A bus trip sing-a-long?

Unfortunately, I have to work on the holidays. This is the first time I have ever had to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm pretty bummed out about it. One of the ways I'm trying to get into the spirit is learning Christmas tunes on the uke. The other is, taking a bus trip with my Aunt to West Virginia. We wll be going to Olgebay Park to see the Christmas Lights that they are famous for.

My Aunt suggested I bring my ukulele on the bus so everyone could sing-a-along while we travel. lol I'm not too sure about this. I wouldn't want to get kicked off of the bus!

Has anyone traveled with their ukulele before? Have you ever engaged the rest of the crowd in a sing-a-long while traveling?

I've wanted to be a part of a bus trip sing-along ever since I saw this movie

I haven't travelled by bus or train in a long while, but it seems like every trip I've been on has had a guitarist or two who played and nobody minded. Nobody ever joined in for a sing-along, but then nobody ever asked. Bring the uke, be courteous about it, and I'm sure people will love it!

BTW, proof that the grass is always greener on the other side: this week I've been finding myself *wishing* that I still had the kind of job where I could work on the winter holidays and bank my days off to use another time. Wish I could trade ya!

Miss Michele said:

Unfortunately, I have to work on the holidays. This is the first time I have ever had to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm pretty bummed out about it. One of the ways I'm trying to get into the spirit is learning Christmas tunes on the uke. The other is, taking a bus trip with my Aunt to West Virginia. We wll be going to Olgebay Park to see the Christmas Lights that they are famous for.

My Aunt suggested I bring my ukulele on the bus so everyone could sing-a-along while we travel. lol I'm not too sure about this. I wouldn't want to get kicked off of the bus!

Has anyone traveled with their ukulele before? Have you ever engaged the rest of the crowd in a sing-a-long while traveling?

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I have never been on one.. it sounds like so much fun though! I sure have fun when my kids sing along! I say do it.. the worst they could say is could you all stop!
Bummer about having to work. I sure hope you have a great trip though.

Miss Michele said:

Unfortunately, I have to work on the holidays. This is the first time I have ever had to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm pretty bummed out about it. One of the ways I'm trying to get into the spirit is learning Christmas tunes on the uke. The other is, taking a bus trip with my Aunt to West Virginia. We wll be going to Olgebay Park to see the Christmas Lights that they are famous for.

My Aunt suggested I bring my ukulele on the bus so everyone could sing-a-along while we travel. lol I'm not too sure about this. I wouldn't want to get kicked off of the bus!

Has anyone traveled with their ukulele before? Have you ever engaged the rest of the crowd in a sing-a-long while traveling?

Click to expand...

Aloha Miss Michele,
I'd say go for it!!!Start practicing the Christmas songs now, by then you'll be ready..
Sounds like a wonderful time for some awesome memories girl!!!! Once you start, it's
so contagious...everybody will join in....Have Fun and enjoy!!"Happy Strummings"
MM Stan

Although I always imagined that once I had a uke, I'd be starting parties everywhere I went, so far, it has only happened once -- in an airport, when I pulled it out of the case to quiet some kids who were cranky waiting for a delayed flight. That night was incredible and will probably always be remembered by hundreds of travelers who either watched or sang along with a half-hour medley of continuous kids songs.

Unfortunately, the next time I tried to recreate that magical experience, the whole thing fell on its face and I totally bombed. So it comes down to the right vibe in the room and how hard you're willing to work to make the magic happen.

I ALSO say go for it. It may or may not work THIS time, but one of these days, you're gonna make an awesome memory for a lot of people!

You'd be surprised how many people know every single word to "Hotel California."

Other songs to try:

The Joker - Steve Miller Band
Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - Righteous Brothers
The Gambler - Kenny Rogers
Leaving on a Jet Plane - John Denver
Country Roads - John Denver
Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks
Hey Jude - The Beatles
Twist and Shout - The Beatles
Yellow Submarine - The Beatles
La Bamba - Ritchie Valens
Piano Man - Billy Joel
My Girl - The Temptations
Jack and Diane - John Mellencamp
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Free Fallin' - Tom Petty
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
Cecilia - Simon and Garfunkel
Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett

janeray1940 said:

I've wanted to be a part of a bus trip sing-along ever since I saw this movie

I haven't travelled by bus or train in a long while, but it seems like every trip I've been on has had a guitarist or two who played and nobody minded. Nobody ever joined in for a sing-along, but then nobody ever asked. Bring the uke, be courteous about it, and I'm sure people will love it!

BTW, proof that the grass is always greener on the other side: this week I've been finding myself *wishing* that I still had the kind of job where I could work on the winter holidays and bank my days off to use another time. Wish I could trade ya!

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lol, that video clip was great! Just hope our bus doesn't jiggle as much as that one did! haha
Wish I could trade ya too!

fitncrafty said:

I have never been on one.. it sounds like so much fun though! I sure have fun when my kids sing along! I say do it.. the worst they could say is could you all stop!
Bummer about having to work. I sure hope you have a great trip though.

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Thanks! I'm looking forward to it! I haven't been on a bus since I was kid.

Haven't tried it myself, but it sure looks like fun

Miss Michele said:

lol, that video clip was great! Just hope our bus doesn't jiggle as much as that one did! haha
Wish I could trade ya too!

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Glad you enjoyed the clip - I highly recommend the whole movie

mm stan said:

Aloha Miss Michele,
I'd say go for it!!!Start practicing the Christmas songs now, by then you'll be ready..
Sounds like a wonderful time for some awesome memories girl!!!! Once you start, it's
so contagious...everybody will join in....Have Fun and enjoy!!"Happy Strummings"
MM Stan

Click to expand...

Thanks, Stan! I've been practicing!

Papa Tom said:

Although I always imagined that once I had a uke, I'd be starting parties everywhere I went, so far, it has only happened once -- in an airport, when I pulled it out of the case to quiet some kids who were cranky waiting for a delayed flight. That night was incredible and will probably always be remembered by hundreds of travelers who either watched or sang along with a half-hour medley of continuous kids songs.

Unfortunately, the next time I tried to recreate that magical experience, the whole thing fell on its face and I totally bombed. So it comes down to the right vibe in the room and how hard you're willing to work to make the magic happen.

I ALSO say go for it. It may or may not work THIS time, but one of these days, you're gonna make an awesome memory for a lot of people!

Click to expand...

That's pretty cool that they were singing to kids songs! They let you play in an airport, huh? I guess I can play on a bus then, right?

Hopefully, next time you play will be better for you!

TCK said:

Haven't tried it myself, but it sure looks like fun

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I'm lovin these old clips! It does look like fun, doesn't it? haha

seeso said:

You'd be surprised how many people know every single word to "Hotel California."

Other songs to try:

The Joker - Steve Miller Band
Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - Righteous Brothers
The Gambler - Kenny Rogers
Leaving on a Jet Plane - John Denver
Country Roads - John Denver
Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks
Hey Jude - The Beatles
Twist and Shout - The Beatles
Yellow Submarine - The Beatles
La Bamba - Ritchie Valens
Piano Man - Billy Joel
My Girl - The Temptations
Jack and Diane - John Mellencamp
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Free Fallin' - Tom Petty
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
Cecilia - Simon and Garfunkel
Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett

Click to expand...

Seeso, thanks for the other songs! I'll have to give them a try!

btw, your profile pic is a little scary :O lol

Yes, I used to do it all the time before I could drive (50 years ago) when I'd go by Greyhound and Trailway bus to visit friends I met at camp or pen pals. Always read on way to, but on the way back home when too dark to read comfortably, I'd just start playing softly and singing. People around me would start singing along and asking me to play certain songs. By the time we got back to New Orleans, most of the people were singing including the bus drivers. Some passengers would wait to see who made music in the back of the bus (always sat way back). I got lots of "thank yous", pats on the back and "didn't know you were such a young thing, traveling by yourself, someone here to pick you up?"

Times were different then, so even if someone didn't enjoy it, they were less likely to say so. But I bet you'll help make it a great time for all, so go for it. It's also the season that usually has people singing.

Miss Michelle,
I don't know about the bus sing-along, since I've never travelled by bus. I've taken Amtrak from Colorado to Chicago a couple of times, and once to California, and I believe there were guitarists messing around on all those trips. I don't think anyone was singing along though. If I ever take the train again, I will definitely take the uke, but I'd probably wait to see what the situation was like before I played it (although on a train you can always find some place with very few people, or at least where no one is trying to sleep).
As for the other part of your post, I can totally relate to having to work holidays. In my job, the only way you get a holiday off is if it happens to fall on your days off (or if you take a vacation then, which is tough since that's seniority-based). I have Sunday and Monday off. So this year will be my 16th Thanksgiving in a row working. I think I've had only 2 or maybe 3 Christmases off in that time period. I keep getting hosed, because every time Christmas rolls around to falling on Sunday and Monday, it seems like one of the years is Leap Year, so it skips one of my days off! We get 10 state holidays per year, but don't get to take them on the actual holiday, generally (because where I work has to be staffed 24/7), but this year I am taking my December holiday on the 25th! Yay! Then, next year, Christmas falls on Sunday, so I'll get that one off... then in 2012 it jumps past Monday and lands on Tuesday, so I'll be out of luck again, unless I can manage to get my extra day off on that Tuesday. I THINK I will only get one other year (maybe two) where it falls on my days off before I retire (in about 9 1/2 years).
And yet, every year, my parents ask me if I have Thanksgiving off.... To the best of my knowledge, Thanksgiving NEVER falls on a Sunday or Monday!

janeray1940 said:

I've wanted to be a part of a bus trip sing-along ever since I saw this movie

I haven't travelled by bus or train in a long while, but it seems like every trip I've been on has had a guitarist or two who played and nobody minded. Nobody ever joined in for a sing-along, but then nobody ever asked. Bring the uke, be courteous about it, and I'm sure people will love it!

Click to expand...

It happened recently with a band named "Atomic Tom" on a subway. For this publicity stunt, the band claimed their instruments were stolen on tour. They used I-Phone apps through battery powered amplification to play drums, guitar and piano. The truth is that the band practiced for a month for this publicity stunt and the video went viral. Apple's got a contract with them, now! Ric

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAllFWSl998&feature=related

Depending on the age group, they might like these familiar numbers: Down by the Riverside; You are my Sunshine; How much is that doggie in the window; He's got the whole world in his hands -- those kind of numbers.

I could send a WORD file of the lyrics for a passout if that would be a help.

Miss Michele said:

Seeso, thanks for the other songs! I'll have to give them a try!

btw, your profile pic is a little scary :O lol

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It is? Oh my... I'll have to change it.