SOTU 605 - Gold In Them Hills

[joo]

Welcome to Season 605 -Gold in Them Hills

Gold in Them Hills is a song by Ron Sexsmith from his 2002 album ‘Cobblestone Runway’ .

“I know it doesn’t seem that way /But maybe it’s the perfect day /Even though the bills are piling /And maybe Lady Luck ain’t smiling /But if we’d only open our eyes /We’d see the blessings in disguise /That all the rain clouds are fountains /Though our troubles seem like mountains /There’s gold in them hills /There’s gold in them hills /So don’t lose heart /Give the day a chance to start.”

For this week, you are invited to -

1. Play any song written by Ron Sexsmith.
2. Play any song covered by Ron Sexsmith.
https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialRonSexsmith (The official RS channel. You can see all his album releases here)
https://www.youtube.com/@Rawnboy (Ron covered many songs here, and played lots of his own songs too)

3. Write your own songs that are (like Ron's songs) :
good-spirited and life-affirming,
hopeful,
optimistic despite pressure and hard times/darkness,
compassionate and empathetic.

Instrumentals, either composed by you or by other musicians, which fit the description above, are very welcome.

Somethings to note:
All entries should be recorded for this week.
Rob can share his older videos. I don't remember Rob doing any Ron Sexsmith songs, so Rob can bring any new or old songs that fit 2 and 3.

Play to your heart's content, but I am only taking no more than 5 songs per participant. 8 songs per participant. Please post your other songs on the Misfits thread.

If you are posting more than 1 video, it will be nice to bring at least 1 song written by Ron Sexsmith, if you can. This is not necessary, but it will make your host quite happy.
You can find some of his chords here:
https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/artist/ron_sexsmith_11305

No videos should be posted before 12:00 AM Sunday Hawaii time.
This Season ends eight days later on Sunday at 11:59:59 PM Hawaii time.

The ukulele should be the main instrument. But it is nice to have other instruments too! Collabs are welcome!

If you have never taken part in the Seasons before, make this your first week!

I will pick a winner based on my own taste and preference, and whim! The winner gets an original portrait drawn or painted specially by me.

Please try to comment on other participants' videos.

Hope you will enjoy discovering some songs by Ron Sexsmith this week, and have fun playing the songs he has covered.

SOTU 604 is still going on, don't stop bringing Arvin the songs you wanna play this week!

PLAYLIST

 

[joo]

Here are a few portraits/cartoons I have made of my ukulele friends/Seasonistas over the years.
The one of Rob and Berni are recent, and they are "prizes" I made for them for the week I hosted.
You can check out a few more portraits here. https://www.siajoohiang.com/2020/06/portraits-of-ukulele-friends.html

Anyway! End of my "art" comment, hope you all will have fun discovering some Ron Sexsmith songs! I don't think he will disappoint.

 

[joo]

John @One Man And His Uke is a Ron Sexsmith fan too, and I had approached him in 2020 to cover Gold In Them Hills with me.
I ended up doing nothing except sing harmonies and made the video.
I thought I will share it here.

(this is not an entry)

 

[One Man And His Uke]

What a great theme Joo. I will enjoy bringing a bit of Ron this week.

 

[Flatbaroque]

Is it just me or does one of our forumites look like Ron's long lost brother...he may be found teaching in an exotic south - east asian country.??

 

[joo]

Is it just me or does one of our forumites look like Ron's long lost brother...he may be found teaching in an exotic south - east asian country.??

Now that you mentioned....
i cant get that resemblance out of my mind!
I blame you John.
Now i cant listen to RS without thinking of Mr J!
(Edit: i just looked at Joko's video thumbnail....and i saw a jovial RS!)

 

[Flatbaroque]

What a great theme Joo. I will enjoy bringing a bit of Ron this week.

Submit two covers John or as The Crystals implored " Do Ron Ron."

 

[One Man And His Uke]

Submit two covers John or as The Crystals implored " Do Ron Ron."

Damn you Southern John! I can’t come up with a Ron Sexsmith pun for love nor money! I’m a failure

 

[Flatbaroque]

Damn you Southern John! I can’t come up with a Ron Sexsmith pun for love nor money! I’m a failure

The week hasn’t even started…I’m sure the Bawdy Bard of Birmingham will prevail!

 

[Flatbaroque]

Thanks for this theme Joo! I don't really like going first but I see I'm already on the playlist...so time to man up! People who are not so familiar with RS should scroll through that covers youtube site of his that Joo linked to. He's has done many well known covers.

 

[Renaissance-Man]

Here's "The Times They Are A Changing", by Bob Dylan. It seems the times are always changing, for better or worse. Ron Sexsmith covered this song. I share its allure. I'll attempt a Ron Sexsmith song, if I do another this Season.

 

[YorkSteve]

Ron Sexsmith? A good place to start is his debut album,side 1, track 1.
And that should be 605, not 305...

 

[xommen]

This title intrigued me, this is called I'm alone but that's ok.

 

[LimousinLil]

Hello, Joo ... and thanks for hosting! I really like those songs of Ron Sexsmith's that I've heard. I'd never heard this one before today, but, since I have just had a cataclysmic bust-up with a very dear friend (my fault apparently) ... the lyrics here seemed very apposite to me. (I was intending to record outside, but my troublesome erstwhile neighbour is still here ... not only that, but the hunting season has just started and there are 4-wheel drives whizzing backwards and forwards past the house. (Since this is a dangerous time - someone was shot in her garden through the hedge last year - I decided to retreat inside to the comparative safety of my rocking chair again. My apologies for the "fuzziness" of the video ... the kitchen hasn't got the best light.) Anyway, herewith ...

 

[joo]

(I was going to give Love emoji to all RS covers and Thumbs Up to other people's songs but that is soooo childish, right? Well...I think I am quite childish... I have fixed that now. :---))

Here is a quick and dirty take of another Ron Sexsmith's song. The Impossible World from his 2008 album Exit Strategy of the Soul.
I just came back from a walk and wanted to get this done asap!
I am sharing the lyrics "cause they are so lovely.

Lord if you will
Lend me your ear
It seems like this old world's beyond repair
But tell me does it have to be

Can we summon the will?
Come up with the faith
There are those who say we haven't got a prayer
Nor have we the strength to bear
This impossible world

Death if you will
Give me your hand
For there are some things I'll never understand
Could someone explain to me

How many lives
How many tears must fall
Before we learn we're going nowhere?
Not unless we learn to share
This impossible world

Is that a tear in the eye of the storm?
A hint of fear in the relative calm
It appears all attempts to feel so safe and warm
Are all in vain

When I was a child
I opened my eyes
And beheld a world of possibility
Though now all there seems to be
Is an impossible world

Still there's a song that I sing in my heart
There's a light that I see in the dark
And a voice that has softly whispered to my soul
Do not be afraid

Lord If you will
Lend me your ear
It seems like this old world's beyond repair
Oh tell me does it have to be
Such an impossible world

 

[joo]

Really nice to see all these Ron Sexsmith covers, and a cover of something RS has covered!
Here are some comments!

Flatbaroque - Strawberry Blond (Ron Sexsmith)
Thank you so so much for playing this song for us. I love RS's songs and there are too many i like....but this one really pulls at my heartstrings.. shows RS's wonderful way of telling a story in such a sensitive, almost compassionate way, with beautiful melodies.
It is so cool that this is so RS and also sounds very you. :--) very heartfelt. Thanks John!

Renaissance-Man - The Times They Are A-Changin' (Bob Dylan)
Thanks for this rousing cover, R-M!

YorkSteve - Secret Heart (Ron Sexsmith)
oh dear. Steve I teared up listening to this, when you sang "what's wrong?". what a heartfelt delivery! This is the first Ron Sexsmith song I heard. This has a special meaning for me. Love that album. Thank you so much for bringing this!

xommen - I'm Alone But That's OK (Ron Sexsmith)
this is one I have never heard before! I really liked the original. And yours, Wim, the bassiness of this i really dig. You made this your own song which is pretty cool.

LimousinLil - You Don't Want To Hear It (Ron Sexsmith)
Thank you so much for attempting a song you have never heard of, Val. I think you did it with a lot of heart and I feel it very much. I love that album this song is from! What a great song eh? I hope, whatever bust up you had with your friend, that she or he will hear it one day. And, stay safe! Your description of what's happening in your surroundings sound dangerous.

joo - Impossible World (Ron Sexsmith)
Lovely song by RS. Please check out the original.

THANK YOU EVERYONE! SEE YOU ALL TOMORROW!

 

[AlanDP]

I changed the position of my camera because Joo said she missed seeing my cluttered bookshelf.

 

[TCK]

Is it just me or does one of our forumites look like Ron's long lost brother...he may be found teaching in an exotic south - east asian country.??

100 my first thought

 

[TCK]

Today I learned about this guy and I am down a rabbit makin’ Mel some Caldo de Marisco (on Sundays in fall we cook!) and loving every minute.
How did I miss this dude?
I have heard previously one of his covers, but am really enjoying this. Thank you.
Probably gonna be playing less and listenin’ more this week.

 

[UkerDrew]

I actually recorded this intending to post it for season 604, but after perusing Sexsmith’s awesome covers channel I found this song there as well. I figured this was a better fit here. Thanks for the cool season Joo! I look forward to learning more about his stuff. I was working on his tune “Deepens with time” maybe I will finally get around to recording it.

heres “The Book of Love“ as originally recorded by the Magnetic Fields