Ukulele

A Lighter Side of Country, II

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John Denver. What a heart throb. A great man whose life was cut tragically short. Growing up, this was the song that got everyone “doe-see-doe-in” in their kitchens. Since this is traditionally a banjo song, if I knew how to “claw hammer” on my Ukulele, that’s what I would use to deliver this song. However, I just strum really fast-paced.

Grandma’s Feather Bed – by Jim Connor; brought to fame by John Denver.

{ Vamp on C }

[C] When I was [F] little bitty boy, [C] just up off the [G7] floor

[C] We used to go out to [F] Grandma’s house, [G7] every month end or [C] so.

[C] We’d have chicken pie, [F] country ham, [C] home-made butter on the [G7] bread.

[C] But the best darn thing about [F] Grandma’s house was her [G7] great big, feather [C] bed.

–

[C] It was nine feet high and six feet wide and [F] soft as a downy [C] chick.

[C] It was made from the feathers of forty leaven geese,

and took a [D7] whole bolt of cloth for the [G7] tick.

It could [C] hold 8 kids, 4 hound dogs and a [F] piggy we stole from the [C] shed.

We didn’t get much sleep but we [F] had a lot of fun on [G7] Grandma’s feather [C] bed.

–

[C] After supper we’d [F] sit around the fire, and the [C] old folks’d spit an’ [G7] chew.

[C] Pa would talk about the [F] farm and the war and [G7] Granny’d sing a ballad or [C] two.

[C] I’d sit ‘n’ listen and [F] watch the fire, til the [C] cobwebs filled my [G7] head.

Next [C] thing I’d know, I’d [F] wake up in the mornin’ in the [G7] middle of the old feather [C] bed!

–

[C] It was nine feet high and six feet wide and [F] soft as a downy [C] chick.

[C] It was made from the feathers of forty leaven geese,

and took a [D7] whole bolt of cloth for the [G7] tick.

It could [C] hold 8 kids, 4 hound dogs and a [F] piggy we stole from the [C] shed.

We didn’t get much sleep but we [F] had a lot of fun on [G7] Grandma’s feather [C] bed.

–

[C] Well I love my Ma and I [F] love my Pa, I love [C] Granny and Grandpa, [G7] too.

I’ve been [C] fishin’ with my Uncle, I [F] wrassled with my cousin,

[G7] I even kissed Aunt [C] Lou (stop)  EW!

But [C] if I ever [F] had to make a choice, I [C] guess it ought to be [G7] said,

that I’d [C] trade them all, plus the [F] gal down the road for [G7] Grandma’s feather [C] bed!

–

[C] It was nine feet high and six feet wide and [F] soft as a downy [C] chick.

[C] It was made from the feathers of forty leaven geese,

and took a [D7] whole bolt of cloth for the [G7] tick.

It could [C] hold 8 kids, 4 hound dogs and a [F] piggy we stole from the [C] shed.

We didn’t get much sleep but we [F] had a lot of fun on [G7] Grandma’s feather [C] bed – 

We didn’t get much sleep but we [F] had a lot of fun on [G7] Grandma’s feather [C] bed!

C-/ / / /   F-/ / / /      C-/ / G7-/ /     C- 1!   “Hee Haw!”

A Lighter Side of Country

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When I was growing up, I thought the fun performers of country music were all on TV’s Hee Haw show. My father played many an 8-track tape of country song hits during our long car trips to Florida and the family cottage up North. Permanently ingrained into my faulty memory are numerous songs by Olivia Newton-John and Kenny Rogers. He also wore out The Eagles Greatest Hits and a multi-artist recording called the Green, Green Grass of Home. That was the limit and extent of my exposure to country music as a child. This explains why I have already posted a song by Buck Owens called Tiger By the Tail, an artist who remains one of my favourites to this day.

Recently, I have discovered a country artist called Billy Currington. None of the songs featured on his Vimeo revealed any serious subjects, but you never know what popularity can influence an artist to produce. The ukulele arrangement on the song below offers a new twist on the G chord, the variations of which need to be played in quick succession. I highly reccommend playing the G, G6 and G7 chords in the following finger positions:

G – (2) second finger on the second fret of the third string, (3) third or ring finger on the second fret of the first string, and baby finger on third fret, second string.

G6 – follows G in the song. Just lift off your baby finger, keep the 2nd and 3rd fingers exactly where they were.

G7 – follows G6! Just add your first finger to the first fret, second string, to form the traditional finger placements for the G7 chord.  We then go back down to G6 and back down to G from that position.

Hopefully, I have made it clear that your 2nd and 3rd fingers remain stationary for all 3 of those chords.

Also, the D7 played here is the Hawaiian D7 (2020), following the Am, so whatever finger you prefer to use to form Am can be left down while you play D7. Just sayin’.

Strum: I like to use a quick D! DuDuDuDu, emphasizing that first D like a hit.

 

I Want You to Love Me Like My Dog – Billy Currington

Intro:  G   G6   G7  G6  G   G6  G7  G6

[G] He never [G6] tells me that he’s [G7] sick of this [G6] house

[Am] He never [D7] says why don’t you [Am] get off that [D7] couch

[D] He don’t cost me [D7] nothing when he [D] wants to go out

[D] I want you to [D7] love me like my [G] dog! [G6] [G7] [G6]

–

[G] He never [G6] says I need a [G7] new atti-[G6]tude

[Am] Him and my [D7] sister ain’t al-[Am] ways in a [D7]feud

[D] When I leave the [D7] seat up he don’t [D] think that it’s [D7] rude

[D] I want you to [D7] love me like my [G] dog does, [G6] Baby

[Am] When I come [D7] home, I want you to [Am] just go [D7] crazy

[Am] He never [D7] looks at me like [D] he might hate me

[D] I want you to [D7] love me like my [G] dog! [G6]  [G7]  [G6]

–

[G] He never [G6] acts like he don’t [G7] care for my [G6] friends

[Am] He never [D7] asks me where in the [Am] hell have you [D7] been?

[D] He don’t play [D7] dead when I [D] wanna pet him

[D] I want you to [D7] love me like my [G] dog does, [G6] Honey

[Am] He never [D7] says “I wish you [D] made more money”

[D] He always [D7] thinks that “pull my [D]finger” is [D7] funny

[D] I want you to [D7] love me like my [G] dog! [G6]  [G7]  [G6]

–

[Bm] He don’t get mad at me and [Em] throw a major fit

[A] When I says his sister is,  a [D] bi – i-i -i -i –iitch….

[D] I want you to [D7] love me like my [G] dog does, [G6] Baby

[Am] When I come [D7] home, I want you to [Am] just go [D7] crazy

[Am] He never [D7] looks at me like [D] he might hate me

[D] I want you to [D7] love me like my [G] dog! [G6]  [G7]  [G6]

–

[G] I want you to [G6] love me like my [G7] dog does, [G6] Baby

[G] [G6]  [G7]  [G6]  [G]-1/

Two Downloadable Song Books

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Aloha!

I have online searched far and wide, and can not seem to hit on the proper website link to access the song books for the Dallas Ukulele Headquarters. Somehow, I was able to download their song books a few years ago, probably in 2011.

Since I can’t find any online access to them, I am going to temporarily provide the download PDF on my site, until I can find the proper link to put here instead.

Dallas Ukulele Headquarters

Dallas Ukulele Headquarters Beginner Jam Book

Apparently, this is their website: http://www.meetup.com/ukulele-84/

Sway With Me

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“Sway” is the English version of the Spanish song “Quien sera” which was a 1953 instrumental mambo song by Mexican composers Luis Demetrio and Pablo Beltran Ruiz. The most popular English recording is by Dean Martin in 1954. The English lyrics are credited to Norman Gimbel. “Sway” was also recorded by Michael Bublé and released in 2003. Even though this is considered a big band song, it translates to the ukulele flavourfully with a roll strum: D roll uDuDu.

SWAY

Strum Pattern: D D-rol up  uDu  ,  also known as the Calypso strum or the Roll strum

First notes is the open E string.

Intro: Dm E7 Am Am Dm E7 Am (stop)

When marimba rhythms [Dm] start to play,

[E7] Dance with me, [Am] make me sway.

Like a lazy ocean [Dm] hugs the shore,

[E7] Hold me close, [Am] sway me more. (stop)

–

Like a flower bending [Dm] in the breeze,

[E7] Bend with me, [Am] sway with ease.

When we dance you have a [Dm] way with me,

[E7] Stay with me, [Am] sway with me. (stop)

–

CHORUS:

Other dancers may [G7] be on the floor,

Dear, but my eyes will [C] see only you.

Only you have that [E7] magic technique,

When we sway I go [Am] weak. (stop)

–

I can hear the sound of [Dm] violins,

[E7] Long before, [Am] it begins.

Make me thrill as only [Dm] you know how,

[E7] Sway me smooth, [Am] sway me now. (stop)

–

CHORUS:

Other dancers may [G7] be on the floor,

Dear, but my eyes will [C] see only you.

Only you have that [E7] magic technique,

When we sway I go [Am] weak. (stop)

–

I can hear the sound of [Dm] violins,

[E7] Long before, [Am] it begins.

Make me thrill as only [Dm] you know how,

[E7] Sway me smooth, [Am] sway me now.

Make me thrill as only [Dm] you know how,

[E7] Sway me smooth, [Am] sway me now. (stop)

Groovin’… on a Tuesday Even-ing

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Well boys and girls, tonight is the fall start for the ukulele club I belong to, called the Dover Uke Heads. We meet weekly at the Grace United Church on Chapman Street in Port Dover.

This is a song for the group that I have been playing for the past 2 weeks. I hope they like it!

GROOVIN’    Young Rascals, 1967

[F] Groovin’…….[Gm7] on a Sunday after[F]noon [Gm7]

[F] Really….[Gm7] couldn’t get away too [F] soon [Gm7]

[Am] I can’t imagine any[Gm7] thing that’s better

[Am] The world is ours whenever [Gm7] we’re together

[Am] There ain’t a place I’d like to [Gm7] be in-[C7]stead of…..

–

[F] Groovin’…….[Gm7] down a crowded aven-[F]ue [Gm7]

[F] Doin’…… [Gm7]anything we like to [F] do [Gm7]

[Am] There’s always lots of things that [Gm7] we can see

[Am] We can be anyone we [Gm7] want to be

[Am] And all those happy people [Gm7] we could [C7] meet just

–

[F] Groovin’…….[Gm7] on a Sunday after[F]noon [Gm7]

[F] Really….[Gm7] couldn’t get away too [F] soon (No, no, no, no!) [Gm7]

[F] Ah ah [Gm7] ah       [F] Ah ah [Gm7] ah       [F] Ah ah [Gm7] ah

–

[Am] We’ll keep on spending sunny [Gm7] days this way

[Am] We’re gonna talk and laugh our [Gm7] time away

[Am] I feel it comin’ closer [Gm7] day by day

[Bb] Life would be [Am] ecstasy [Gm7] you and me end-[C]lessly

–

[F] Groovin’…….[Gm7] on a Sunday after[F]noon [Gm7]

[F] Really….[Gm7] couldn’t get away too [F] soon (No, no, no, no!) [Gm7]

[F] Ah ah [Gm7] ah       [F] Ah ah [Gm7] ah       [F] Ah ah [Gm7] ah

Fade out:

[F] Groovin’ [Gm7] ………uh huh [F] huh   [Gm7]

[F] Groovin’ [Gm7] ………uh huh [F] huh   [Gm7]

The Way You Do the Things You Do

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A classic brain-child song of Smokey Robinson’s. This song was written on the road, no less, as Smokey as his co-hort made light-hearted exchanges regarding pick-up lines.

The song became a 1964 hit by the Temptations. Written by Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers of the Miracles, while on the road as part of the Motortown Revue tour. The Temptations also had a number 1 hit with another one of Smokey’s song, My Girl.

In 1989 this song was covered by Red, Red Wine band UB40 in reggae style and rose to Top 5 hit in 1990. Their version of the song has been used on numerous movie sound tracks, starting with the 1990 Ridley Scott/Michael Douglas film Black Rain, and other more contemporary films such as Adam Sandler’s 50 First Dates.

The Way You Do the Things You Do – Robinson and Rogers, 1964

[D]You’ve got a smile so [A] bright

[D] You know you could’ve been a[A]  candle

[D] I’m holding you so [A] tight

[D] You know you could’ve been a [A] handle

[E] The way you swept me off my [D] feet

You know you could’ve been a[A] broom

[D] The way you smell so [A] sweet

[D] You know you could’ve been some [A] perfume

–

CHORUS

[A] Well ~ you could’ve [E] been anything             

That you [D] wanted to, and I can [E] tell

[D]The way you do the things you [A] do – Oh [D] yeah!

The way you do the things you [A] do

–

As pretty as you are, you know you could’ve been a flower

If good looks were a minute, you know that you could be an hour

The way you stole my heart, you know you could’ve been a crook

And baby, you’re so smart, you know you could’ve been a school book

CHORUS 

You made my life so rich, you know you could’ve been some money

And baby, you’re so sweet, you know you could’ve been some honey

CHORUS

[D] You really swept me off my [A] feet, [D] The way you do the things you [A] do

[D] You made my life complete, [D] The way you do the things you [A] do

[D] You made my life so bright, [D] The way you do the things you [A] do

[D] You make me feel all right, [D] The way you do the things you [A] do

The Temptations:

UB40:

Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain

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Pitter patter, pitter patter!

I have always loved this song from the 60’s and have heard it performed by many artists. Originally written by The Cascades band member John Claude Gummoe in November 1962, it rose to become a Top 5 hit in North America and Great Brittain by March of 1963. Ricky Nelson immediately covered it in 1963, as did Jan and Dean. It enjoyed another round of popularity in 1983 by Neil Sedaka, and then oddly in 1990 both Dan Fogelberg and Donovan released a cover of this already iconic 60’s song. The last famous cover was released by Briton Chris de Burgh in 2008.

Rhythm of the Rain

Hawaiian connection

In 1995 the famous and very successful Hawaiian duo Ka’au Crater Boys recorded a slow, mellow ukulele version of the song as “Rhythm of the Falling Rain” on their debut album, Tropical Hawaiian Day.

The Kaʻau Crater Boys were formed in the early 1990’s by Ernie Cruz Jr. (the son of Ernie Cruz Sr.) and Troy Fernandez. Cruz played bass, acoustic guitar and handled main vocals for the majority of songs they recorded. Fernandez also contributed to vocals (mainly as a backing vocalist), but was mostly renowned for his musicianship with the ukulele. The creation of the Kaʻau Crater Boys also coincided with the resurgence in local Hawaiian customs and tradition, as well as promoting the renaissance of Hawaiian culture, especially among the local youth. They are an award-winning band very well-known both on the Hawaiian islands and on mainland U.S.A. They have been referred to as “legendary”.

Here is a video clip of the Ka’au Crater Boys performing Rhythm of the Falling Rain on KHNL TV where you can watch Troy Fernandez picking the melody on his ukulele:

Link to ukulele music CD’s available by Troy Fernandez:

http://www.mountainapplecompany.com/blog/artist/troy-fernandez/

Links to further information about Troy Fernandez and his Hawaiian ukulele style:

http://www.easyukulele.com/troy-fernandez.html

http://www.gigmasters.com/Ukulele/TroyFernandez (for booking info)

http://www.mkaloha.net/hawaiian-events-infoblog/kaau-crater-boy-troy-fernandez-moving-to-los-angeles

Words I Couldn’t Say

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When Rascal Flatts took the country music scene by storm they had no idea that any of their songs would eventually be used on soundtracks of Hollywood movies, let alone be a featured performance song in one! That is exactly what happened to one of their hits, Words I Couldn’t Say, which was performed by Leighton Meester in the 2010 movie, Country Strong. It translates really well to a tenor ukulele, or a concert strung with a low G string.

WORDS I COULDN’T SAY – Written by Rascal Flatts © 2006

Leighton Meester version, as heard in the movie Country Strong, 2010.

Suggested strum pattern:  DuDu uDu – quickly

Intro:  C – G – Am – G

[C]  In a [G] book in a box in the [Am] closet, [G]

[C]  In a [G] line in a song I [Am] once heard,  [G]

In a [Dm] moment on a [C] front porch late one [G] June,

In a [Dm] breath inside a [C]whisper beneath the [G]moon,

–

[C] There it [G] was on the tip of [Am] fingers, [G]

[C] There it [G] was on the tip of [Am] my tongue, [G]

There you [Dm] were and I have [C] never been that [G] far,

There it [Dm] was, the whole world [C] wrapped inside my [Bb] arms,

And I let it all [F] slip a-[G]way!

–

CHORUS

[C] What do I do now [Bb] that you’re gone?

No [F] backup plan, no [Am] second chance,

and [Dm] no one else to [G7] blame.

[C] All I can hear in the [Bb] silence that re-[F/Dm]-mains

Are the [G] words I couldn’t say [C – G – Am – G]

– 

[C] There’s a [G] rain that will never stop [Am] fallin’, [G]

[C] There’s a [G] wall that I tried to [Am] take down. [G]

What I [Dm] should have said just [C] wouldn’t pass my [G] lips,

So [Dm] I held back, and [C] now we’ve come to [Bb] this….

And it’s [F] too late [G] now!

–

CHORUS

– 

BRIDGE: (slower, quieter)

Should have [Dm] found a way to [C] tell you how I [G] felt.

Now the [Dm] only one I’m [C] telling is my-[G]self….

–

CHORUS

–

[C] What do I [Bb] do? What do I [F] say?

No [F] backup plan, no [Am] second chance,

and [Dm] no one else to [G7] blame.

[C] All I can hear in the [Bb] silence that re-[F/Dm]-mains

Are the [G] words I couldn’t say [C]

What do I [Bb] do? What do I [F] say? 

[Dm] no one else to [G7] blame.

[C] All I can hear in the [Bb] silence that re-[F/Dm]-mains

Are the [G] words I couldn’t say [C – G – Am – G]  [C (harp strum)]

–

This video clip from the movie is in the same key as above:

Sailing Along On Moonlight Bay

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MOONLIGHT  BAY – Music by Percy Wenrich, Lyrics by Edward Madden, (c) 1912

This is a very popular American song, almost a standard. Often referred to as “On Moonlight Bay”. This song was a hit in the 1942 film called Ship Ahoy starring Red Skelton and Eleanor Powell. In a musical/dance number at the end of the movie, Frank Sinatra sang a verse for the song, although the version generally heard on recordings is the Chorus only, repeated 3 times.

Sinatra’s lyrics:

Voices hum, crooning over Moonlight Bay

Banjos strum, tuning while the moonbeams play

All alone, unknown they find me

Memories like these remind me

Of the girl I left behind me

Down on Moonlight Bay

The song was one of a number of early-20th-century songs which were used as titles of musical films made by Doris Day in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. (Watching the Doris Day film, On Moonlight Bay, on the tcm website is a real treat when you see a scene where a ukulele is played!) The song was also a big hit in 1951 for Bing Crosby and son Gary Crosby.

Chorus:

[N.C.]We were sailing a-[C]long, on [F//] Moon-light  [C] Bay.

We could hear the voices [G7] ring-ing, they seemed to [C] say,

“You have stolen my [C] heart,

Now [F//] don’t  go [C] ‘way.”

As we [Dm] sang “Love’s Old Sweet [G7] Song,” on Moonlight [C//] Bay [F// C/]

–

[N.C.] We were sailing a-[C]long  (we were sailing along….)

on [F//] Moon-light  [C] Bay  (on Moonlight Bay….)

We could hear the voices [G7] ring-ing,

they seemed to [C] say   (seemed to say…)

[N.C.] “You have stolen my [C] heart   (you have stolen my heart….)

Now [F//] don’t  go [C] ‘way…..” (don’t go way…)

As we [Dm] sang “Love’s Old Sweet [G7] Song,” on Moonlight [C//] Bay [F//] [C/]

–

[N.C.] We were sailing a-[C]long  (we were sailing along….)

on [F//] Moon-light  [C] Bay  (on Moonlight Bay….)

We could hear the voices [G7] ring-ing,

they seemed to [C] say   (seemed to say…)

[N.C.] “You have stolen my [C] heart   (you have stolen my heart….)

Now [F//] don’t  go [C] ‘way…..” (don’t go way…)

As we [Dm] sang “Love’s Old Sweet [G7] Song,” on Moonlight [C//] Bay [F//]   [C///]

Ending:

As we [Dm] sang “Love’s Old Sweet [G7] Song,” on Moonlight [C //] Bay [F//]  [C /]

 

Check out these video sources:

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/355644/On-Moonlight-Bay-Original-Trailer-.html

 

 

Pearly Shells ~ Pupu A ‘O ‘Ewa

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English words and music by Webley Edwards and Leon Pober, ©1962 (sic the Daily Ukulele by Jim Beloff).

This is an old Hawaiian song, originally composed in the Hawaiian language and translated to English much later. Webley Edwards proved to be instrumental in this endeavor. Edwards was both a World War II news correspondent and a Hawaiian radio personality. Edwards went to Hawaii in 1928 to work in sales but developed a keen interest in native Hawaiian musical traditions before becoming a radio producer in 1935. His world-famous show was called Hawaii Calls.

In another claim to fame, Edwards was the first radio announcer to broadcast the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. It was he who said on air: “Attention. This is no exercise. The Japanese are attacking Pearl Harbor!….All Army, Navy and Marine personnel to report to duty.” After the attack, Edwards worked as a reporter for CBS Radio. Edwards was one of only two broadcast journalists aboard the USS Missouri during the surrender ceremony at Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. He was the “chief announcer” for the ceremony. Edwards has the distinction of being the only broadcaster to witness the very beginning and end of the United States’ involvement in WWII.

After the war ended, Webley Edwards returned to radio, broadcasting Hawaiian music. Hawaii Calls ran for 37 years, during which he wrote lyrics (with Leon Pober) to the now-popular song, “Pearly Shells”.

Many famous singers have performed and recorded Pearly Shells, including Don Ho, Billy Vaughn, Hank Snow, and Burl Ives:

PEARLY SHELLS ~ Pupu A ‘O ‘Ewa

Strum pattern: Lilting D Roll uDuDu

Intro: D  D7  G  G  A7 A7  D  A7

Chorus:

[A7] Pearly [D] Shells, from the ocean, [D7] shining in the [G]sun, covering the [E7] shore [A7].

When I [D] see them [D7], my heart [G] tells me that I love [Em] you, more than [D] all the [A7] little pearly [D] shells.

Verse:

For every [A7] grain of sand, upon the beach, I’ve [D] got a kiss for you.

And I’ve got [A7] more left o-ver for each star that [E7] twinkles in the [A7] blue. Pearly….

[D] Shells, from the ocean, [D7] shining in the [G]sun,

Covering the [E7] shore [A7].

When I [D] see them [D7], my heart [G] tells me that I love [Em] you,

More than [D] all the [A7] little pearly [D] shells.

 

~ Instrumental ~             ~ Verse +  Chorus ~

 

Ending:

More than [D] all the [A7] little pearly [D] shells [turnaround chord: E7]

[E7] More than [D] all the [A7] little pearly [G] shells [D].

 

*The Hawaiian words (taken from the Daily Ukulele) are available in the pdf under the Songs tab. The English words above them show how the Hawaiian words are sung to the melody.