"Ninth Season of the Ukulele" contest: SMILES AND SUNSHINE

TheOnlyUkeThatMatters

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Here's another Seasons of the Ukulele challenge. Woot woot. Remember, you need not have participated in any previous Seasons challenge to pariticipate in this one. Please join in! We love new faces and voices in the Seasons threads.

The Challenge

We have a long, rainy spring here in Portland. Most days, it's both sad and dark. To help brighten things up, perform a song whose lyrics mention "smiles" or "sunshine" ("smile", "smiled", "smiling", "sunny", "sun-shiny", "the sun is shining", or the like will work, of course.)

Prizes

1st prize: Mahalo Smiley Face ukulele (Notice it's yellow, like a cartoon sun.)
2nd prize: Your choice of two sets of strings (or one set of Worth strings) from Ukulele Republic.

Rules

• To enter, post a YouTube performance video as a reply to this thread by the DEADLINE: 11:59 PM HAWAII TIME, SUNDAY APRIL 22.
• Each submission must be a single-take, no cuts, and must have a spoken reference to this contest as an introduction.
• Judging criteria are
(a) playing,
(b) singing,
(c) spark/passion/personality,
(d) originality/creativity,
(e) setting/framing/lighting, and
(f) je ne sais quoi.
• Your UPA (Ukulele Point Average) will be the numerical average of scores (from 0 to 4) for each of the criteria, given as follows:
4 - "Wow, this couldn't be better."
3 - "This is great."
2 - "Good."
1 - "Hmm, there's an issue here."
0 - "Ouch."
• You and your ukulele should be the focus of your performance, but feel free to have friends and family join in, using any instruments at hand. No over-dubs allowed, though.
• If you'd like do an instrumental this week, go for it. It'll need smiles or sunshine (or the like) in its title or lyrics, and a "melody" score will replace your "singing" score.
• You may submit as many videos as you like. If you don't specify which is your entry in the thread, your most recent entry will be your submission.
• The following group of great people will judge your submission: dkcrown (UU member and proud supporter), Mike McQueen (UU member and Ukulele Republic proprieter), moi, my lovely wife (a discerning music listener), and a Surprise Judge (to be recruited this week, perhaps from UU, perhaps not).

I'll make a traditional Seasons judge's feedback video once I've had a chance to digest all the entries.

Have fun, everyone. Looking forward to a smiley, sunny week of music with y'all!
 
Awesome idea Ralf. Sounds really great fun brother. Please post a video yourself too mate, even though you're not in the running to win...wouldn't be the same without something sweet from you... :)
 
do songs about a rainbow count? Specifically, being somewhere over it?
 
got mine already. just popped into the old brain, SUNSHINE Superman. I just wonder how I can play the congas and the uke at the same time?
 
got mine already. just popped into the old brain, SUNSHINE Superman. I just wonder how I can play the congas and the uke at the same time?
Is that the song by Donovan ??? if so i love that tune :) ive got afew just deciding which one to do, i have one that has a slight twist to it so i may do that one :)
 
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Is that the song by Donovan ??? if so i love that tune :) ive got afew just deciding which one to do, i have one that has a slight twist to it so i may do that one :)

yea, great 60's classic.been playing it all morning. now I have to pick which uke to play it on, sounds good in high and low g, just different.
 
do songs about a rainbow count? Specifically, being somewhere over it?

Welp, the chorus doesn't mention smiles or sunshine, but the (seldom performed) introduction sure does. You'll just need to include that intro. Aha, a challenge!

(If you don't have access to sheets for the intro, I could scan them and email them your way. You might need to do some transposing to use them. Aha, another challenge!)
 
got mine already. just popped into the old brain, SUNSHINE Superman. I just wonder how I can play the congas and the uke at the same time?

Oooo...we need some Donovan!
 
:shaka: im looking forward to your entry Dave :), im off to practice my few now up in the loft of solitude :)

Wow...must be nice to have a loft of solitude - I definitely need one of those. Shoot, I'd settle for Maxwell Smart's cone of silence... LOL

John
 
When all the world
Is a hopeless jumble
And the raindrops tumble
All around
Heaven opens a magic lane...

(I love the old verses that no one uses any more. That's why I did the one from Pennies from Heaven in the 6 seasons. They're so so good!)
 
Great idea Ralph! Living in Portland as well, I'm bummed I've been inside with my family through the past few sunny days here. We're all still sick! Hopefully I'll be feeling better soon (just the Portland rains come down again?) to post my video. I'd hate to miss this one!
 
hmmm... I just did "Here Comes the Sun" last week. And I did "Blue Skies" for the six seasons contest.
I guess I'll have to find a song about smiling now.
 
ha!! i knew i should have waited! i recorded and posted 'A Wink and a Smile' last night....off to find some other sunny smiley song!



oh well! always fun learning new songs!
 
Aha! This is a chance for me to step out of my comfort zone a little and enter an original... I've wanted to re-record it for awhile now... yay :D
 
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