Season 328 - My three most favourite tunes.

I remember liking this song when I was a kid so it's no surprise that this is a hit when you get the kids to join in.

A late night song that sorta stinks!

this song is quite a special one for us. we learnt it in the days
after my dad died at Christmas 2016.
a beautiful song we love to sing together.
written by Sam Beam, of Iron & Wine fame.

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First pick.

My first contribution this week is my own favourite composition in Catalan. It was written for the Intergenerational Brigade - a loose grouping of songwriters dedicated to preserving the memory of the Spanish Republic (that Franco destroyed and his political descendants in the present Spanish Government have ensured remains largely forgotten amongst the public at large).

More specifically, it was written for a show we did at the site of a field hospital that was used in the Battle of the Ebro. This was a huge overhang, beneath which the medical staff and the wounded were relatively safe from the bombs and shells landing not far away.

On that day we had a reconstruction of what conditions were like at the field hospital. Here is a pic of the wounded being ferried in on stretchers.



Don't know why it isn't showing the right way up.

At this time of the war, the Republican Government was so desperate for soldiers that the age of conscription was lowered to 16. The young soldiers called up were popularly known as the baby's bottle brigade, in reference to their extreme youth. Many, many of them were killed or wounded during the Battle of the Ebro, which was the Republic's last push and which failed at a terrible cost.

In this song, a young wounded soldier appeals to the nurse to tell him if he is about to die and offers her the reasons she should tell him if the worst is to come.

This is the song of mine that has made the greatest impact on audiences in our performances at these historical sites.

I am deeply indebted to the founder of the Brigada - Dani Moran - for tidying up my Catalan and advising me on more natural sounding phrases than I had originally proposed.

TRANSLATION OF THE LYRICS FROM CATALAN INTO ENGLISH IN THE YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

I'd struggle to choose my top 100 songs to listen to but it's a lot easier choosing favourite songs to play. This was the first song I tried to play when I bought my first guitar around the start of the current decade so I thought I'd try it on uke. On reflection I should have tried it plugged in but it's getting late and Cassandra's gone to bed.

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Another favorite classic.

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Third favorite.

Season 328. Submission 1. "Good Night My Love, Pleasant Dreams" (Words and music by George Motola and John Marascalco, 1959)

This song was first sung by Jesse Belvin in 1959, but since then it has resurfaced in many beautiful interpretations. Gloria Estefan, the Neville Brothers and The Four Seasons have all recorded it.

Keith, in thinking about my first falling in love with songs, I often return to these songs I first remember hearing. This was a favorite of mine.


Thank you for hosting and your terrific theme.

I learned this one for Pa’s outside season but couldn’t play it, first because it started to rain right after I finished playing Dream a Little Dream, and second because when I woke up the next morning I had the worst bit of poison oak I think I’ve ever had, right where my strumming arm rests on the uke. I must have brushed the body up against some leaves without realizing it and then really ground the oil into my arm by playing some more later that evening.

Anyway, this isn’t even my favorite Beatles song, but it is one that I enjoy playing very much. I like the little descending notes I guess, and it’s not like Sir Paul couldn’t write either.

I really love this song, even more so on the Ukulele...so I played it. Sorry it took Mel so long to find the Rhubarb.

ok, it's at least five and a half seconds since anyone brought any marc bolan to the seasons! so for everyone suffering withdrawal symptoms, here's a quick fix, obviously bringing marc on uke is one of my fave things to do, this is as rough as anything, soz about that, but it was fun to do!!!!!

"lock into your love"

For Season of the Ukulele 327, we're asked to play our favorite songs. Here's "All You Need Is Love" for tenor ukulele with singing; overdubs of ubass and secondary vocal, and melodica makes a last minute appearance.

I love The Kinks, and they sound great on the ukulele. This is the first song I ever learned by request, which is why it is special enough to share this season.

EDIT: Legitimately no idea whats going on with the video... or why the visual is going mach speed... and why it's listed as 5ish minutes (the real time), but only plays til the video part cuts off... YouTube... seriously...

Been some time since I've been able to post/upload anything. But this time I'm serious when I say I'm participating. XP. I even have a video up as I type this. But first, the most important thing:

NEW UKE DEBUT!!! I've mentioned it before, but this is the debut video for the newest addition to my musical family. She's a Kala KA-T Tenor Ukulele, she's absolutely beautiful, and her name is, as I say in the video Ceilidh.

For the video. This song is pretty important to me, as it was my main introduction to the band "Flogging Molly," which then sort of became my introduction to the sort of genres associated with them and similar bands. Irish Punk, Folk Punk, etc, etc. And I'm so glad for this introduction. But more than that, it's fairly nostalgic for me at this point, considering how long ago it came to my attention, and, really, its just a joy to play. Oddly, though, this is one of the first times I've really done much with it on the uke. I usually use a guitar for this one. But the challenge of swapping instruments was pretty fun.

What wasnt fun was about halfway through this take when i realized my thumbnail had chipped a bit, and was catching the string. Had to adjust my position to keep it from happening. Still. Came out well, if a little shaky at the end as my nail got a bit messier. But, again. I think it went well. Just a fun little tidbit. XP

Here's a quick late-night take on Tom Waits. Gotta love Tom Waits.

I heard this old song performed by another member here, and liked it immediately. It is now one of my faves when playing for friends/family, although I still get an eye-roll from my wife, Her Highness, "The Most"

This is my favourite tune today, simple but I'm just having fun.

I've done this one before almost 2 years ago, fancied doing it again because there's not been many Beatles tunes so far.

Last tune before I leave for a few weeks for some great mountain camping.

The Chain is one of my favorite songs from my youth. My mother was a single mom and even when she was working two jobs, took the time to listen to records with me and dance with me as a child. I have fond memories of listening to the entire album and dancing until exhausted.

Angel Dream by Tom Petty

Here's another favorite of late, Tom Petty's Angel Dream. The story on this tune is that he was in a major funk of substance abuse back in the 90s, after his first marriage failed and his house burned down. He wrote it after meeting his second wife Dana, who helped him get his life back together, she was his Angel.