Seasons of the Ukulele

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

SOTU 709: Trains and Boats and Planes and...

dr_mitch

Welcome back Seasonistas, and welcome if you’re new to the Seasons.

The theme this week is songs involving or mentioning public transport. So I want trains. And ferries. And buses. And passenger jets. And taxis. And other things that fit. You get the idea.

Both covers and original songs are welcome. All the usual rules apply. The Season runs from the start of Sunday 14th September in Hawaii until the end of Sunday 21st September in Hawaii. If you need further clarification on the rules, please see Edwin’s FAQ:

https://seasonistaforum.flarum.cloud/d/16-what-are-the-seasons-of-the-ukulele-and-other-faqs-with-answers

The maximum number of entries this week is 120 (the number of the bus on my daily commute).

And of course season. 708 is still on.

Playlist:

redpaul1

Ha! I'm up in Belper for the weekend (to see @bobjking's excellent band, Wood St Dogs, courtesy of @chris667, ty!). How did I get here? National Express coach to Derby and then the local bus! 🚌🚌😁

UkeCan1

I defy you to find a better twofer. The perfect silly punk bus parody song, first recorded on the Dr Demento Show in 1980 ... exactly 45 years ago today! - Sept 14, 1980.

"Another One Rides the Bus" by Weird Al Yankovic

YorkSteve

As the rain lashes down in Cornwall, I might as well get a song recorded, because we're not going anywhere today. Aztec Camera did this one about Killermont Street, the main bus station in Glasgow, and the people heading South from there.

AlanDP

The first time I recorded this song, about 2 years ago, I had heard the word "jitney" but didn't really know what it meant, so I did some research and made a video about what I learned, which is linked below.

CanadaJim

Thanks for a super topic Mitch! I love transportation songs - especially RR songs. I shoulda dusted the uke before I took that picture.

WAITING FOR A TRAIN - Jimmie Rogers

CanadaJim

Broken Bicycles - Tom Waits

Junk - Paul McCartney

Inspired by Elvis Costello & Anne Sofie VonOtter

UkeCan1

I spent way too much time last week, and again yesterday, trying and failing to find a suitable twofer song about Noah's ark. It's amazing how rarely they actually use the word "flood" in those songs.

So we'll have to go with this 1970 surprise hit about waiting for a train - a "modern spiritual", as Lawrence Welk dubbed it, on his famous TV show of the time.

"One Toke Over the Line" by Brewer and Shipley

Bystander

Thanks for hosting Paul, a song written by a youthful Graham Gouldman (later of 10cc fame) which became a big hit for the Hollies in June 1966, Bus Stop.

Threebird

Thanks for hosting and picking such a "moving" theme! Here is a train song, a cover of 'The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore' by Jean Ritchie.

Edit: I thought I might have missed the public transit aspect of a train song, but maybe google bailed me out?

"Yes, the Louisville & Nashville (L&N) Railroad carried passengers, operating a significant passenger service in addition to its freight operations. The L&N ran named passenger trains, such as the flagship Pan-American, for decades until passenger service was gradually phased out after World War II, with the last L&N passenger train operating in 1971"

LimousinLil

Hello, Paul … and thanks for hosting! I was having trouble coming to grips with the song I was originally intending to do today, so I decided on this one, which I can remember my Grandma singing to me. Like most music hall songs, it goes on a bit, so I cut it down to the first verse - to set the scene - and the chorus; which is the only part that most people know.

(And I must apologise - I'm way behind with listening and commenting and I haven't even done the wrap for my week yet; life has sort of got in the way this last couple of weeks! I'll catch up in the next few days.)

chris667

Yes, @redpaul1 did come and visit for the weekend. And we saw @bobjking play!

Here's a song we did before he caught his bus:

(apologies for the volume - it was very much a one take wonder, and we were both rather hung over)

Nearsighted-Lemon-McKay

I always loved the Mills Brothers, and here is their song about a guy stalking his former girlfriend using a taxi to disguise his actions… well, I'm not sure it was written with those intentions, but it sure sounds that way.

Cab Driver

dr_mitch

Thanks for the entries so far - I'll catch up on comments and the playlist tomorrow. Things have been super busy at chateau Dr Mitch!

UkeFoote

"Destination Moon" by They Might Be Giants, for concert ukulele with singing; overdubs of Ashbory bass and secondary vocal. This was the first song that came to mind. Thanks for hosting, Paul!

UkeCan1

By request of my YouTube friend Ken Smith - a new-to-me song. As soon as I heard the title I knew I wanted to do it.

"Thank God and Greyhound" by Roy Clark

Barbablanca

Here's my contribution this week. It's a song inspired by Carmen's Uncle Juan who was a Taxi-Driver on the "mean streets" of Barcelona, but always seemed to manage to keep cheerful despite some dodgy incidents with passengers.

Hope you enjoy:
TAXI !!!

CanadaJim

The World's Last Truck Drivin' Man - Shel Silverstein

Thanks for a cool Season topic Mitch!

CanadaJim

Mr. Noah - learned from the Dave Van Ronk, Folksinger LP and played on a Banjoette banjolele

UkeCan1

Here's another request from Ken:

"City of New Orleans" - Steve Goodman

I chose to record while the sprinkler was sprinklering, because it sounds sort of like the rhythm of the train.

I'm surprised I've never recorded this before … and I did not expect to get so emotional. This song is no longer just about a train. 😢