukulele GCEA - 2.5 steps = DGBE treble strings of a guitar). Follow me?
The chords for "Hey Soul Sister" (which Train plays on ukulele) are E, B, C#m, A.
Take the chords and subtract 2.5 steps (E, B, C#m, A - 2.5 steps = B, F#, G#m, E)
B, F#, G#m, E are the chords to ... "I'm Yours" (which Jason Mraz plays on guitar)!!!
But wait, there's more.
Now, if you number all the letters in the alphabet (A=1, B=2, C=3 ... etc.)
Then add up all the following letters:
JASON MRAZ + TRAIN + HEY SOUL SISTER + IM YOURS + PATRICK MONAHAM (train's lead singer) + 28 (hey soul sister reached #1 on itunes on march 28th)
= 666 which of course is the mark of the beast *gasp*!
All of this is 100% scientifically proven and irrefutable evidence that pop music is pretty unoriginal.
So the ukulele is tuned 2.5 steps above the guitar (ukulele GCEA - 2.5 steps = DGBE treble strings of a guitar). Follow me?
The chords for "Hey Soul Sister" (which Train plays on ukulele) are E, B, C#m, A.
Take the chords and subtract 2.5 steps (E, B, C#m, A - 2.5 steps = B, F#, G#m, E)
B, F#, G#m, E are the chords to ... "I'm Yours" (which Jason Mraz plays on guitar)!!!
But wait, there's more.
Now, if you number all the letters in the alphabet (A=1, B=2, C=3 ... etc.)
Then add up all the following letters:
JASON MRAZ + TRAIN + HEY SOUL SISTER + IM YOURS + PATRICK MONAHAM (train's lead singer) + 28 (hey soul sister reached #1 on itunes on march 28th)
= 666 which of course is the mark of the beast *gasp*!
All of this is 100% scientifically proven and irrefutable evidence that pop music is pretty unoriginal.
Kanaka916
Well-known member
Eh Aaron, it's Saturday, you stay on Kaua'i - no tell me you stay bored awready. Me, I getting ready fo go sleep cuz I gotta go hana tonight. Yea, I know, off topic . . . .
ukulelearp
Well-known member
I bought a Fender Nohea about a year ago. The only problem I have now is it being the "Train" ukulele.
Just to show you how incredibly un-hip I am....
I've never heard the song, although I have heard of the group. I wouldn't know them if I tripped over them, but I've heard of them....
I've never heard the song, although I have heard of the group. I wouldn't know them if I tripped over them, but I've heard of them....
Aaron, you just blew my mind.
hoosierhiver
Well-known member
I second that... and Aarons thing too!
Mim
Well-known member
We played it at our uke jam today. I tell people, although an enjoyable ditty... I have a hard time singing the lyric "untrimmed chest". But today I belted it out in a horse tired voice and rolled my eyes as I did! Fun stuff!
But yes... seems like a song they wrote just for the heck of it and someone said, "Hey people will not be able to get this thing out of their head, so lets release it"!
But yes... seems like a song they wrote just for the heck of it and someone said, "Hey people will not be able to get this thing out of their head, so lets release it"!
GreatGazukes
Well-known member
Well it's official (I had suspected as much), I live under a rock.
What, huh? train, soul sister, umph, download, listen, ahh no, not heard, who is he? some new James Blunt??........mmmm think I'll just go back under the rock for a while...cya later.......
What, huh? train, soul sister, umph, download, listen, ahh no, not heard, who is he? some new James Blunt??........mmmm think I'll just go back under the rock for a while...cya later.......
puremarkska
Well-known member
Who is Aaron?? ... I think you guys are thinking of anaka. That look-alike thing always gets me Speaking of which, my new favorite rapper is dumbfoundead who at first I thought was Koaloha's Paul Okami (koalohapaul on UU)
Ok ... back to Train ...
Speaking of which, my new favorite rapper is dumbfoundead who at first I thought was Koaloha's Paul Okami (koalohapaul on UU)Ok ... back to Train ...
austin1
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Who is Aaron?? ... I think you guys are thinking of anaka. That look-alike thing always gets me
Ok ... back to Train ...
I think they're talking about this guy:
http://www.newsgroper.com/files/post_images/David-Hasselhoff---Baywatch-Photograph-C10103337.jpeg
He also happens to play back up uke on that Train diddy...I saw him in the video.
There is such a thing as reading too much into something. I realize the song MAY have some other meaning, but maybe they just threw some lyrics together? I enjoy the song and the ukulele riff. Isn't that enough? Why do people have to read into these songs and turn a cool sounding song into political lameness. I'm not saying he did that here, but people do it all the time. I still enjoy the song and ukulele in it, regardless of what someone may have interpreted the video/lyrics to mean.
Count me among the blissfully ignorant.
The ukulele has had a real up/down past. It becomes wildly popular, then totally ignored or worse, disdained as a novelty instrument.
I think to become an instrument that is generally regarded for its merits as an instrument and not as a fad or novelty hack, then it will need to become a part of the pop scene. It's a very versatile instrument - much more so than most people will give it credit. For lasting appeal and not just another fad bubble, songs like "Hey Soul Sister" need to be a part of the ukulele repertoire. Do we listen to novelty songs that feature a guitar and worry that it's going to ruin the appeal of the guitar? No...so if the uke is to become universally respected and an instrument of choice in the mainstream, there will have to be music we like and music we don't created with it.
Hey Soul Sister - not my favorite song. But for the record, I really really like "I'm Yours."
I think to become an instrument that is generally regarded for its merits as an instrument and not as a fad or novelty hack, then it will need to become a part of the pop scene. It's a very versatile instrument - much more so than most people will give it credit. For lasting appeal and not just another fad bubble, songs like "Hey Soul Sister" need to be a part of the ukulele repertoire. Do we listen to novelty songs that feature a guitar and worry that it's going to ruin the appeal of the guitar? No...so if the uke is to become universally respected and an instrument of choice in the mainstream, there will have to be music we like and music we don't created with it.
Hey Soul Sister - not my favorite song. But for the record, I really really like "I'm Yours."
GrumpyCoyote
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The basic opinion in the original post is valid. There is a lack of authenticity in that song that makes me crazy. It’s beyond subjectively liking or disliking the song or the act. Like most pop, it’s a contrived and intentional lyric crafted to pander to something very specific. That comes through loud and clear – and makes my teeth hurt every time I hear it. It’s less of a song, and more of a product – and it shows.
However - to the meta-point about the uke being featured, it's just another mediocre pop song, much like any other pop song (although not as bad as most). Nothing particularly revealing about the state of the ukulele from that alone.
It does none the less, speak to the “mainstreaming” of the uke. Like those above said, we’ll get the full spectrum – good and bad, as the uke gains traction in mainstream music. Any backlash from this particular song is nearly irrelevant compared to the potential backlash against the uke from the cumulative effect of it being “productized” over and over. The over-use of the uke in car commercials, reality shows, and movie soundtracks does the same general damage as a poser pop song. Death of a thousand cuts.
Not that a back-lash banishing ukes to closets and attics again is inevitable – but we have seen it happen twice before under nearly identical circumstances.
However - to the meta-point about the uke being featured, it's just another mediocre pop song, much like any other pop song (although not as bad as most). Nothing particularly revealing about the state of the ukulele from that alone.
It does none the less, speak to the “mainstreaming” of the uke. Like those above said, we’ll get the full spectrum – good and bad, as the uke gains traction in mainstream music. Any backlash from this particular song is nearly irrelevant compared to the potential backlash against the uke from the cumulative effect of it being “productized” over and over. The over-use of the uke in car commercials, reality shows, and movie soundtracks does the same general damage as a poser pop song. Death of a thousand cuts.
Not that a back-lash banishing ukes to closets and attics again is inevitable – but we have seen it happen twice before under nearly identical circumstances.
