A Song You Didn't Know Existed Until You Play Ukulele

[kkimura]

Hallelujah was a new one for me. The popular John Cale version is way to high for me. Luckily I found the original Leonard Cohan and Father Ray Kelly versions that are in a lower register.

 

[Freya Vie]

Hallelujah was a new one for me. The popular John Cale version is way to high for me. Luckily I found the original Leonard Cohan and Father Ray Kelly versions that are in a lower register.

Ahhh, I completely agree with you.

The Leonard Cohan one was a better fit for me too!

 

[engravertom]

Wow thank you for the story!

I'm amazed at your idea... I straight up bought a ukulele without knowing what to expect!

You made a great choice!

 

[frets alot]

"Always With Me (Spirited Away)"
I purchased the standard music notation and now it's one of my favorite songs to fingerpick.

 

[ripock]

Has anyone drawn any conclusions as to why the ukulele affected your listening habits. Was it because you joined a uke group and were exposed to its repertoire? Was it because the ukulele is a fairly simple instrument so that once you found you could make music you sought out music to play?

 

[Canada Jim]

For me it would be "I'll See You In My Dreams." The version by Joe Brown is the first I came across, and I was touched by it.

When he saw that I had bought a ukulele, my friend Ted gave me a Ukulele Ike song book which had I'll See You In My Dreams in it and it was one of the songs I learned early on. I had known the song before from Chet Atkins version and probably others. I was impressed by Joe Brown's version at the end of the Concert For George. A great song!

 

[dr_mitch]

Honestly, my interest in 1920s and 1930s jazz and blues developed after I started learning ukulele. Those whole styles of music work so well on it - and I was really missing out not being familiar with them before. Over the last few years I’ve discovered dozens of great songs I either didn’t know or only faintly knew.

I’m thrilled that my musical education is probably never over, and that I’m no longer confined to the 1960s to 1980s for the main eras of music I listen to,

 

[dancephoto]

"Leaning on a Lamp Post," which I first heard in the UOGB Russian" version.

 

[ampeep]

I knew this song from an early Brothers Cazimero album, but recently got to play it at a jam. Was an amazing experience (especially the harmonies).

 

[LarryS]

I'm currently learning After You've Gone from the Daily Ukulele book. Never heard of it before and have no idea who wrote it, but it sounds lovely

 

[engravertom]

Has anyone drawn any conclusions as to why the ukulele affected your listening habits. Was it because you joined a uke group and were exposed to its repertoire? Was it because the ukulele is a fairly simple instrument so that once you found you could make music you sought out music to play?

For me it was the residents of an assisted living facility that I was visiting to play music for them. I had my little repertoire, but asked them what other songs I could learn for them. Always by Irving Berlin was one of those.

But I don’t actually listen to different music like that on a regular basis, just when I play it.

 

[Jim in Oregon]

I had never heard "Robin in the Rain" until Stu Fuchs taught it to us on his Ukulele Zen YouTube channel. It's short and sweet. Stu rocks, in a jazzy sort of way.

Jim

 

[captain-janeway]

Has anyone drawn any conclusions as to why the ukulele affected your listening habits. Was it because you joined a uke group and were exposed to its repertoire? Was it because the ukulele is a fairly simple instrument so that once you found you could make music you sought out music to play?

I think a little of both. I started because my knee was blown out and I couldn't dance but wanted something creative to do. I've noticed a lot of the repertoire are early 60s songs which I hadn't really listened to. Unfortunately the Beatles make me want to run screaming from the room, so I end up picking up things on my own. People don't want to play much country or bluegrass beyond like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash (whom I love) and I like playing some newer things.

 

[Freya Vie]

"Always With Me (Spirited Away)"
I purchased the standard music notation and now it's one of my favorite songs to fingerpick.

Such a sweet song!

Has anyone drawn any conclusions as to why the ukulele affected your listening habits. Was it because you joined a uke group and were exposed to its repertoire? Was it because the ukulele is a fairly simple instrument so that once you found you could make music you sought out music to play?

I'd like to think it's because the uke community is filled with people from all walks of life and when we watch their uke videos or listen to their uke recordings, it gives us exposure to other genre of songs that we are not used to listening.

We choose to listen to them playing the uke, and hence, we will listen to the song that was being played and it may or may not be of interest to us.

Does this make any sense? Lol.

When he saw that I had bought a ukulele, my friend Ted gave me a Ukulele Ike song book which had I'll See You In My Dreams in it and it was one of the songs I learned early on. I had known the song before from Chet Atkins version and probably others. I was impressed by Joe Brown's version at the end of the Concert For George. A great song!

I would definitely add this song to my "to be learn" list!

Honestly, my interest in 1920s and 1930s jazz and blues developed after I started learning ukulele. Those whole styles of music work so well on it - and I was really missing out not being familiar with them before. Over the last few years I’ve discovered dozens of great songs I either didn’t know or only faintly knew.

I’m thrilled that my musical education is probably never over, and that I’m no longer confined to the 1960s to 1980s for the main eras of music I listen to,

Ahh.. you are so right! When I discovered classical ukulele yesterday, I too realize that the learning never ends!

"Leaning on a Lamp Post," which I first heard in the UOGB Russian" version.

I love this so much! I've heard of them but never actually seen any of their videos. Thank you so much for sharing this!

I knew this song from an early Brothers Cazimero album, but recently got to play it at a jam. Was an amazing experience (especially the harmonies).

So serene!!

I'm currently learning After You've Gone from the Daily Ukulele book. Never heard of it before and have no idea who wrote it, but it sounds lovely

Thank you for introducing this song to me! I just heard it, it's wonderful! I've also never tried playing anything from the Daily Ukulele Book. Will definitely want to check it out!

I had never heard "Robin in the Rain" until Stu Fuchs taught it to us on his Ukulele Zen YouTube channel. It's short and sweet. Stu rocks, in a jazzy sort of way.

Jim

Thank you for this, Jim! Such a cute and catchy song! A perfect song to play for my pre-school kids. I've also bookedmarked Ukulele Zen. What a joy to discover new things..

 

[Freya Vie]

I think a little of both. I started because my knee was blown out and I couldn't dance but wanted something creative to do. I've noticed a lot of the repertoire are early 60s songs which I hadn't really listened to. Unfortunately the Beatles make me want to run screaming from the room, so I end up picking up things on my own. People don't want to play much country or bluegrass beyond like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash (whom I love) and I like playing some newer things.

I'm so sorry to hear about you knee, @captain-janeway ..

I used to be a dancer and I busted the cartilage below my knee too when I was 21. Doctor told me that it's due to many "squat and stand up" movements. Ever since then, I stopped dancing.

But well, we have ukulele now

 

[dancephoto]

Has anyone drawn any conclusions as to why the ukulele affected your listening habits. Was it because you joined a uke group and were exposed to its repertoire? Was it because the ukulele is a fairly simple instrument so that once you found you could make music you sought out music to play?

I listen to a very wide range of music. I don't think the ukulele has changed my listening habits, but it's "limitations" have changed my performing habits. For example: the guitar's six strings are a benefit and a curse when it comes to playing what are commonly called jazz chords. The ukulele simplifies things quite a bit (especially if you aren't too attuned to inversions and voicing). I was a folk singer in the 1960s and studied classical guitar after that, so I had been used to playing in a way that tended to include elements of melody, harmony, and bass. The ukulele does not offer as much possibility for that (except for the virtuoso), so now I am content to be an old guy who can play simply and (hopefully) well enough to please an audience if I happen to stumble upon one.

 

[Bill Sheehan]

When he saw that I had bought a ukulele, my friend Ted gave me a Ukulele Ike song book which had I'll See You In My Dreams in it and it was one of the songs I learned early on. I had known the song before from Chet Atkins version and probably others. I was impressed by Joe Brown's version at the end of the Concert For George. A great song!

Yes indeed, Jim, the version at the end of the Concert For George was very moving!

 

[natchez]

Well, as was mentioned above there are many- but the one that sticks out is George Harrison with Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea:

 

[ampeep]

Never expected to play this song w/ my ukulele group, HOWEVER we have a guy who's a great rock singer & we have a blast with this one!!
Hope you like it. Especially fun playing bass on this!