SOTU 476 "All You Need is Love" or.....

Lyrics as a .txt file? Does that work?

View attachment stoptehwar.txt

{t:We've Got to Stop the War}
{st:to the melody of The Long and Winding
Road by The Beatles}

***Capo on 3 for guitar
**ukulele, play in Bb, capo on 1 for original key.



[Am]A Long and Bloody w[F]ar[F]
is now [C]at[C7] our doo[F]r
P[F]eople [Em]will disa[Am]ppear[Am]
[Dm]We've seen it [G]all befo[C]re [C7]
[F] Our[Em] land's fu[Am]ture's here
[Dm]We've got to [G]stop the [C]war


The [Am]dark and empty [F]nig[F]ht[F]
when [C]the fear [C7]comes your[F] way
[F] We've seen the f[Em]amilies' [Am] tears[Am]
[Dm] crying [G]for the [C]slain[C7]
[F] Don't g[Em]ive in to f[Am]ears
[Dm]There i[G]s no oth[C]er way.


[C]Remember you're n[F]ot alone and
[Em]all of us we[Dm]'ve cried
[C]Standing up to all o[F]f those who
[Em]tell the world th[Dm]eir lies but

[Am]we will stand [F] up[F] for
Democra[C]cy and [C7]the[F] law
[F]We[Em] will not dis[Am]appear[Am]
[Dm]Dicta[G]tors must [C]go, [C7]go go
[F] Myanmar's [Em]future's [Am]here
[Dm]We've got [G]to win the [C]war

Empty Pocket Blues by Clive Palmer.

This is from the first Incredible String Band LP, my personal favourite, but most fans don't agree with me. It's the only LP with Clive Palmer on it. On Empty Pocket Blues, Robin Williamson plays a lovely flute part.
I chose this because I knew that Berni is a fan of Robin Williamson and The Incredible String Band.
I'll have to get some software and headphones if I want to do much more overdubbing.

The guitar I used is a 1958 Goya M-26, made in the Levin Company in Sweden. It is the very same guitar as the LM-26 Levin guitar that Robin Williamson used. Robin stripped the finish off the top and decorated it. I have not done that to mine.
This was my first guitar, bought used (but only 2 years old) in 1960 for $75. (Five payments of $15)

Here's Robin's LM-26






Empty Pockets Blues Clive Palmer

[C] My pocket's empty [Ab] Baby, [C] singing these blues for [C7] you.
[F] My pocket's empty Baby, [D7] you know I loved you [G] true.
[C] Even my old [Ab] kettle is whistlin' the blues for [C] you.
[G] Back again, [C] I'm still willing
[G] Back again with [Am] you.

[C] The nights are lonely [Ab] Baby, [C] I need you all the [C7] time.
[F] I'm lonely Baby, [D7] need your lips on [G] mine.
[C] Even my old [Ab] kettle is whistlin' the blues for [C] you.
[G] Back again, [C] I'm still willing
[G] Back again with [Am] you.

Here it is Saturday and there's this wonderful, juicy, low-hanging fruit!

I could have gone on and on adding more voices to the chorus, but I stopped at 6.

Another one from the archive and I hope that Berni can forgive me since it's the incredible string band.

As most of you know, this is a song from the Sgt. Pepper LP.

I think it speaks to some of the underlying social change that made much of the more overt changes of the 1960s possible.

i reckon the hippy era has been overly romanticized quite a bit - jon has been bringing some charles manson songs this week - watched some stuff about the manson family and what they got up to on their communal farm
not many hippies survived living that life style - i think they all went back to jobs and started families or became teachers or college lecturers
apparently charles read quite a bit into this song

This will probably be my last now, Cheers Berni

Just passed the 50 submissions point! Wow! I thought Easter would be a slack time.

I can't believe no one has done a Grateful Dead song.... I'll extend the year window to 1970 for them. Live/Dead is still one of my favourite albums.
Deadheads continued the hippy life-style right up to the 90s.

Here is the first one I thought of...

Happy birthday, Berni!

Happy belated birthday, Berni!

UkingViking did a great version of this 1967 Bob Dylan song earlier this week. Another ukulele version of this classic can't hurt, yeah?

aspieman456 said:

Happy birthday, Berni!

Click to expand...

Thank you! I had a good one.

OK Berni, Grateful Dead it is, New Speedway Boogie from 1970. Long ago in the mid 70s, we played a lot of Dead in our band, with me on guitar and backup vocals, but I've never played it on uke, until today. Our keyboard player, who was much like Pigpen, was our lead vocalist, so this is new to me. Pardon my flubbed falsetto attempt at the end, that's not my thing.

Last one, I promise, Berni :- ) Though this one was written in 1966, Three Dog Night had a hit with it in 1970, so I hope it averages out... My parents had the Three Dog Night album with this on it and I listened to it over and over and over, picturing the very grown up scene Newman describes.

Mama Told Me Not To Come
Randy Newman, 1966

One more...

Happy birthday, Berni!
I had a look at 1967, and it seems to me an incredible productive year for music (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXW2YvzLVYc, btw: some Beatles muted)

Here's a relaxing song from 1967:

That's all folks!

Well, it's half past midnight in Hawaii, so time to officially close SOTU 476.

I will be doing a post-mortem later, when I get my computer back from my daughter who is desperate to finish a university assignment. It involves video editing from a DVD and her portable doesn't have a DVD reader.

Thanks to everyone who contributed this week. There were 54 entries, not counting mine (and two bonuses by Rob WGY), which is curious because I was born in 1954... This season was 476 (discounting the 4 that's 67 backwards.... Spooky, man ....)

A Farewell to SOTU 476

Well, in the words of the Grateful Dead: "What a long strange trip it's been!"

Charlie kicked us off with the Stones' answer to "All You Need is Love" then Brian (Pa) offered us the first original - a curmudgeonly "bah humbug" aimed at the hippy ideal. Not exactly the celebration of the period that I was seeking, but undoubtedly a comment on that era.

John gave us one of his typically commanding performances with Tim Hardin's Classic "If I were a Carpenter" and Jim blew my socks off with his wonderful take on "Visions of Paradise". Which would definitely have won the prize for a cover - if I had found any prizes worth sending out.

Rob then plucked on my heart strings with an Incredible String Band song that was in my own repertory as a semi-pro folksinger in the early 1980s. Seasons they change.... indeed.

Fellow "Whitebeard" Jim, offered a classic Phil Ochs song; Wim went all psychedelic with a version of the Doors "Light my Fire"; Fred Grubb, in fine voice, sang "By the Time I get to Phoenix"; Val regaled us with Traffic's trippy "Paper Sun"; Edwin plied us with a super "jangly" take on the Small Faces' "Itchycoo Park"; Rick was "Feelin' Alright" and it showed and Lynda delighted us with a lovely original with a very hippy feel.

Then Jon offered us the first of several songs by Charles Manson (consider the below comments as applicable to all of them).
I must admit, I was perplexed by these. My daughter won't watch any Woody Allen films because he was "a child molester and an associate of Harvey Weinstein". I tried to convince her that she should not confuse the artist with their output, but she is of the "cancel" generation and wouldn't accept that argument. Then, suddenly, I am faced with one of my favourite Seasonistas doing songs by the man who did more than perhaps anyone else to bring down the curtain on the hippy dream. I had to swallow my own argument and begrudgingly accept Jon's choice.... even if my first reaction had been to think about asking Jon to take the song down, as I'd willingly "cancel" Manson in all senses of the word. In the end I swallowed my own pill and respected Jon's choice.

There followed some classic "Hippy related songs" as Mark C gave us a fine acoustic version of Cream's classic "Sunshine of your Love"; Edwin a lesser known Arlo Guthrie song (and a precis of Arlo's "Alice's Restaurant)"; Ryan got all psychedelic then with a super version of Lennon at his poetic best in "I am the Walrus" before both Val and Marc H (with Liz) plied us with their delightful versions of what became the theme of the week "Groovin..." They must have both been recording them at the same time. Proof of telepathy? Freaky man!

The Yazukes then lit up our skies in celebration of the Hippy Worldview; Brian did a fine take on "Gimme some lovin" a classic Stevie Winwood track (he was only 15 with a number one record when that was a hit!). Jim (of the white beard) reminded us not to be greedy when sharing a joint; Brian (ukefoote) folowed with one of his classic multi-track versions, this time of the song perhaps most associated with the hippy dream, the Beatles' "All you Need is Love". Telepathy was at work again as Marc C and Liz both covered "Get Together" ; John (Uke Nation) then did what I thought would be impossible, do a rocking solo uke version of "Born to be Wild".

The next song that appeared really blew my mind, man! This was Bob King's wonderful original. "Born too Late for Flowers in my Hair" - If you don't listen to any other song from this week, may I plead with you to give this one a listen. It's a true tribute to the period, quotes some classic lines from songs of the era and is played with supreme skill and a gorgeous vocal. Had I been giving a ukulele away as a prize this week, then it would surely be winging Bob's way. He is this week's WINNER in my book.

Kind of Mike then sang a beautiful emotion filled rendition of Dylan's "I Shall be Released"; Mark C. regaled us with three super covers (Riders on the Storm, Catch the Wind & Strawberry Fields Forever); Steve Phillips sandwiched in between them a gorgeous version of the Zombies' "Time of the Season" before Joko gave us the first of his "mad" takes. This time on the Buffalo Springfield classic: "For What it's Worth". Would any Season be complete without an example of Joko's way out, far out lunacy? I think not!

The Beatles dominated the next few submissions with Edwin, Ylle and Rob (Wee Ginger Yin) submitting first-rate takes on classic Beatles songs... With Val squeezing in the Move's "Flowers in the Rain" in there amongst them and Rob also slipping in a Bukowski comment on the era. Then it was time for the host's privilege... a short "hippyish" song I wrote during FAWM (February Album Writing Month) this year.

Del and Liz then delighted us with an Amen Corner classic; Brian (Pa) did his own inimitable take on "For What it is worth" in Drop G tuning: interesting and inspirational. A bonus track followed from Rob (WGY) speculating on the roots of "Lady Madonna".

Joko then gave us a wonderful rewrite of "The Long and Winding Road" reflecting the situation he is living through in troubled Myanmar (Burma). It's another one I'd recommend those of you who haven't heard it to listen to. He would soon also gift us with the classic Anti-Vietnam War song: "Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag". Meanwhile, The Incredible String band came to the fore again (oh heaven) with songs by Rob (WGY) and Jim (WB).

The Beatles, who, perhaps appropriately enough, won hands down as artists being covered this week, were represented again by fine versions by Christopher (a sublime "She's Leaving Home"), Brian (Pa) with a gritty bluesy "Helter Skelter" and Mark C's take on George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord".

We are into the final stretch now as Liz (e-san) cleared the last hurdle with a captivating version of the song perhaps most associated with Haight-Ashbury and 1967: "San Francisco (Flowers in Your Hair)"; Ralf galloped into view with another terrific version of "I Shall be Released" sung in his inimitable falsetto. Close on his heels came John (Uke Nation) with a super rhythmic take on a Grateful Dead song (Hooray! The Dead kept the Hippy Vibe alive longer than any other band).

The final three in the field were Liz with one of her best vocal performances on Randy Newman's "Mama told me not to come" (which I have always thought may have been inspired by Randy speculating on what Mr Jones (he of "Ballad of a Thin Man") may have been thinking at the party he went to that Dylan describes. Joko doing another "freak out" version (in miniature) of Iron Butterfly's Opus Magnus "In a Gadda de Vida" (which I remember reading in an interview, sometime back, was inspired by someone mishearing "In the Garden of Eden". )

Finally, Heinz perfectly rounded off this "groovy week" with his take on the most covered song in this Season - Groovin'

So thanks again to one and all for contributing. I look forward to my next stint as host.

Peace and Love man!

Cheers for a great season and probably the longest ever written wrap Berni
Cancel culture Is an abhorrent practice and Its the equivalent to sticking your fingers in your ears and denying that somethings happened or happening and Its about silencing an opinion that differs from your own. Freedom of expression and freedom of opinion was what the Hippie movement once fought for and todays cancel culture or de-platforming turns this ethos on Its head and Is a complete contradiction Imo. All history Is made up of good and bad but we must never cherry pick just the good parts and deny the bad because Its vital we learn from both.

Totally agree... But sometimes it's hard to stick to the principle of freedom of speech for all.... I personally would deny a platform to those who would deny others one (eg: VOX Spain's openly Fascist party who have experienced a dramatic rise in their seats in the last two years.)