Season 65: Dead Skunks and Why Don't We Do It?: Road Songs

eugene ukulele said:

first bonus: Pete Seeger "This Old Car"

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That was great Jon. Have we seen that ukulele before? Loud and crisp mate - real neat sound and clever video.

My entry for this week...Cars by Gary Numan. Enjoy!

My entry - I do have some other ideas so I may swap if I get a chance to do what I have planned.
Lights on the Hill by Slim Dusty (1927 to 2003) an iconic country music personality in Australia.
Not all road trips end well. Drive safely.

My entry this week. Get Your Kicks on Route 66.

erivel said:

My entry for this week...Cars by Gary Numan. Enjoy!

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Gary Numan!!! Great choice and awesome version!

OK Bonus#2
As there is bound to be lots of fast cars and hooning type behaviour this season it is important that you are aware that the Highway Patrol is on duty.
Highway Patrol by Junior Brown.

My entry for this week, one of the two U2 songs that fit this theme: Fast Cars

we tigers said:

Gary Numan!!! Great choice and awesome version!

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Ditto that!

Alan's thoughts on recent awesomeness.
Checked in early Sunday Morning and ALREADY these seven gems were waiting. Thanks fellahs!




ericvel - Cars!!
Very wonderful. If anyone could turn a uke into this synth rock ice anthem it would have been you. More enjoyable than the original for my money.


Pabrizzer - The Lights on the Hill
Always great to hear one that most (all?) of us have never heard before. What a great choice. I dig the slide up to that little lead fill. The trucker seems like such a nice guy that I felt increasing dread about how he'd end up because of your warning. Terriffic singing, too.


fgyar- Route 66
Man that really swings. Big ups on the execution.


xommen- fast cars
Knowing you is improving my appreciation for U2 brother. I don't know how I never noticed this tune before but it's a corker. I dig the rhythmic changes and the insistence of your performance.


Eugene Ukulele-This Old Car
Terrific energy. I think you could power that old car with your strummage.


Pabrizzer - Gigglemobile
Certainly better than any kids show music stuff happening over here. I'd watch that show if you were doing the music for it. I bet Jaxson digs it.


Pabrizzer - Highway Patrol
Junior Brown! Great stuff. I've often searched the wall of stringed instruments in your videos to see if there was a GitSteel ukulele hidden there. Sadly I guess there must not be or you'd have used it here. Great version of the song. Keep 'em comin'!

This is an original song. Back in the '80s, a uke collector friend once asked me if I ever played any major chords. In 2009, I wrote this song that is entirely minor chords: Cm Am Dm Em

Lyrics:

Keep driving through the pitch-black night
Straight ribbon stretching out of sight
Sign pointing, unknown
This way just feels like home

Hear oldies at 2 AM
Songs I thought I'd never hear again
Pull over, ease my pounding head
Re-focus on the road ahead

And she's the only, yes, she's the only light on the road
She's the only, yes, she's the only light on the road

Climb back up behind the wheel
Drive by taste, drive by feel
Dark beacon calls me on
Always forward, never gone

Ease, comfort, just an hour more
I'll be pulling up to the door
My baby is my North Star
A magnet tugging on my weary car

And she's the only, yes, she's the only light on the road
She's the only, yes, she's the only light on the road

Man, this is a great one. I always dig your original songs but this one really grabbed me. Sounds like it would make a terrific band song. Doghouse bass, brushes...

uke4ia said:

This is an original song. Back in the '80s, a uke collector friend once asked me if I ever played any major chords. In 2009, I wrote this song that is entirely minor chords: Cm Am Dm Em

Lyrics:

Keep driving through the pitch-black night
Straight ribbon stretching out of sight
Sign pointing, unknown
This way just feels like home

Hear oldies at 2 AM
Songs I thought I'd never hear again
Pull over, ease my pounding head
Re-focus on the road ahead

And she's the only, yes, she's the only light on the road
She's the only, yes, she's the only light on the road

Climb back up behind the wheel
Drive by taste, drive by feel
Dark beacon calls me on
Always forward, never gone

Ease, comfort, just an hour more
I'll be pulling up to the door
My baby is my North Star
A magnet tugging on my weary car

And she's the only, yes, she's the only light on the road
She's the only, yes, she's the only light on the road

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Thanks, Alan. And here's a bonus track. Over the last few years of playing in Lowell, Mass., I've become friends with a band called The Bella Birds. They have an interesting sound -- the lead instrument is an acoustic bass guitar. This is one of my favorite songs by them. Here's a video (missing the first verse) I took of them playing the song in March:
The Bella Birds -- Miles & Miles and Wet Hot American Summer

Probably going to have a lot of sing-a-longs this week, but I promise they are new ones.
I did this one last night...grab your ukes boys and girls and join me. 2 chords, A and G

Man, that's crazy good! I love your cover and dug that first and then looked at the group's version. Holy crap! He capos and acousitic/electric bass and plays it great. What hath Morphine wrought?

uke4ia said:

Thanks, Alan. And here's a bonus track. Over the last few years of playing in Lowell, Mass., I've become friends with a band called The Bella Birds. They have an interesting sound -- the lead instrument is an acoustic bass guitar. This is one of my favorite songs by them. Here's a video (missing the first verse) I took of them playing the song in March:
The Bella Birds -- Miles & Miles and Wet Hot American Summer

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EXCELLENT!!!
Our f1rst Singalong!
What a good one, too. I don't remember ever hearing it before but I'm way good with it now. WikiPee says:
"The song is referenced in the Parliament-Funkadelic song "P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)", with the lyric: "Gangster lean; Y'all should dig my sun-roof top."
Freakin' Bunny Wailer covered it. It was on the Superfly soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield!

I can't wait for everyone to jump in and join you on this and then catch the totally great big finish!!

TCK said:

Probably going to have a lot of sing-a-longs this week, but I promise they are new ones.
I did this one last night...grab your ukes boys and girls and join me. 2 chords, A and G

Click to expand...

Hahaha! It was just a matter of time before we got a little Curtis Mayfield in the Seasons right? Just sad I didn't have Don Cornelius to announce it...
He would probably not think I was so "Super Fly" though

decaturcomp said:

EXCELLENT!!!
Our f1rst Singalong!
What a good one, too. I don't remember ever hearing it before but I'm way good with it now. WikiPee says:
"The song is referenced in the Parliament-Funkadelic song "P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)", with the lyric: "Gangster lean; Y'all should dig my sun-roof top."
Freakin' Bunny Wailer covered it. It was on the Superfly soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield!

I can't wait for everyone to jump in and join you on this and then catch the totally great big finish!!

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When cars had fins

Here is my TURBO BONUS based on a poem by Richard Peek,
with a full bore overhead cam valve regrind through garageband

Mr Peek is a self-confessed spanner jockey, banjo player, road warrior,
and slam poet, who wrote the most wonderful poem called "When cars have fins"
that has that Kerouac "0n the road" stream of consciousness feel to it.

The words just rumbled out of him like a V8 firing on 7 cylinders,
and in my head very faintly I heard a distorted guitar, a whup-ass bass
and snare drum backbeat barking like a broken exhaust... so I put
together a tribute to the man who uses a piece of wire and an alligator
clip for a belt. This song has extra smoke and fumes and features Mr Peek
himself in his Rat Rod, switching that piston head gear lever
and having troubles with his scarf and Goggles. Enjoy!!!

What a week, I have a list of songs to try as long as my arm...
Here's a simple one from Beck's best album, another tearjerker..
The Golden Age

http://youtu.be/RCGlnOJSTWk



Beep Beep, outta my way!

Mustang Sally 65th season

I have a cold and may redo this when I get over it if I have time later this week. maybe I need a road trip?

Bonus #3
An oldie from Fil's Texas song writers season.
Woman by your side dog on the floorboards driving to a new life - all great but who is the old guy you catch sight of in the mirror - surely too old to be you....
Tennessee Blues by Steve Earle.