SOTU 589 - Wedding Bells

something old ...
i was stuggling to find an old song that i liked, a couple that i chose turned out to be less than 100 years old. Then i remembered 'The Good Old Days', a programme that my mum used to watch, and this song which was always performed by a woman in drag (so you'll have to use your imaginations) ... it turns out that it was written in 1915 and was a parody of an even older song from 1900

 
Hi Amanda - and thank you for stepping up as host this week - I’m sure you’re having a ball! 🙂

My friend Mel Meow from across the pond (she’s in Colorado and I’m in England) suggested collaborating on this one, and the timing is both coincidental and perfect for this week’s theme. We ended up doing two versions - hers which is guitar-led and more folky - and the one I’m posting here, which is more poppy and a little closer to the original. I’m playing all the music on this one, which includes electric tenor uke and electric baritone uke, as well as synth bass, pads, rhythm and other stuff, as well as my digital wind instrument and vocal harmonies - Mel sings the lead vocal brilliantly and provides the on-screen entertainment. I’m also using a different video app, Power Director, which is more versatile than iMovie, and was surprisingly easy to get to grips with.

The first line of this one qualifies it for the Season:
”I don’t care if Monday’s blue…”

Friday I’m In Love (SOTU 589) - Cure cover with Mel Meow
 
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This song is old and some of the versions are blue. My ukulele book said that it is an Italian traditional song "Vieni sul mar" (Come To The Sea) that was later known as My Nellie's Blue Eyes. But an interesting research states that Nellie's blue eyes were first (1883), then Two Lovely Black Eyes (1886) and only after that the tune became an Italian folk song (1897). Anyway, this uke arrangement is by Markus Rantanen.
 
I've done old, new and borrowed, so I thought I should complete the set with something blue. Here's ELO's alternative British national anthem, Mr Blue Sky.

I thought this either needed loads of overdubs or none at all. There is no middle ground... so I went with none at all.

 
What an amazing theme and all the different takes on it. I would feel silly clicking "like" on each and every one, but all of you deserve it. Such fun!

Love is truly a many-splendored thing. Like! Like!! Like!!!
 
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I learned last night that I may need to find a new home soon. I love this fantastic verandah with its stunning sunrise views, crazy colorful bird chorus, horse neighbours, and gorgeous green-gray backdrop, like no place I've ever lived. I plan to make the most of it while I have it. I started a "Verandah Jam" playlist, and intend to add a new video to it daily while I'm here.

This song has an apropos melancholy vibe of something coming to an end, over a jangly pop tune. I figured a song by the band Deep Blue Something ought to count for "something blue" ... but just in case, I awkwardly jammed the word blue into the lyrics at the end.

 
Something old? That's me! Something new? That's this first public appearance of a song written back in February on a brand new video filmed today and posted here while the digital ink was still wet on my PC.

Hope you enjoy:

 
Something borrowed - from Pabrizzer. He wrote this beautiful song for a season some weeks back and, with his permission, I’ve been desperate to have a go at it. Thank you for the opportunity, Amanda! And thank you for the song, Brian - we share the dream!

 
Del played the Cure- I love the Cure and have for 35+ years, and they are playing here…but I can’t afford that Cure anymore. That and today was the 26th time I have sent an eighth grade off to the next step and had to be there. Traditionally, part of their send-off is the school singing them a song. Pretty easy one (Jason Mraz Have it All) and our music teacher thought ukulele would be fun. Ok, I am in.
Then, the music teacher was not going to be there and I was gonna lead them all. Ok, we ought to practice this. We did and everyone came to the party so I agreed to do it.
Plugged that uke into my amp to play and began…total silence. I don’t even know how to bail out, so I just play. In comes my fifth grade who is turning Jason Mraz into speed metal…half the classed don’t have the lyrics. It was awful.
I just put my uke back in my case and went and sat with the 8th graders. They are kind and said “that was awesome.”
“An awesome failure!”
Felt so dirty after that I had to knock out this far from perfect song. Fire in Cairo. It is a mess of mistakes, but it made me feel better. We get BLUE in the first line.
 
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