SOTU 603: Speed!

[Ms Bean]

The theme for Season 603 is speed, but you set the pace! Slow fast tunes down or speed them up, it's all up to you.
You can bring any song with words such as speed, pace, tempo in the lyrics or the title, or as part of a band, group, songwriter etc. You can bring songs with connections to races, movies like Speed, characters like Speedy Gonzalez etc. You can bring instrumental pieces that are known as 'Allegro', 'Andante', 'Moderato' and 'Presto'.

Anyone considering joining in for the first time gets a Try It Out For Free offer, and they can pick any song they like, or what they are currently learning. We are always happy when there are new participants!

The rules this week are:

• Make sure your video says somewhere that it's for season 603
• Since I'm hopelessly behind listening and practising, I'm limiting the entries to three per Seasonista (or YouTube account) This will allow me to keep up with you all, and even finish listening to one or two of the recent playlists
• Ukulele must be prominent, but otherwise big productions with other instruments are fine
• The season runs from Sunday, 03 Sept to Sunday 10 Sept (8 full days) Hawaiian time. This means you can start posting in just under 12 hours from writing this opening post.
• Collaborations and originals are very welcome. In case of originals, please post the lyrics in your UU post and/or the YouTube description

I don't think there will be a prize this week, but if I change my mind that's easily remedied.

Playlist

What are the Seasons of the Ukulele? And other FAQs with answers

What are the Seasons of the Ukulele? The Seasons of the Ukulele are weekly themed challenges, inviting forum members to post a video of themselves playing the ukulele, and for everyone else to listen, enjoy, and provide feedback and encouragement. How does it work? Every week, on Saturday...

forum.ukuleleunderground.com

 

[Flatbaroque]

I knew a poultry farmer who played his chooks fast classical music. He claimed it made alleggro very quick.

 

[One Man And His Uke]

Good grief John. That joke is truly fowl!

 

[Flatbaroque]

Good grief John. That joke is truly fowl!

That’s rather harsh criticism. I may have to report it to the forum moderato.

 

[ukukeguy]

That’s rather harsh criticism. I may have to report it to the forum moderato.

I'd get on to that pronto, if I were you.

 

[wee_ginga_yin]

To give you some inspiration.
Bright Red Car
The primitive nonsensical duels that we get into to satisfy some inner egotistical urge... I may be old but my car is more powerful than yours... therefore I am the better man.

 

[Renaissance-Man]

In 1981, The Pointer Sisters were the first to record this song. I'm covering the Conway Twitty cover he released in 1982.

 

[Ila]

Anyone considering joining in for the first time gets a Try It Out For Free offer, and they can pick any song they like, or what they are currently learning. We are always happy when there are new participants!

OMG I LOVE THIS IDEA. Sabine, I'm going to adopt this and include it the next time I host. Brilliant!

 

[pabrizzer]

paoriginal for 603

 

[wee_ginga_yin]

Slow cover by Leonard Cohen.

I'm slowing down the tune
I've never liked it fast
You wanna get there soon
I wanna get there last
It's not because I'm old
It's not the life I led
I always liked it slow
That's what my Mamma said
I'm lacing up my shoes
But I don't want to run
I'll get there when I do
Don't need no starting gun
It's not because I'm old
And it's not what dying does
I've always liked it slow
Slow is in my blood
I've always liked it slow
I never liked it fast
With you it's got to go
With me it's got to last
It's not because I'm old
It's not because I'm dead
I've always liked it slow
That's what my Mamma said
All your moves are swift
All your turns are tight
Let me catch my breath
I thought we had all night
I like to take my time
I like to linger as it flies
A weekend on your lips
A lifetime in your eyes
I've always liked it slow
I never liked it fast
With you it's got to go
With me it's got to last
It's not because I'm old
It's not the life I led
I've always liked it slow
That's what my Mamma said
I'm slowing down the tune
I've never liked it fast
You wanna get there soon
I wanna get there last
So, baby let me go
You're wanted back in town
In case they want to know
I'm just trying to slow it down

 

[xommen]

This is called Fast Cars by U2.

 

[LimousinLil]

Hello, Sabine and thank you for hosting! Since there seems to be a bit of a hiatus on 602 at the moment, I have defected to your week. This song was one of the first that came to mind when I saw your theme and it's one of my favourite Queen songs. When I first looked at it, I thought that it was perhaps easier to play than I had imagined; but when I actually CAME to play it, I realised that it was actually quite difficult ... well, for me, anyway. Since the sun has come back to France with a vengeance, I decided to go out into the garden to film. Anyway, herewith ...

 

[hendulele]

Thanks, for hosting, Sabine!

Here's one urging everyone to slow down. It's also one of the most infectious chord riffs on the uke.

 

[AlanDP]

This is a story told from the point of view of two fictional characters, Cyrus and Mary Jane Perkins, however, all the other people mentioned were real people who were involved in racing cars in the early years of the 20th century. The last stanza is about a real race called the Cobe Cup that was held in 1909 and started in Crown Point, Indiana. Since there is so much actual history in this song, I made a separate commentary video about it that I'll put below the song.

 

[jtsteam]

Hi Sabine! Thanks for hosting. And, of course, I have to bring you some Bob Dylan . You said we could set the pace, well, the target of Bob's ire in this song is asked to choose their own speed too.



Last time I posted, an internet stranger told me I should smile. Well, I'm smiling entirely as much as is appropriate here . I will continue to exercise my right to walk around with a grumpy face.

 

[Ila]

Hey, Sabine, thanks for hosting, and thanks again for your awesome idea about the Newbie Freebie.

Here's a song that uses the word "tempo."

 

[Ms Bean]

Hi Sabine, thanks for hosting. Would the word SUDDENLY in the lyrics qualify a song for this season ?

Hi Graham, I was going to update the thread with a few adjectives such as quick, rapid, sudden and swift, and nouns, e.g. haste and rush. I wouldn't want to discriminate against adverbs, so feel free to bring something with suddenly.

 

[Canada Jim]

ELLA SPEED - Huddie Ledbetter (perhaps)?

Ella was the 28-year-old wife of Willie Speed, a prostitute and a mother of two children who was shot on August 15, 1894 by a white bartender named Louis "Bull" Martin. I have heard many versions of this song, but mine is closest to Lead Belly's and/or Ian & Sylvia's, both of whom change Louis's name to Bill Martin.
It seems that many blues songs seem to associate red as a mourning colour and this song is no exception, thus "re-ragged in red".



Don't you love my squeeky chair?

 

[Flatbaroque]

Thanks for the generous theme Sabine. Here's a Randy Newman with a fast beating heart. One of my searching methods for songs is to google an artist I like -the word lyric -then a key word for the challenge...so in this case I googled
Randy Newman lyric fast.
And this song came up. Not a bad method for finding a not so obvious song.

 

[UkeFoote]

"Slow Nerve Action", by the Flaming Lips, for concert ukulele with singing, overdubs of whistling, Ashbory Ubass, secondary vocal, and nervy fuzz tenor.

Thanks for hosting, Sabine!