Season 483

Stevie Wonder's "Dont You Worry 'bout a Thing" for concert ukulele with singing; overdubs of Ashbory Ubass, whistling, and secondary vocal. I think this is the most melismatic song in my repertoire.



thanks for hosting, bonesigh!
 
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Here was my first thought. Would have liked some more time with it but my left hand was getting tired and i think i was winding the family up. Won't get chance to multitrack again this week so here's what I have.

I have more overtly melisma-y songs planned for the rest of the week.

 
Don’t worry folks I’m up late today. I am on it and making notes and I will have a large post soon to comment on all these wonderful songs coming in.
 
Good afternoon folks! Pa started us out with a baaaad song that is so gooood. Perfect an well played and sung. Course I don’t think Brian is capable of anything less :)

Jim Yates, I think “We’ll Be Together Again“ will do.
Pretty much any song that draws out a one syllable word.

Croaky K...I don’t know if I’d call it “warbling”, which is more of a quavering vocal or bird sound but....why not? It kind of is ( ;

CharlieB that was sweeet and right on the mark! Loved id! Not sure why you have “baby” in the house and I’m not sure I wanna know, lol!

Flatbaroque you are a crooner for sure and had me swooning with this blues number. Bluuueee is on of my favorite words to hear melismised (I wonder if that’s a word?).

Liz I ho ooo p you’ve got the idea noooowwwww!

Joko! Goood one!

Perfect clarification Keith!

Hendulele....if you can do that...go for it! That guy cracked me up!

Wee_ginga_yin, ba dum bum (cymbal sound)! I wonder how you would spell that sound? Anyway, I’m loving the jokes as well as the songs maybe people could keep them going.

And Wee, what a lovely song for the week! You would think after all these years I would remember peoples names. I am very baaaad at that!
I might have to learn this song I liked it so much. Well done :)

UkeFoote, melisma does indeed love company!
And....WOW! That was a great selection of song for the week. Your always so good! This Mama ain’t worried bout a thiiinggg...except that you might not do another song this week!!!

Rab11....is this a Nirvana song? Hence the tee shirt. Well, no matter, well done and executed! Super!
Here’s another thing I’m wondering....is babyyyy the most popular melismatic word sung?

I’m delighted with the diversity of songs for the week. Looking forward to many more as one can go to any genre and find some melisma.

I’m thinking if anyone doesn’t want to sing but you can play an instrumental of a well known song we would know the melismatic words to. Gi ahead and do that.
Heck even if you want to just strum a song, do it. Just tell us what song it is and I’ll sing along at home ( :

OK, I believe I am caught up.

Thank you for all the submissions so far. All I have to do now is add them to the Looking forward to moooorrrre music!!
 
Thanks for hosting bonesigh.Thats what I like about this group not only do you get to play and sing but you get an education at the same time
 
SOTU 483 - "He's Gone" - Grateful Dead. This song has a somewhat bizarre back story. It was written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter after the band's manager Lenny Hart, who was also the father of GD drummer Mickey Hart, disappeared with $155,000 of the band's money in 1970. He was later arrested in San Diego in July of 1971 while baptizing people and using the name "Reverend Lenny B.Hart". He was convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to six months in prison. Mickey Hart was so ashamed of his father's actions that he left the band and did not resume playing with them until 1975. In subsequent years, the song has evolved as a tribute to friends and members who have passed away, including Jerry Garcia himself.
 
Thanks for hosting, Janet! :)

Old Chinese proverb says: “Only the brave or the foolhardy attempt to cover an Annie Lennox vocal”. Don’t worry - I know which category I fall into! :D

Took a good few attempts to get the vocal halfway near acceptable here, then accidentally went an octave higher than planned for the outro! Luckily, according to my YT channel stats there aren’t many viewers that ever get that far anyway! :rolleyes:

 
Thanks for hosting Janet! It's good to see you take a turn and join in :)

After discovering Cat Stevens with my first girlfriend, his music was a regular presence in my life for around 10 years. When I started playing the uke a little over 4 years ago, I learned one of his songs, and was reminded how much I really liked his songs. I think this one has a few clear examples of what you're looking for this week. Cheers ~

 
Alright! A few more gems to add to the list!;)

Stanley I enjoyed that very much. I never realized this song is comprised of the popular 50’s chords.
Well done sir ( :

Marcsuke, I enjoyed every minute of this song. Well done. Thank you for the background on this as I was listening I wasn’t sure what the story was about. I listened to you first before I read what you had written.
I did not know that story about the Grateful Dead.

Dell! I heard this song yesterday for the first time while looking up angel songs. I love angel songs. Anyway, I wouldn’t even have attempted this song myself.
You did a fantastic job, I mean really good :) Thank you!
 
Mezcalero brings a fine, fine cover of “Wild World” by Cat Stevens. Not to be missed. I was living on a smile throughout this cover!

Don’t forget to comment on Seasonista vids and give them a round of applause!
 
To paraphrase Del's Chinese proverb: "Only the brave and/or foolhardy attempt to cover an early Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons song as well."


 
Hi Janet! Here's one for you that I hope fits the theme:

Melisma
Gregg Allman/Liz Brinker
1967/2021

Melisma
Gregg Allman
Alternate Lyrics by Liz Brinker
1967

A Bm C#m Bm


A Bm C#m Bm
Single notes, oh they come and go, yeah.

A Bm
The one that flies from high to low

D Em F#m G
Hitting many, many tones...

A Bm C#m D
Never staying on just one...

Fmaj7 E A Bm C#m Bm
In a complicated run… that’s sweet Melisma... mmm...



A Bm C#m Bm
The refrain where each note stays the same, all the same

A Bm
And no one knows who’s to blame

D Em F#m G
Send that note way up high,

A Bm C#m D
Keep it soaring right on by...

Fmaj7 E A Bm C#m Bm
It needs to swirl around and fly… to be Melisma... mmm...







A
And when the chorus comes

G
Just sing a crazy run,

D
Up or down, I just don’t care

E
Your voice is flying everywhere

F#m D E
I’ll prick up my ears and hear you sing on, sing on



A Bm C#m Bm
Monotone is not the way to go (lord, lord)

A Bm
I know what I like to hear most,

D Em F#m G
So keep in mind as you play,

A Bm C#m D
Listen to this word I say...

Fmaj7 E A Bm
For this song just would not be the same... without Melisma.

Fmaj7 E A Bm C#m Bm
No, this song just would not be the same… without Melisma.
 
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I read that there's plenty of examples of melisma in folk music, and that Simon and Garfunkel use it a lot too. So I went looking, and lo and behold, here's one where you don't have to look beyond the first word...



...and it certainly doesn't stop there. I've learned something already this week!
 
This isn't easy - a strong vibrato can sound like it's Melissa, and a diphthong jus sounds like two vowels, but it's one.

Here's one from one of my favorite male choral superheroes
 
Lynda brings some Sweet Love to the Season with this original ( :
Something special about your voice that reminds me of ?? Can’t remember but it’s beautiful!

And, your right “Angels We Have Heard on High“ have the longest gloria ever :)

Yukio, woah ho ho! What a fine job and classic example of melisma.
Sung with passion as per usual. I always enjoy your Season submissions!

Rab11-Ryan, da da dat dat dah, I did really like this song. Da da dat dat dah, hope you bring another ‘long!


Liz you never cease to please! A beautifully done pastiche full of melisma. I am sure Melissa, (Gregg Allman), would be pleased as well :)
Thanks for putting the chords and lyrics in there as well.

You remind me of the old me. Writing pastiche, singing my heart out and playing well. I got Bells Palsy back in October and things just aren’t the same. But, I’m trying.

Jtsteam, ooohhh, one of my favorite songs! Even before I had a child we named April. Not after the song but because she was born on April first ( ;
I have covered this song myself and even made a tutorial on the picking pattern for someone who was often on the Seasons of the Ukulele.
Great job! Love to hear some more from you this week.

Joko, I didn’t know about the uke book by Eddie Vedder. I love to read but don’t like uke books as, picky me, always needs to change something.

Ever since I saw your cat walk in the background every time you say “you“ I hear “mew”, lol.

Thanks for the song. Loved it!
 
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