Seasons of the Ukulele

A weekly song challenge for ukulele players - all welcome. Find out more here

Season 688: Shirley You Can’t Be Serious?!

OneManAndHisPGUke

Hi Seasonistas, sorry I haven’t been around much lately but for this week at least you’ll see more of me.

This week please bring me songs from Shirleys. There are two that immediately spring to mind, Dame Shirley Bassey of course, and Shirley Manson of Garbage. So any songs that have been sung by a Shirley, in a group or solo context, or in a musical ( film or on stage) or songs by bands that have or had a Shirley in them, are in play.

Here’s a few more to get you started; how about Shirley Jones of the Partridge Family, folk singer Shirley Collins, Shirley Owens of The Shirelles? I’m sure with a bit of digging you can come up with a few more.

As a bonus, Dame Shirley is known for her famous Bond themes, so Seasonistas may also bring a Bond song by any of the artists who did the main song in any Bond film. Please note however that you can only do one of these AFTER you have FIRST brought me a Shirley song ( unless of course you are doing one of Dame Shirl’s Bond songs). If you want to bring me a dozen Bond songs, that’s fine but each must be preceded by a Shirley song if you want to see it on the playlist.

Songwriters, please bring me a song entitled “Shirley”. You can use that in the lyrics somewhere too, but the title is set in stone. With that proviso, be as creative as I know you can be, and do with that what you will.

Any newbies looking in, please feel free to join in. As a newb you can do any song you like, it doesn’t have to follow the theme, although you are very welcome to bring me some Shirl if you want.

Wee Ginga Rob, raid your back catalogue in anyway you see fit.

Collabs are very welcome, so too fancy productions, or simple straight to phone vids. It’s all good.

No song limit. No prize either though sadly.

Usual Ts and Cs apply re start and finish time. A playlist chock full of Shirley goodness will magically appear here in the next day or so. As usual I work long shifts Wednesday and Sunday so my presence may be minimal on those days.

Have fun Seasonistas. Catch you all soon.

Shirley You Can’t Be Serious

LimousinLil

OneManAndHisPGUke "Don't call me 'Shirley'"! Good one, John!

uke4ia

I did a quick Google search, and found this band that put out at least a couple of singles:

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - The band Serious Shirley, also known in its condensed version as Shirley Stripped, represents rock and roll at its core.

dr_mitch

Oh, interesting. I've now get Dame Shirley Bassey on the brain. Time to practice some James Bond themes!

johnpoole

In the mid seventies one of the most popular bands In Australia was The Skyhooks. Their lead singer was only ever referred to by his nickname “ Shirley” or “ Shirl”. A nickname he always had due to his mop of curly blonde hair..he looked like Shirley Temple.And there’s another singing Shirley.

Skyhooks had some catchy hits as did Ms Temple.

UkeCan1

Great theme, great coincidence! Last night, only hours before you posted this, YouTube served me up a clip of Leslie Nielsen saying "Don't call me Shirley!"

I just did a whole deep dive on Skyhooks this morning, after looking up musical Shirleys.

UkeCan1

Quadruple Shirley:

Shirley Jones as Shirley Partridge, and she's mentioned twice in the song (as "Mom").

"The Partridge Family" TV theme song - both versions.

Season 1: "When We're Singin'"

Seasons 2-4: "C'mon, Get Happy"

AlanDP

Recorded by Shirley Basse. Written by the great songwriting team of Al Dubin and Harry Warren.

Ila

Hi. Thanks for hosting this season. I've been away for far too long, so here's a cover of a song by Yello and Shirley Bassey, "The Rhythm Divine."

Ila

AlanDP Alan, please check the status of your video. I can't watch it for some unknown reason. Thank you.

Joko

Cool. I've been somewhat of a fan of Garbage since the early 2000's - never been brave enough to think I could do one of theirs on uke. Any suggestions?

OneManAndHisPGUke

Joko Hi Joko, I dunno, the obvious one, Stupid Girl I think would translate fairly straightforward to uke but just have a go at whichever one you think.

OneManAndHisPGUke

Morning Seasonistas and thank you Wendy, Alan and Ila for opening the batting in such style. Will catch up with you all later 🤘

Bystander

@"Joko" Garbage were great, Only Happy When It Rains springs to mind. I’m ukeless with friends in the Lake District at present otherwise I’d have a crack at it.

UkeCan1

Here's a last-second twofer … if my internet holds out….

I was today years old when I discovered Kiefer Sutherland has a country singing career. And quite a lovely voice at that.

This sad song is called "Shirley Jean", and contains several prominent "shoulds".

Kiefer's mother was Shirley Jean … did she receive such a letter, I wonder?

I just realized songs with Shirley in the title (or artists with a close relative named Shirley) don't actually fit your theme … oops.

Clearly I picked the wrong day to quit sniffing glue….

redpaul1

Before Shirley Manson joined Garbage, she was in a Scottish band called “Goodbye Mr McKenzie.” We put them on at ULU when they were promoting their first album “Good Deeds And Dirty Rags” Their hit single at the time was “The Rattler,” well worth a listen.

LimousinLil

Hello, John … and thanks for hosting! I bring you a very bad cover of a song which has been recorded by no less than TWO Shirleys … Ms Bassey and Ms MacLaine. (Everything I do at the moment will be bad as it only has half my attention … whilst I was recording this, young puppy, Merlin, found time to demolish a tennis ball and unfurl a loo roll which he brought down from the upstairs bathroom.) Oh, well …

AlanDP

Sung by Shirley Temple.

johnpoole

Gday Northern John! Here's one Shirley Bassey recorded on the 1967 album " And we were lovers". Written by Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon. " That's Life". Nice baritone arrangement from Dr Uke. You'd be hard pressed not to find something in Shirley's Discography. Mighty good.

OneManAndHisPGUke

Thank you Alan and Southern John for getting Tuesday off to such a fine start with two Shirleys, Temple and Bassey. As Southern John quite rightly says, Dame Shirl has quite the back catalogue, there is something for everyone for every taste, rock, pop, standards, torch songs of every hue.