Season 339 - "Let There Be Light"

turtledrum said:

Del, my bad for forgetting to give you backstory on my song choices. I've edited both of my posts now to do that. Mea culpa! And it won't happen again.

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Don't worry Linda - it isn't obligatory! But it often adds an extra dimension to the words and the music. And I'm a nosey old sod!

I love the Black Keys. I love this song. I once tacked this song onto a Marc Bolan song. Coincidentally the same Marc Bolan song brought by Lynda this week

So here we are - half way through the week and a staggering 87 songs on the playlist! Some fabulous music coming through and lots of interesting and occasionally very moving back stories to the song choices, which, I believe, "illuminate" (yes - deliberately chose that word ) the season and bring us closer together as a community.

Because of the quality and the quantity of your work I'm going to have to re-assess my judging strategy. Although I'm now beginning to see why the 'random prize draw' is a popular option with season hosts, I'm still determined to judge on merit. But I'll increase the number of t-shirt winners to (probably) 6, and rather than judge on the merits of individual songs (which I've realised now is nigh-on impossible) I'll be looking at those individuals that have embraced the theme to the maximum with their entries, as well as taking into consideration the quality of all of their songs. This doesn't mean that quantity will beat quality - simply that the merits of just one particular song won't be enough to sway me.

I hope that makes sense and I hope it seems fair. And rest assured that it won't devalue the accolade of winning - the quality is simply too good to limit myself to just 3 choices.

Please send any complaints to pabrizzer and he'll make arrangements for the boys to pay you a visit to dissuade you of your grievance! He has connections, you know!

I'll check-in again later in the week - now stop reading and start playing!

turtledrum said:

Season 339. Submission 2. "No Reply" (Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and recorded by the Beatles, 1964)



Del, I read this morning that today is the anniversary (August 15th) of the second Beatles at Shea Stadium concert. That got me thinking about them. (I actually saw their last concert at Shea in August of 1966.) And so, when I picked up the uke this morning it was to revisit Beatles songs. And guess what I found in this one? That tell-tale light in the window .........

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And apparently also the date John, Paul and George asked Ringo to round out the foursome.

Here's one The Browns had a hit with around 1960, though it was a hit for a few pop singers in the 40's. I used to LOVE to hear Jim Ed Brown sing this song.

We already heard some songs about the sun.
Here's the mother of all sun-songs.
Written in 1898 and now played on my low g concert uke and my bowlback mando.

Released in 1969 by Amen Corner when I would have been barely 3 years old, I can’t know what kind of initial impression it made on me at the time. But I do know that over subsequent years it has become a real favourite of mine, and I think it’s one of the finest love songs ever written.

Sorry - Season 339, not 338. I have seen the light.


classic song that I have always enjoyed.

shoot out the lights...


I grew up in a small town and the "dollars worth of gas is..." is reality from my teen years.

This is pretty good, not bad...


John Prine...probably my favorite singer. Great tune but harder than I thought.

Here's another one Del! Hope you're having fun hosting your first season . . .
This is a collaboration with Linda (Turtledrum). When I asked if she had any ideas for this season, this is one of the songs she suggested. Amazingly, we struggled a bit because if it's simplicity In the end, I am very pleased with how it turned out, and especially tickled by the beautiful video Linda made. Thanks Linda, and thanks Del for hosting ~

339-1 Wednesday

339-2 Wednesday

another homemade song, on the sunshine cbg uke! yet again, i was just minding my own business, having a little plink, but of course with the season theme in my mind this week, it turned into a little song. just half a lyric, really!

I already played the most obvious Wilco song for an earlier season, but I found another. A good one buried deep on side three of “Being There”.

Decided to try a dulcimer and ukulele combo on this all time country classic song. I mean "dim lights" are still lights right? This was my very first time trying it out as a full song, I intended this to be a practice take, but I got thru it OK, so I kept it.

NEWSFLASH: We've just smashed through the 100 song barrier guys! Amazing stuff!

Last one for me this week probably.

As well as aligning pretty well with my worldview this song appeared in my set the first time I took my little dolphin the to an Open Mic instead of a guitar. Got way more positive feedback from that set than I ever did playing guitar and that's what got me hooked. So this is a pretty special song



(I'm playing the dolphin here even though it's only got 3 strings at the minute. Let me hit a proper E as a result though.

Today is Madonna’s 60th birthday. I had to cover “Lucky Star”.

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