25th Season of the Ukulele - the real version

Here it is, the 25th Season of the Ukulele



The Challenge
Learn and sing a train song. It can be a song about a train or a song where a train/railway/railroad features in some way.

Alternatively take a poem about the railways and write an original tune to make it a song or write an original song and sing it.

Parameters-
Video must be a new creation

It must feature ukulele as the main instrument but other instruments welcome.

I will modify the single track/no overdubs rule this week. If you have videos or photos of trains, you can fade these in after at least 30 seconds showing you playing ukulele but they should be your own work and not taken from the web or elsewhere. The audio track must still be a single take with no overdubs.

All instruments welcome, Ukulele must be central.

bonus tracks definitely encouraged.

You need to tell us that your video is for the 25th season of the Ukulele at the beginning of it.

...and a plea: Please include the title of your song in the title of your video, don't just title it "25th season of the ukulele". It really helps when I listen to an unfamiliar song. Remember, songs that may be familiar in the US may not be familiar elsewhere and vice versa.

Judging-
This time, you will be the judges. Everyone who enters a video will be able to take part in the judging. I will explain how it will work towards the end of the week, but basically I will ask you to send me your choices for the best three entries after the week has ended and I will give points to your choices to arrive at a winner.

+3 bonus points for an original tune to a poem or an original song.

Prizes-
1st prize: Fremont ukulele clip hanger – stand that clips to your mic stand or music stand.

2nd Prize: Pub Prop – ukulele hanger that clips to a table.

3rd Prize: Rhythm Ring – slips over your finger to give a rhythmic accompaniment as you strum. You'll have seen me , among others, use one on videos.

Deadline
The competition ends at midnight on Sunday 12th August Hawaii time. That's 11am Monday 13th August UK time (currently GMT+1)

Enjoy yourselves this week and lets see lots of great vidoes.

Geoff

Bless her Cotton socks!!!

Excellent set-up, Geoff! You'll get lots of entries.

And bravo for thinking of a new way for "judging." It will be sort of like the Applause-o-Meter on the 1950s show, "Queen for a Day."

wee_ginga_yin said:

Bless her Cotton socks!!!

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:agree:

(wouldn't accept my reply with just a smiley :rulez

here we go.

Tootler said:

...and a plea: Please include the title of your song in the title of your video, don't just title it "25th season of the ukulele". It really helps when I listen to an unfamiliar song. Remember, songs that may be familiar in the US may not be familiar elsewhere and vice versa.

Geoff

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Hey Geoff - I think the reason a lot of us avoid putting the title in the YouTube upload is to avoid the copyright police on YouTube. I know that's why I avoid using the song title unless it is one of my originals or a traditional that's public domain.

Awesome you stepping up this way and this is one week I shouldn't have any problem with - I wrote a train song recently and haven't recorded it yet so this works out really sweet!

JOhn

I like your judging idea, I was planning on doing something similar for the 27th season. All aboard!

Man oh man why did I spend so much time over on the train song thread...oh well, looks like I am going to learn a few more...GREAT THEME Tootler!
Gotta agree with John on titles though-I leave them off because YouTube will yank them quick. Can we put them in the thread reply instead?

uh oh. I hope I don't get yanked!

OldePhart said:

Hey Geoff - I think the reason a lot of us avoid putting the title in the YouTube upload is to avoid the copyright police on YouTube. I know that's why I avoid using the song title unless it is one of my originals or a traditional that's public domain.

Awesome you stepping up this way and this is one week I shouldn't have any problem with - I wrote a train song recently and haven't recorded it yet so this works out really sweet!

JOhn

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TCK said:

Man oh man why did I spend so much time over on the train song thread...oh well, looks like I am going to learn a few more...GREAT THEME Tootler!
Gotta agree with John on titles though-I leave them off because YouTube will yank them quick. Can we put them in the thread reply instead?

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Putting them in the thread is fine. In fact good idea. Just as long as you tell me somewhere the title of the song. You can announce it in the video, if you like.

Copyright seems to work differently for you and us. So far, <touch wood> I've had no major problems. I occasionally get a note saying someone has claimed copyright but all that happens is ads appear in the video. If the song is public domain, which many of mine are, I contact them and tell them and up till now they have removed the copyright claim.

I do know others have had problems, though.

By the way, OldePhart, I'm looking forward to hearing your song.

strumsilly said:

here we go.

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Well that was a great song to start us off. They don't get much better than Jean Ritchie.

Tootler - this is a great theme! I LOVE train songs. Here is the first bonus track of the 25th Season:

This is a video in memory of my dad, who worked as a railroad engineer for 38 years on the Illinois Central RR. The City of New Orleans was one of his trains.

I'm in Myrna! Lovely version as always...
Mine is a little more silly, but what the heck- lets all play this one! Top shelf tune!

Dang I love me a good train song

I'm not at home so I can't record anything. But if I could I'd be keen to finally get a tune for this song I wrote about the little train that takes you up into the Himalayas.

In fact, if anyone here feels inspired to write a tune for this and submit it to the season, that'd be brilliant!

Here are the lyrics, in case anyone gets inspired:


Up the Hills to Shimla

When I was young, “The Jungle Book”
Escorted me to bed.
And dreams of ancient India,
Raced swiftly around my head.
Then “Plain Tales from the Hills”
Replaced dreams of the wolf-pack.
And I swore one day, I’d find myself,
On the mountain railway track.

Winding through the mountains up to Shimla,
CHO Climbing through the mist and through the rain.
RUS Exploring the great mystery of India,
A pilgrim rattling skywards on the train.

There are uniformed young schoolboys,
Some with sky-blue turban hats.
There are bureaucrats and businessmen,
Who’ve come up from the flats.
There are honeymooning couples,
With shy love looks in their smiles,
And tourists and train spotters,
Devouring every mile.

CHORUS

There are porters and samosas
That appear at every stop.
Rickety old viaducts,
Breathtaking sheer drops.
The distant Himalayas,
As a backdrop to the scene,
And sights that take me back,
To when Victoria was Queen.

CHORUS

In my mind’s eye there are Redcoats,
Fleeing hot nights on the plains,
Subalterns and fat colonels,
Reliving old campaigns.
Crinolined young ladies
Swapping gossip behind fans,
Ambitious worldly curates,
And that ailing other man.

CHORUS

strumsilly said:

here we go.

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Maybe it's just wishful hearing, but at around the 2:15 mark it sounds like you say "Never thought I'd wish to hear those tiples roar".

Wow - way to jump right out of the gate and set the bar high!

strumsilly said:

here we go.

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BTW, Geoff - were you aware you have embedding turned off on your intro video so it can only be viewed by going to YouTube?

Here is my entry, sorry instrumental only... ;-)


Freight train - Elisabeth Cotten, arrangement by Arnaud D.

@Myrna and @Dave - you two need to collab that one...