Seasons of the Ukulele

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

Season 722 - 'Tis the Season

Xamar25

UkeFoote I have never heard this before! Definitely worth remembering for next year !!!

UkeCan1

Fabulous stuff so far, everyone! Thanks to Brian @UkeFoote , Val @LimousinLil , Alan @AlanDP , Edwin @Edwin , David @potmo , Joo @joo , Berni @Barbablanca , Alan again, and Tamar @Xamar25 for all your wonderful contributions so far - including 4 originals already from Alan, Edwin, Joo, and Berni. Bonus points!

Everything is on the playlist and commented on, and I'm ready for more musical delights from you all this week. 🌟

Remember, super duper bonus points for bringing friends and family to your videos, if you're around some this week - or collabs with other Seasonistas … and encouragement for festive clothing, food, drink, and decorating, and especially for gifting songs to others.

All optional - I'm loving everything you're bringing … just reminding in case any of those ideas inspire you!

In the meantime, YouTube thought I might enjoy this … and I thought you might too!

Nearsighted-Lemon-McKay

One of the few songs that I wrote with my brother Randy was this Christmas song.

AlanDP

This is a song by Ukulele Jim called "Surfer Santa Claus." It was on an EP he put out several years ago called "Aloha From Christmas Island." It goes well with my shirt that my wife found at a Goodwill a few years ago.

Threebird

Thanks for hosting this festive Season! I had not heard of this song until a couple weeks ago when it came up as a challenge topic on some other uke forum. Since I don't really know how to play any xmas songs it seemed like I should join in and learn this one, and I finally have a passable version to share in time for the holidays.

This is a song by the Old 97's called 'I Don't Know What Christmas Is (But Christmas Time Is Here)', and it comes from the Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special - also something I did not know existed and will have to watch at some point. (Edit: I should probably mention some additional context - ALIENS sing the song in the original video

DelGriff

Thanks for hosting, Wendy! 🙂

Unusually for me, this one originally goes back to 1941, when it was written by Katherine Kennicott Davis. It’s been covered by a good few artists since, including an unlikely duet between Bing Crosby and David Bowie.

Baritone uke with added synth bass and strings, and a homemade drum pattern. Also some vocal harmonies from verse two onwards.

Little Drummer Boy - cover of a Christmas song written by Katherine Kennicott Davis (SOTU 722)

DesertPavement

Fair warning - the ratio of expletives to other words in this song is very high. I tried to make it obvious which expletive by not being overly coy with the title. I thought about this one last year, but decided against it. Having heard our host this year sing several time now about having no F*cks left to give, I don’t feel too bad bringing it now. From probably my favorite Python…

YorkSteve

Thanks for hosting Wendy.

Here is my annual recording of the lovely carol written by the much-missed seasonista, Lesley Fowkes.

Barbablanca

Xmas and New Year's Eve are times for reflecting on where we are and where we want to be. My narrator in this song starts off a little down… But how does he feel as the New Year is rung in?

I was going to write a Xmas song, but I already have lots of of them. Then going up in the lift, I glanced in the mirror and the first line of this song just popped into my head.

I rushed to my PC and wrote the lyrics and worked out the tune I could hear in my head.

Nollaig shona! to you all

I hope you like the song.

The image is of Barcelona on New Year's Eve

dr_mitch

Well, this song is wintry - and it's deemed a Christmas song - and Christmas is mentioned.

AlanDP

A song from 1957 that was as far as I know the only Christmas song ever recorded by Julie London, and was written by her husband Bobby Troup.

Xamar25

Here’s a video of The Hanukuleles performing Ocho Kandelikas, a Ladino Hanukkah song at a candle lighting ceremony. The Hanukuleles are a nondenominational group of strummers dedicated to brightening up long winter evenings with the light and joy of Hanukkah. Hopefully we make up for what we lack in talent with our enthusiasm!!

UkeCan1

Xamar25 Tamar, your video is set for children, so I can't comment or add it to the playlist. In general, it's recommended not to post videos as "for kids" if it's for both adults and kids. I hope you'll change the setting so I can add you and we can all give you the sweet comments you and your group deserve!

Xamar25

UkeCan1 A friend took the video and posted it. I have asked her to change the settings.

Xamar25

I couldn’t resist doing a version Mr Grinch with my own new verse at the end.

ps I know I am posting twice today. My excuse is Ocho Kandelikas was recorded on Tuesday but my friend didn’t upload it until today..

AndrewCW

Thanks Wendy for hosting. This is certainly a Christmas song but not very party-like. It's been quite a while since I picked up any of my ukuleles (I've mainly been picking up my mandolins) but I kind of felt like it today. This is Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane written in 1943 for the movie Meet Me in St Louis. These lyrics are closest to the second version of the lyrics which were used in the film after Judy Garland found the original lyrics too sad. The more common later version was Sinatra wanting to jolly the song up a little - he particularly didn't like the line "until then we'll have to muddle through somehow" so that was changed.

UkeCan1

Xamar25

Xamar25 ps I know I am posting twice today. My excuse is Ocho Kandelikas was recorded on Tuesday but my friend didn’t upload it until today..

Post as much as you want - no limits! These are all delightful, appreciated, and welcome.

Also, and apropos of nothing, I think I once posted 14 holiday song videos on one week for this annual theme. So, even if I wanted to, I couldn't in good conscience ever pose a limit to anyone's creativity when I host!

Wonderful stuff from everyone - after a very quiet day and a half where I was convinced you all were ghosting me! I'm so happy you're all back. Everything is on the playlist (please let me know if it isn't!), and I'm catching up on listening and commenting - not strictly in chronological order, for reasons not remotely personal to anyone but me and my chaotic neurospicy brain! (So forgive me if I haven't gotten to yours yet.)

UkeCan1

Everything is now up-to-date, playlisted, liked, loved, and commented upon. Phew! Keep 'em coming. Whatever you care to bring to the party is great - all are welcome, with whatever mood or sentiments you find yourself in.

Thanks for these last three days of excellence, from Kevin @Nearsighted-Lemon-McKay , Alan, @AlanDP , @Threebird (pray what is your name, fine sir?), Del @DelGriff , Andy @DesertPavement , Steve @YorkSteve , Berni @Barbablanca , Paul @dr_mitch , Alan again, Tamar @Xamar25 leading her Hanukuleles uke group, Tamar again solo … and Andrew's back! @AndrewCW .

The party is rocking … and contemplating … and keeping a watchful eye on the world … and sharing peace, hope, and love. Hugs all around!

Two full days still to come. I look forward to hearing from YOU! 🌟

UkeCan1

Thanks to a timely YouTube recommendation, here's a kind of answer song to @DesertPavement Andy's Eric Idle carol. Think of it as a seasonal public service announcement.

"A Christmas Message" (aka "The Rudest Christmas Song Ever") by UK comedy trio Fascinating Aïda

I've been inviting costumes and decorations, so I brought my Christmas game too. The paper tree won me a prize at our Brisbane City Sounds holiday party - the angel was a gift from our director. The Christmas bauble earring set was one of the prizes I won.

YorkSteve

Despite his terrible downfall, I still play the Phil Spector Christmas album at least once each year. Here's one from there.

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