Seasons of the Ukulele

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

Season 692 : The Key to the Bridge is Lost

CanadaJim

Here you go John. I've taken Option #1 - Key change

Johnny Cash's HOW HIGH IS THE WATER MAMA starts in A and modulates up, a tone at a time to Eb/D#. Probably shoulda left this one for someone with a greater vocal range than I have.

johnpoole

Thanks everyone. A nice start with a spread of options. While Wendy didn't do her usual "twofer"I think she managed to do a "fourfer" within this season! And thanks Alan for the middle 8 / bridge detailed explanation. Both interpretations are acceptable for this week.

UkeCan1

johnpoole I tried. I looked into the cargo of the MV Dalí, hoping there might be some fruit in one of those containers … but no, all hazardous materials. Still time for a Monday twofer. 😉

johnpoole

One of the best examples of multiple key changes is ' Kisses Sweeter than Wine' by Jimmie Rodgers. I think he goes through at least 5 keys. He solves the guitar playing by just playing in the first key and groovin' through the rest. Our own Jim actually played all through his multiple key Johnny Cash.

I think I have seen a clip of Jimmy playing all the way through as he is using an open tuning and barring the whole fret..so not too hard.

UkeCan1

Monday twofer:

Apple pie, Tallahatchie Bridge

UkeCan1

OMG! I just saw that this happened yesterday, almost at the exact moment I was thinking up my song about the Dalí / Key Bridge collision!

(The tug was called McAllister … I didn't do it, I swear!!!!)

CanadaJim

Season 692, Option #1

My favourite male jazz singer is Oscar Brown Jr. I've been a fan since the early sixties.
Imagine my disgust when I heard Donald Trump butchering (and misinterpreting) the lyrics to this during one of his pep rallies.
Oscar got the idea for this song from one of Aasop's Fables called THE MAN AND THE SERPENT.
Option #1 - Key Change

The Snake - Oscar Brown Jr. - 1963

Edwin

Hello John, hello everyone! I've just realised I haven't dropped in here much lately, and, even worse, haven't written anything specifically for a season for even longer. So, here is a song for Option 5. "Key" was a bit contrived, but I managed to get it in there… it's about how wandering around and finding your own path is fine, actually, whatever society tells you about how everyone has to conform. And, given that it's on that topic, it has the totally reasonable title of "Flapjack" and is the first song I've written that mentions Irn Bru.

Thanks to fellow Pensive Teapot Marilisa, who reminded me that "kazoo" rhymes with "Irn Bru". Also, this owes a little bit (at least in the subject matter) to Dan Bern's song "Hoody". I don't know if anyone would have noticed, but I'm an academic and so I cite my sources…

Edwin

Since I'm here, how about an Option 1? Sometimes a key change just seems gratuitous. But this Kenny Rogers song wouldn't be the same without it.

AlanDP

johnpoole Yeah, the clip of him playing it all the way through is from the Ed Sullivan Show. I was watching it yesterday, lol. BTW, I think he also plays "Honeycomb" like this, with his thumb.

AlanDP

This one has a bridge, and a key change at the bridge, although as I mentioned before back in 1923 they called this part the "patter." The original song is in Eb, with the bridge/patter in Bb, but I transposed it to C so the bridge is in G. Also in this one, the bridge is 12 measures long, not 8. So I guess it's the middle 12? Anyway, the Tin Roof Cafe was a real place on Bourbon St. in New Orleans, and was known as a hangout for musicians as well as a place to hear some hot jazz for many decades. It was permanently closed in 2005 because of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. Words by Walter Melrose, music collectively credited to the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, who at that time were: Paul Mares, Mel Stitzel, George Brunies, Leon Roppolo, and Ben Pollack.

UkeFoote

"Badge", by Eric Clapton and George Harrison, for concert ukulele with singing. The name of the song was EC's misinterpretation of George's scrawled word "Bridge" on a scrap of notebook paper they were using to coordinate the composition, which of course features one of the more notable bridge sections in RnR history.

CanadaJim

Here you go John, a tune with a bridge, Option #2

BEGGIN' AND ACHIN' FOR EGGS & BACON - Li'l Andy

YorkSteve

bobjking Careful what you wish for Bob.

As it happens, THE Susan Boyle song has a bridge, and what's that I hear a bit later? Heck, it's only a key change as well. I can't hope to match her vocal range, let alone her wardrobe, but here goes…

bobjking

Hey, John!

Thanks for hosting and for a very interesting theme! Between band commitments, work and watching my beloved DVD copy of "Susan Boyle - From Pain To Fame" it's another busy week. Here's an original that I had the beginnings of kicking around for a week or so. It seems the key to finishing it was sticking an instrumental bridge between the two choruses (chori???) Hopefully an instrumental bridge is just as valid as one with words. I'll let you decide!

Anyhoo…8 string baritone, tenor, Garageband piano and strings and a brief snippet of kitchen chair.

I'm hoping to get something else together later in the week if I can think of enough words that don't rhyme.

Now, if you'll excuse me, "There's Something About Susan…" is just starting on BBC 4…

CanadaJim

Killin' The Blues - Roland Salley

Option #3 "Lost the will to rhyme" - Rolley Salley has written a wonderful song without resorting to rhyme. It has been covered by Allison Kraus, Robert Plant, John Prine. . .

johnpoole

Thanks everyone. Some splendid takes of all options coming in. Jim has even found a non rhymer which I will listen to soon. Playlist should be up to date except for Jim's last one. Let me know if anything missed.

Here's a Kris Kristofferson with a key change. " Me and Bobby McGee".

johnpoole

bobjking sorry to interrupt your cable TV watching Bob, that "All Boyle All the Time" channel is pretty good I admit.

joo

Hi John,

Thanks for hosting!

Here is a song for option 3.

Frank Mills contains no rhyming lines. I have always loved this song.

The video is made up of a few videos I shot using a couple of really old digital cameras.

bonesoup

Hello all, get your D-G-A ready and maybe play along to Tom Waits' Downtown Train, a song with a bridge. A train bridge!

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