Season 274 - The Songs Stuck In My Head

Another day another batch of amazing songs! I even got to join in the fun a bit. I'm so thrilled you folks are into doing this.

RAB11 - Reward
Trying to get a vid done with kids around. I have no idea what that is like. Hi mini-RAB. Now here's a song I didn't expect to hear this week! I love this tune. Really cool to hear this done on ukulele. I'm so glad you did this one! Wish I could hear you do it at the open mic. And great shirt by the way.

ukulele daddy - Please Stay

LucilleJustRocks - Train Song
Channeling Mr. Waits here! I just love this tune, always have. It's a beauty. Played this on the second show I ever did, All Aboard. I like what you've done here. Thank so much for joining the party.

wee_ginga_yin - On The Mighty Ocean Alcohol
Another Bap Kennedy tune, yay! First of all, those are some great pics you came up with to illustrate your video. Secondly, you took this song that I love and spun it in a slightly new direction, giving it a sleepy, lullaby quality, which is superb! Well done.

The Ukelites - Banks Of The Ohio
Look what we have here! Boy we've sure missed you two. Now that there's four of you you'll have to make another trip out west! I wish I was sitting in with you folks so I could mutilate another solo. Another tune from TCK's Bill Monroe show. I'm beside myself. What a special thing this is. I will treasure this video. Thanks so much for making the effort and turning in a jewel.

IamNoMan - When The Bloom Is On The Sage (When It’s Round Up Time In Texas)
One of my favorite western songs. Sure paints a picture. Wonderful to hear you play this tune Tommy. Thanks for this.

Harry122 - Rockin’ On The Moon
Glad you found this tune Randy. It's a fun one for sure! Funny, you're finding these space tunes but not from the space shows. This is so enjoyable. You really nailed this.

ukulele daddy - Booze In Hell

TCK - Photosynthesis
One of the best songs on the show, which is why I stole it from you and played it on my show. Damn, I tried to play this last week for the dog show but it sounded like what comes out of my dog. This is great my friend. To tell the truth I was really hoping you'd do this tune. Thanks.

AlanDP - Cotton Sack Drag
Dontcha just love these old tunes? Nice rendition here. And thanks for the story! What a wonderful bonus! Now to make myself a mint julep

AlanDP - Muelskinner Blues
Dang, that's a hard song to sing and did you ever handle it! Very nice. I really like this a lot.

Rusty - Can I Get A Winess
Great to see you Rusty! Yeah that Barbara Randolph version is something else eh? Glad you got this one in. I love the background vocals!
 
Joyous Bap Kennedy song
To sing this song properly you need to be an Appalachian penticostal
who can handle snakes and play the tuba, but since I can do neither
I have to rely on cold Nordic imagery, broken winged angels, and Hugo Simberg
and do the song in a style totally different from the original.
What price salvation???

 
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I freely admit I've always liked Billy Idol, and I've always loved this song, so when I finally get a chance to try it, I may have committed a high crime against the intended spirit of it. It was fun to play it this way, but do you think it worked? Won't hurt my feelings either way, trust me. lol This is the first recorded take after a few unrecorded ones.

 
TCK asked me to do this one.

The Lakes of Ponchartrain is a traditional song from the Southern USA. It isn't clear when or exactly where it originated but it has travelled across the USA and given rise to several variants. One theory of its origin is that the tune came to the USA with British soldiers during the war of 1812 but there are differences about the origins of the lyrics. Some reckon it originated with Irish Immigrants who came over in the 1830s and were employed building a canal in the south (now filled in). Others suggest the lyrics originated in the period after the civil war. I have my doubts about the 1830s as the earliest railways in the USA were in New England in the 1830s (the Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened in 1830) and the song involves the narrator travelling by train but it's possible for it to have originated in the 1830s with an early version involving travelling by canal. If that's the case, no one seems to have come up with such a version. So, the period after the American Civil War seems more likely to me but who knows? The origins of many folk songs are obscure and likely to remain so. That said, it's a good song and worth an airing.
 
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I'm "horsing around" on this one. Classic Bill Monroe, but never even considered trying it before. This was a challenge.

 
What's not to like about train songs. hoboes or The Blues?

Rant warning! Iam frequently called upon to lead or facilitate workshops, jams or Learn to play Music sessiuns. When it comes to "The Blues", guitarists like to play them in the Key of E. Nothing wrong with that, except for many new musicians playing other instruments E is not an easily accessible key. I would suggest that the Key of A is a more accessible key for most instruments. Robert Johnson and Leadbelly both played the Blues mostly out of the Key of A. Think about it!

 
Tootler said:
The Lakes of Ponchartrain is a traditional song from the Southern USA. It isn't clear when or exactly where it originated but it has travelled across the USA and given rise to several variants. One theory of its origin is that the tune came to the USA with British soldiers during the war of 1812 but there are differences about the origins of the lyrics. Some reckon it originated with Irish Immigrants who came over in the 1830s and were employed building a canal in the south (now filled in). Others suggest the lyrics originated in the period after the civil war. I have my doubts about the 1830s as the earliest railways in the USA were in New England in the 1830s (the Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened in 1830) and the song involves the narrator travelling by train but it's possible for it to have originated in the 1830s with an early version involving travelling by canal. If that's the case, no one seems to have come up with such a version. So, the period after the American Civil War seems more likely to me but who knows? The origins of many folk songs are obscure and likely to remain so. That said, it's a good song and worth an airing.
Click to expand...

I've always enjoyed learning about songs and their origins. Thanks Geoff!
 
IamNoMan said:
What's not to like about train songs. hoboes or The Blues?

Rant warning! Iam frequently called upon to lead or facilitate workshops, jams or Learn to play Music sessiuns. When it comes to "The Blues", guitarists like to play them in the Key of E. Nothing wrong with that, except for many new musicians playing other instruments E is not an easily accessible key. I would suggest that the Key of A is a more accessible key for most instruments. Robert Johnson and Leadbelly both played the Blues mostly out of the Key of A. Think about it!

https://youtu.be/JvAIP3v4QqM
Click to expand...

Nice choice and good one, Tommy.

The key of E is accessible and not difficult to play if you use a uke tuned ADF#B and play D shapes. If you're playing a concert or tenor where tuning up might increase tension too much, put a capo on the 2nd fret and that gives the equivalent of ADF#B. I'm doing this quite a lot on my 6 string these days as I like the sound I get with the higher pitch of the open strings.
 
TCK said:
Click to expand...


True story - the first time I ever met Michael van L. from We Tigers, I was performing this very number at the 2nd 'Burning Uke' festival in Ghent. I namechecked him from the stage as he walked in! :-D
 
I still believe

I'm pulling some top turtle expressions in this one, cos I'm pushing my vocals past the limit a bit, but it's the song that counts, right Sean? ;-)



Frank Turner has my original pUKEs T :cool:
 
I just wanted to let everyone know that I found the playlists for a couple more older shows which I've listed on the companion thread. The two extra shows are called I'll Be In The Garage pt 2 and Lord If You're A Woman. Shows are listed alphabetically so should be easy to find. More songs to chose from!
 
Tootler said:
Nice choice and good one, Tommy.

The key of E is accessible and not difficult to play if you use a uke tuned ADF#B and play D shapes. If you're playing a concert or tenor where tuning up might increase tension too much, put a capo on the 2nd fret and that gives the equivalent of ADF#B. I'm doing this quite a lot on my 6 string these days as I like the sound I get with the higher pitch of the open strings.
Click to expand...

Your comments are quite valid Geoff but you are an accomplished player.For new ukulele players or dulcimer platers of either stripe, banjo pickers and mandolinists, (although I don't know why in the last two cases). there is a lot of reticence here. The easiest and most flexible way on uke IMHO is to just play baritone with A patterned chords.
 
ukuleledaddy said:
I just wanted to let everyone know that I found the playlists for a couple more older shows which I've listed on the companion thread. The two extra shows are called I'll Be In The Garage pt 2 and Lord If You're A Woman. Shows are listed alphabetically so should be easy to find. More songs to chose from!
Click to expand...
oooooooooooooooooooooooh there's some good ones there!
 
And another show I failed to put on the list. I did this one to celebrate the last Star Wars movie (Ep. 7), Blast Off To Planet Nerd. Again, you can find it in the companion to 274. Randy has done a few space tunes. Might want to check this out Randy.
 
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