Song Help Request I Need help!

Nickie

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We're sort of at an impasse here.
This month, we've been playing non religious Christmas songs for the patrons and kids in Shriner's Childrens hospital lobby.
The kids (and parents) have interacted with us to a greater degree than ever before, and I doubt if it's due to our skill.
Up till now, we've mostly been playing songs that WE relate to, and we're all old farts. One guy even said, "It's time these kids learn the old stuff."
I Called BS, maybe they don't want to. I said "maybe it's time we learn their music." I got a lot of resistance. Now, I'll admit, I really hate Drop Baby Drop.
I know that most of today's music sucks, by our musical standards, but I want these kids and parents to experience something they can relate to.
We're there to help alleviate their anxiety, not for the pleasure of banging out Hello Mary Lou (which I also hate) week after week.
Where can we find songs that are easy for us to adapt to ukulele (Intermediate skill level) that these kids, ages toddlers to teens can enjoy?
Thanks!
 
We play in local hospitals using a mix of songs, but with our regular barn dance tunes in between. These usually go down well with all ages, especially the lively jigs - often have the nurses bopping around the wards.

In one case, a fracture patient was being walked along the corridor by a physiotherapy nurse and perked up having a tune with the right rhythm. Has also been a great way to engage with dementia patients.

We use a mix of instruments to break things up a bit, and usually have 'show and tell' sessions to answer any questions about them after a set. Also have some percussion and tin whistles for the munchkins to play with.

I appreciate that this is going off at a bit of a tangent, but if you do have some other instruments available to mix in, wondered if this would be a way of avoiding the old vs new material issue.
 
There is a book called daily ukulele. Has 365 songs. Everything from country western to 60s pop and some standards. If I can play out of it, I know you can
 
Old people & resistance to new things, it's well known, & they/we don't want to change, but that's not the point.

As above it's about giving your audience what they would like to hear, & maybe even join in with.

Put it to your 'old farts' - are you playing for yourself, or your audience. :music:
 
I's say go with music from Disney/Pixar/other animated movies and you'll be in a safe middle ground. I jumped in with the music therapy folks a few months ago, and it was all Disney/Movie tunes. The kids loved it. It's stuff they are familiar with.......Frozen, Moana, Aladdin. We also did "Happy" by Pharrell, and "Can't Stop The Feeling" by Justin Timberlake (old fart here who can't tell you what movies those were from).
 
Thanks ubulele :)
Yeah, I have my preferences which include mostly songs of the 30's, 40's, 50' and 60's
(less most Folk and Protest songs).
if my audience enjoys what I perform, we both win. If they don't like it, they lose... I still win :)
I'm not trying to be difficult, I just do the songs I enjoy and hope the audience will enjoy
them with me.
One day I fully expect to have to listen to the songs of the 60's to 2020's in a rest home whether
I like or know them or not. Oh well, perhaps I'll learn them then.

keep uke'in',
 
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Go to https://www.e-chords.com/
and if you don't want to join can do cut and paste. If you join you can get quick transpositions (unless you're already good at it).
I've spent time there just trolling around.
chordify, chords and tabs, and ultimate guitar work too. They're geared towards guitar, but at least e-chords will show chords for uke.
Heck a chord's a chord though.
They've been useful for me especially trying to dig up some country songs along with the rock
 
Everybody is crazy about that Gary Newman song in "Frozen" right now. "You got a friend in me"

You've Got a Friend In Me is by Randy Newman, and is from the movie Toy Story. I Love it, the gang thinks it's too hard. I'm pressing it.
 
There is a book called daily ukulele. Has 365 songs. Everything from country western to 60s pop and some standards. If I can play out of it, I know you can

Thanks.

Actually, this book was written for TBUS, the club I'm in. Very familiar with it. Many of our songs came from here.
 
There is a reason why songs that have been around for decades still get played over and over by thousands of players: they are simply that good and resist short time changes in musical tastes. Much of the modern "music" does not even have discernible melodies so what's the point in trying to replicate these songs, they will be forgotten soon. The kids nowadays are exposed to a lot of noise, and a song they like this week will be replaced by something else next week. There is no point in trying to catch up. Stick with the music that has made many generations of people happy, it is here to stay for the next generations as well.
 
You've Got a Friend In Me is by Randy Newman, and is from the movie Toy Story. I Love it, the gang thinks it's too hard. I'm pressing it.

Not sure what resource you're using for this song. Just want to let you know, Dr. Uke has a version of this song on his site that's not too hard to play. Our group has done it, and we have people with a wide range of playing abilities. Might be worth a look.
 
There is a reason why songs that have been around for decades still get played over and over by thousands of players: they are simply that good and resist short time changes in musical tastes. Much of the modern "music" does not even have discernible melodies so what's the point in trying to replicate these songs, they will be forgotten soon. The kids nowadays are exposed to a lot of noise, and a song they like this week will be replaced by something else next week. There is no point in trying to catch up. Stick with the music that has made many generations of people happy, it is here to stay for the next generations as well.

You know, you do make a lot of sense....I can't argue your points.

Maiden Uke, it came from the Daily Ukulele, I Think the blue book, or Leap Year Edition. They said I do it wrong because it's not exactly like Newman did it. We have some real purists. I ain't one.
 
Every time we do Holly Jolly Christmas I have to mention my late friend who passed in August. He toured and sang with Burl Ives. He learned to play tenor guitar and tenor banjo and baritone uke. His wife played keyboard. She passed away right after him.
They did more to encourage me than anyone else.

But I'm not looking for Christmas songs. We have plenty. I need non seasonal songs that will mean as much to these kids as the Christmas ones have.
 
Just a thought, but why not interview a number of youngsters and ask them what songs they like? That should at least get you pointed in the right direction.
 
Just a thought, but why not interview a number of youngsters and ask them what songs they like? That should at least get you pointed in the right direction.

Good plan. Now to find some kids. We're doing a concert for a kid's summer camp, ages 6 to 12 in June...
 
I discover new songs from what my phone app serves up. Sometimes the new songs i like and I learn are what the younger set is into. And then I appear cool for a very short moment in time.
 
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When I play as part of a duo, we try to do a lot of different things that might relate to kids - my partner has two boys, 9 and 12 y/o, and works in a high school.

As a result, there is at least 1 Taylor Swift song in the mix. But truthfully, that's 10 years old. most of our "new" songs are 20-30 years old, although when we play an "oldie", it is more often than not from the mid-1800s (Think Stephen Foster).

I've started to add some Broadway tunes, like "Once Upon A December" from Anastasia, and some Disney.

Sometimes, even songs I've found asinine sound good, when done differently (Like Richard Thompson's version of "Oops I did it again")

Good Luck
 
Hello. Whether in a group or an audience trying to please everyone is difficult. In a lot of cases the “foot stomping” standards which almost everyone knows are almost a requirement....”You Are My Sunshine” and the like to get them singing along. But, younger (and older) crowds like to hear more current material. Today’s pop music is usually down to 4 chords ( c,g,f,am ) . If you go to your web browser and key in “99 most popular ukulele songs” a wealth of choice appears. I find the uketabs site very helpful. Or, as I did when I started out, keying in Uke Circles or Uke Groups....almost all have song books which you can pick and choose....and if they are in a song book chances are they are known by all. Have fun.
 
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