Seasons of the Ukulele

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

Season 701 - TV, Animation & Biscuits

kolibri

Welcome to the Season 677!

This week's theme is songs from tv shows, tv commercials or films you've seen on tv. Also songs from animated films or series and songs mentioning biscuits/cookies. Band names related with tv, animated characters and biscuits are eligible, too. 🙂

The theme was inspired by this Season's prize: a tenor ukulele by Spatchcock & Wurzill from North Yorkshire, UK. The uke is made from an upcycled biscuit can, featuring animated characters Wallace & Gromit, and from reclaimed oak with some rustic nail holes. 🙂

If you are new to the Seasons, you can post any song you'd like to.

The usual rules apply. Please mention in the video that it is for Season 701. Original songs, collaborations and instrumentals are all very welcome. Season 701 starts at 00:00 Hawaii time on Sunday 20th July and ends at 23:59 Hawaii time Sunday 27th July.

Song limit: 1 song per day or 8 songs per Season.

PLAYLIST

And Joko's fine Season 700 is ongoing, so there is still time to find some new songs by Chosic.

LimousinLil

What a lovely biscuit-related theme, Ylle … and a wonderfully generous prize! (I might be a few days late as I have just had a collision with Merlin - picking up a tennis bali - and have now got the most spectacular black eye.)

DelGriff

What a wonderful prize! Thanks so much for your generosity, Ylle! I suspect you may be in for a busy week! 🙂

kolibri The theme was inspired by this Season's prize: a tenor ukulele by Spatchcock & Wurzill from North Yorkshire, UK.

AlanDP

Instrumental theme from the sitcom "Benson."

Nearsighted-Lemon-McKay

Oddly enough, the first song I ever wrote, over 50 years ago, was about "Biscuits". Thankfully, that recording (reel to reel) no longer exists and there is no longer any written record of it… and I only recall bits and pieces. I do recall it was terrible, but my friends liked it and that's why we recorded it. So instead of treating you to that monstrosity, I'll submit the theme song of one of the greatest kids shows of the 1960's, Fireball XL-5

CanadaJim

Thanks for a wonderful season topic Ylle.

CanadaJim

LimousinLil Just wear shades Val.

Mezcalero

Hi Ylle, and thanks so much for hosting this week. This is a song I recorded today. Instead of the normal live take I prefer, I decided to add some percussion. I really liked the result. I get paid to perform 2-3 times a week now, and I'm eperimenting with the idea of adding some backing rhythm tracks for my live performances. This is my first experiment 🙂 I immediately remembered this song from the movie "Cool Runnings" which was a really fun movie about a Jamaican Bob Sled team prepping for and competing in the Winter Olympics. I believe it's based on a trued story! My research found that beyond Cool Runnings, "I Can See Clearly Now" has also appeared in other films and TV shows, including Antz, The Break-Up, Grosse Point Blank, and Lupin. It's just such a feel good song.

UkeCan1

What a wonderful prize, Ylle! And a fun theme.

Yesterday's open mic set was all chosen by Chosic (for 700), based on my favorite go-to ukulele song, "White Room" by Cream. Two of the songs were chosen by me from the Chosic choices for their twofer qualities.

"Mellow Yellow" - Donovan - used in three different ads*

"Stuck in the Middle With You" - Stealer's Wheel

"White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane - featuring a cast of frequently animated characters*

Featuring Mick on bass, and host Ben jumping in on cajon.

*1) I remember hearing "Mellow Yellow" used in a TV ad, but couldn't remember for what. It turns out I've probably heard it in two: a 1999 US ad for The Gap, called "Everybody in Cords", an early '90s Aussie ad, "They call me Caramello (Koala)", for Caramello chocolates. The best one though - new to me - is the UK "Just Butter It!" campaign - amazing that one got past the censors!

*2) Alice, the White Rabbit, the hookah-smoking caterpillar, the men on the chessboard, the White Knight, the Red Queen, the Dormouse, and the various scenarios depicted, are all, of course, from the frequently animated "Alice in Wonderland" and its sequel "Through the Looking Glass".

Bystander

For anyone struggling may I suggest checking out songs that have appeared in the tv show The Simpsons.

As an aside I've never seen a full episode of the Simpsons !

Thanks for hosting Ylle, this may be the last chance I get to participate on a season for a while, catch you later when I've decided which song to cover.

LimousinLil

Hello, Ylle … and thanks for hosting! (Also, in addition to Graham's suggestion, the songs featured in "The Muppets" are a great source of inspiration.) This one was sung by Scooter and Fozzie in Episode 101. I decided to take Jim's advice and wear shades … got more visitors coming this afternoon, so I might not get a chance to record anything for a while.

UkeFoote

Bystander I’d love to hear someone do the Simpsons’ Morrissey send up “Everyone is Horrid Except Me (And Possibly You)”. 😂

CanadaJim

Advertising Jingles, not made for kids, but by kids.
I must've had an itchy nose when I made this.

kolibri

Thank you for the first fun songs, I've updated the playlist. And yes, finding songs should not be too difficult - almost all films are broadcasted on TV sooner or later, many songs are used in commercials and The Muppets & The Simpsons are great resources. (Btw, Andy's Season 296 was dedicated to the songs that appeared in The Simpsons.)

YorkSteve

I was away last week in places with terrible phone signal, and only back today before heading away again. So here's one I think I did a few years ago. "White Horses" was a children's TV series made in 1965 by Yugoslavian & German TV companies, about a girl who goes to stay on a farm with horses. It was dubbed into English for us in the UK, and was shown from 1968. I seem to remember it was on constantly for years, but there were only ever thirteen episodes. Anyway, here's the theme tune.

P.S. - a fantastic prize by the way! I met Messrs Spatchcock & Wurzill (possibly not their real names) when they had a stall at a festival, and again when they were at a market in York. Lovely blokes, and rather nice instruments.

Bystander

A change of plan, I noticed Netflix were streaming an Everly Brothers film called "Harmonies From Heaven".

No harmonies here and my vocal certainly doesn't come from heaven.

Their first hit, "Bye Bye Love"

Nearsighted-Lemon-McKay

I always wanted to learn this one. This season gave me a good excuse to do so. The theme to the TV show "Psych", I Know You Know (which apparently is actually titled " Best Men Lie")

AlanDP

The first 2 minutes is the song, the last minute and a half is commentary, just in case someone isn't familiar with Scooby Doo. I had some problems putting the video together so if anything looks odd for a couple of seconds just ignore it.

CanadaJim

A Canadian Icon

UkeFoote

My ensemble arrangement of Charles Gounod's "Funeral March of the Marionettes", for tenor ukulele (melody), concert ukulele (chords), baritone ukulele (accompaniment), and Ukulele bass.

It was first used as the soundtrack for an animation in 1929, in Disney's Silly Symphony. It has been used in many other animations and cartoons since then, and mostly famously as the intro music to the “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” TV series from the ‘60s.

thanks for hosting, Ylle!