The Seasonista Anthem !

[GinnyT11]

The Seasonista Anthem is here! ​

Last year, many of you participated in a project to connect the ukers who participate in UU's Seasons of the Ukulele weekly challenges. We wanted to sing together, but we're spread around the world. So this virtual singalong was created.

I adapted some lyrics from a song and asked Bill (23skidoo), who has notable video-editing skills, if he could match up a large number of videos. Bill designed a recording plan so we'd all play at the same tempo. I drummed up participation and we collected videos from 55 Seasonistas.

You'll probably have to watch it a few times to see how cleverly Bill has assembled the images. There are 55 Seasonista names represented here, but you'll see 59 faces (well, except for Lynda's). Bill introduced the participants so that their voices match the others shown in the four-frame with them. People appear more than once, but always in a quarter-frame to start.

And the sound tricks! As each person appears the first time, his or her voice is a bit louder, then it drops back into the blend. Be amazed at how Bill used the extra sounds---recorder, kazoo, slide guitar, glock, drums(!), vocal harmonies---to color the simple song. It changes and builds...and all this with recordings made in 55 acoustic settings! Bill is amazing.

Watching this video makes me really, really happy and I send thanks, hugs and kisses to all of you who participated.

 

[GinnyT11]

I’d Like To Teach The World To Strum
pdf songsheet: https://app.box.com/s/4y5874ampeh8qcdljxbj

YOU MAY SHARE THIS SONG AT WILL WITH THIS CREDIT:
Adapted for the Seasons of the Ukulele
of the UkuleleUnderground.com Forum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojO1gPCsYkw

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony.
Then add a little instrument
That’s played so easily.

I'd like to teach the world to strum
A ukulele song,
And hear chords echo through the hills
For peace through play along.
That’s the song I hear
Let the world sing today

I'd like to build the world a home
To house a ukey band.
With lemon oil and buffing cloth
And string sets close at hand.

I'd like to hear us strum and sing
In a grand aloha plan.
We’ll spread uke joy in every place
For peace throughout the land.

That’s the song I hear
Let the world hear today
The sound of ukes that echoes on
And never goes away.
The sound of ukes that echoes on
And never goes away.


.

 

[GinnyT11]

Everyone Sang
by Siegfried Sassoon

Everyone suddenly burst out singing;
And I was filled with such delight
As prisoned birds must find in freedom,
Winging wildly across the white
Orchards and dark-green fields; on—on—and out of sight.

Everyone's voice was suddenly lifted;
And beauty came like the setting sun:
My heart was shaken with tears; and horror
Drifted away ... O, but Everyone
Was a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing will never be done.

 

[erivel]

Wow that was incredible! Thank you Ginny and Bill for putting this together. Bill your editing work blows my mind! Cheers to all the Seasonistas who participated!!

 

[ukuloonie]

Woohoo at last the video is here and 23skidoo and ginny did an amazing job. Man that took a lot of work and no doubt a supercomputer to cope with all the awesomeness of the UkuleleUnderground.

 

[TheOnlyUkeThatMatters]

Amazing! So glad I got to participate in this amazing project. Thanks, Ginny, for getting the ball rolling. Thanks, Bill, for rolling that ball up a steep video- and sound-editing hill. Great performances, everyone. Woohoo!

 

[bird's eye view of my ukelele]

wow! that was sooooooooooooooooooo great! i was just a ukulele infant (i was gonna say ukulele baby, but that's not the same thing at all!) when i did this, i'd only been on the seasons about five seconds, i marvel that i had the temerity to contribute, but i did, and there i am, in that vid, all upside down, all me! wonderful to be part of it!

i note the vid is showing as unlisted at the moment? i trust it'll go public because it's a great ad for uke-ing generally and the seasons in particular and for having a great time all round!

big thanks to ginny for thinking of the project, and to skidoo for the huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge amount of work that went into the video and audio editing

:bowdown:

 

[lelouden]

That was so much fun to watch. Fantastic everybody

 

[barefootgypsy]

Absolutely brilliant, Ginny and Bill! I've watched it three times already, what a fantastic job! Lovely to see all my Seasonista buddies, and this is so skilfully done! Bells and trumpets, Ginny, as you said! I would love to share more widely, is that ok? And please, please, I must blog it! This has made my day, it really has!

 

[Lumpy Wafflesquirt]

That is awesome, I think it must have been before I started playing uke. Wish I could have been part of it.

 

[UncleMoon]

That was awesome. I knew it would be cool, but WOW. What a great thing to wake up to, and a I'm proud to be a participant. Thanks Ginny & Bill for the fantastic back end work.

 

[cua94]

I loved this! what a triumph!

 

[GaryC1968]

That was amazing! Thank you Ginny for writing the lyrics and organizing this. And Bill, WOW! I can't even imagine how much time was put into the editing.

 

[frisbee fred]

Well, that is just about the most awesome thing ever. A ton of work had to do into that production - can't even imagine how hard that was to do. Really, really, great job.

 

[CTurner]

Bill, you did a superb job assembling and shaping this video. Ginny, my dear wife, what a loving idea. To all the participants: great job. Done with a lot of heart.

 

[Raygf]

Wow Bill! What a stupendous accomplishment! Tell the truth, you sold your soul to the devil didn't you?

 

[filipinouker]

I felt quite emotional watching this! Best collaboration ever!
The other instruments added a really lovely touch and depth to the whole piece (Ralf - drums; Dave - kazoo; Saskia - glockenspiel; Geoff - recorder).

Three cheers to Bill and Ginny!

 

[GinnyT11]

Wow Bill! What a stupendous accomplishment! Tell the truth, you sold your soul to the devil didn't you?

OMG, I hope not! He's the same patient and generous-hearted uker we've always known and liked. (He does need to participate in the Seasons more often though.)

 

[GinnyT11]

I felt quite emotional watching this! Best collaboration ever!
The other instruments added a really lovely touch and depth to the whole piece (Ralf - drums; Dave - kazoo; Saskia - glockenspiel; Geoff - recorder).
Three cheers to Bill and Ginny!

Thank you, Shaggy. Your sweet voice really mattered in the whole.

There's also Steffen's slide uke in the opening. And an extra that I really like is Mattydee's stylized singing in harmony. His voice floats up beautifully a few times.

 

[23skidoo]

Thanks everybody - I had much fun making this happen and really enjoyed all the fine performances. No soul-selling necessary, Ray, just some quality time with a good Final Cut Pro tutorial..... and I'm hoping to get back to the Seasons soon - finishing up this project reminded me how much I miss it.