I’ve been taking part in the Seasons since the beginning. It began with Chrimess’ “Six Seasons of the Ukulele”. Season 1 was the week of Valentine’s Day in 2012, and the theme was off-kilter love songs. I was one of two people who played 10cc’s “I’m Not in Love”. The second week’s theme was Grammy nominated artists. We also did Hawaiian songs, Chrimess’ favorite ‘90s bands, and (for St. Patrick’s day) Irish music. The sixth of the original themes isn’t coming to me at the moment.
Edit: My old man memory got it wrong -- the Grammy season was Season 1 and off-kilter love songs were Season 2. And the Season I couldn't remember was Oscar-winning songs.
At the end, we all liked having weekly themes, and the idea of quickly finding and learning a song to fit the theme. There were other aspects we didn’t like as much. During the Six Seasons, everybody was given a numerical score on their video each week, and the scoring included weird criteria like how much you smiled into the camera while performing. The list of everyone’s grade was posted for all to see, and naturally it was pretty demoralizing for the people who got the lowest scores. As we continued the Seasons, posting people’s scores quickly dropped by the wayside.
Ralf is the only one who has taken part in every Season. Every 100 Seasons, I update my tally of how many I’ve done. This is the 366th Season I’ve done (73%). I’ve probably made videos of at least twice that many songs, and most of them are songs I’d never have gotten around to learning otherwise. For me, like many others, making all these videos has improved my playing and singing, and made me much better at figuring out the chords (when the Internet didn’t provide). Many folks who have left the Seasons over the years did so because they had gotten good enough that they started gigging! Probably my favorite part has been figuring out my own arrangements for songs, which is why I quickly decided not to use any of Aldrine’s songs this week.
This is an original song, the second song I’ve written ABOUT the Seasons. And here's a lyric I didn’t find a place to fit into it:
Thank you, Chris, and thank you, Aldrine
For allowing us to stir the cauldron!
Lyrics:
And so I traveled with my friends five hundred seasons
Along the path some came and went, they all had their reasons
But songs kept opening the door to let the breeze in
Until this ride comes to a stop, please keep your hands and knees in
Across five hundred seasons, this procession never fell apart
The strum was greater than its parts!
And every season had a theme, each one held a feeling
And we all had our own approach, our own way of dealing
‘Cause everyone brought something slightly different to the table
And those who thought themselves beginners learned that they were able
Across five hundred seasons, this procession never fell apart
The strum was greater than its parts!
And so I travel with my friends as the seasons roll on
It’s the lack of any end that I set my goal on
Still I may rest up for a while if I have a lean year
But they’re my friends and in the end I’m bound to meet them back here
Song is Sweet Pea, by Amos Lee.
