Tuesday 31 July 2018

Babooshka

Kate Bush is 60? Really? I couldn't let the occasion pass without trying this one...


Monday 30 July 2018

This Year's Girl

The (almost) title track from one of my all time favourite albums, This Year's Model.


Sunday 29 July 2018

White Horses

So, who grew up watching this? It was something about a girl and a horse, dubbed into English from the original German, and I was amazed to find that there were only thirteen episodes. It seemed to be on for years.

Saturday 28 July 2018

I Had Someone Else Before I Had You

A little ditty from 1924 about infidelity. Dedicated to everyone who has been watching Love Island. Not that I've been guilty of that, but some people under my roof seem to base their evenings around it. And if you live somewhere that Love Island hasn't reached yet, you're very lucky.


Friday 27 July 2018

See My Baby Jive

If "Angel Fingers" was the first single I bought with my own money, then this was probably the second. Managed to get through it without the thunderstorm taking over.


Thursday 26 July 2018

I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song

O.K., so I'm a big softy at heart. In amongst the daft ones, the punk classics, the unlikely electro-disco hits, and everything else I strum, there are sometimes classic love songs. And yes, I do tune in to Steve Wright on a Sunday morning...



Wednesday 25 July 2018

The Day Before You Came

With all this talk of Mama Mia 2 (it's great - go and see it) I have to do an Abba song. This one is so good - you can imagine all sorts of stories before and after. Will we ever find out what has happened?


Tuesday 24 July 2018

A New England

A little later than planned, after having a house full of plumbers all day. In my case, I'm not looking for a new England, just a central heating system that works once this heatwave is over.


Monday 23 July 2018

Ain't She Sweet

This week's extra challenge, courtesy of the Ukulele Underground forum, is to record something which is less than 60 seconds long. So, clocking in at about 54...


Sunday 22 July 2018

World Without Love

Here's one of those songs that The Beatles gave to somebody else, in this case Peter & Gordon. Paul McCartney wrote most (possibly all) of it when he was sixteen, and John Lennon thought it was a bit daft, as the second line could have been "O.K...."(end of song).


Saturday 21 July 2018

Killermont Street

Surely the best song ever written about a bus station. Roddy Frame has a habit of using impossible chords, but this one is just about do-able.


Friday 20 July 2018

Crocodile Rock

Take me to a beach where there are stones to be skimmed, and I will be singing this to myself for the rest of the day. Anyone else, or is that just me?


Thursday 19 July 2018

Mickey's Son And Daughter

For today's entertainment, I bring a comedy quickstep with vocal chorus. Or at least, that's what it says on the 1935 78 by Henry Hall & The BBC Concert Orchestra.


Wednesday 18 July 2018

Little Boxes

Pete Seeger's recording of this song was one of the few 45rpm records that were in our house when I was a child. So it got played a lot. And I still sing it to myself when I see new houses of a certain style being built. I'm sure they are lovely inside.



Tuesday 17 July 2018

Last Train To Clarkesville

Ah, the Monkees...happy days, watching their antics on a small television. And apparently this song appeared in more episodes than any other - seven in total. You've learned something new today.


Monday 16 July 2018

Da Doo Ron Ron

I did take a pencil and alter this to "met HER on a Monday..." and "her name was Jill", but found myself singing the original words anyway. So here it is, unchanged...




Sunday 15 July 2018

Sunday Morning

This whole thing started on Jan 1st with a Velvet Underground song, so I reckon it's time we had another one.


Saturday 14 July 2018

California Dreamin'

The heatwave continues, so it's time for another one about winter. Who plans this stuff?

Friday 13 July 2018

Troubadour

Today's song was written by Lesley Fowkes (see Sunday 8th July for her story), and in my humble opinion is a bit of a gem.


Thursday 12 July 2018

God Only Knows

Paul McCartney said that this is the greatest song ever written. He could be right - all I know is that it's a pig to play.


Wednesday 11 July 2018

Modern Love

I have been listening to a lot of David Bowie recently, partly because they have just released a live album, recorded the night I saw him in 1978. I still have the ticket - £4, what a bargain. Anyway, here's one from a few years later, when he went a bit dance-y


Tuesday 10 July 2018

Is She Really Going Out With Him?

I had to run off to Google to check that Joe Jackson is still around - he is, but not releasing much of late. Here's the big hit that got him started.


Monday 9 July 2018

Sunday 8 July 2018

I Can See Clearly Now

This one is for Lesley, a ukulele-playing friend of mine, who needs some positive vibes sending her way. You can read her story here - www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lesley-fowkes


Saturday 7 July 2018

C'mon Everybody

Eddie Cochran had everything - the looks, the songs, the guitar, the voice - but he didn't even make it to 22. Here's one that he left us.


Friday 6 July 2018

I Get A Kick Out Of You

From back in the days when it was OK to write a popular song about sniffing cocaine. Although, to be fair, Cole Porter's second verse was changed to "Some like the perfume in Spain" when it was used in the film version of Anything Goes. I have gone for the edgy original.


Thursday 5 July 2018

You're The One That I Want

Probably one of the best selling duets ever, but there's only one of me. So, a few words tweaked here and there, and away we go...


Wednesday 4 July 2018

Why Does It Always Rain On Me

As the weather continues to amaze us, here's another heatwave-inappropriate number.

Tuesday 3 July 2018

A Good Year For The Roses

Elvis Costello had a hit with this, but it was written by Jerry Chesnut, along with quite a few other goodies.


Monday 2 July 2018

I Hear You Knockin'

Half Way! That's 183 songs done, and just 182 to go. All downhill from here.


Sunday 1 July 2018

Hey Good Looking

Anyone noticed a pattern this week? The weekly challenge from the Ukulele Underground forum was to do a series of songs in alphabetical order. Some people got to Z. Some even started a second lap. I will bow out at H, ready for next week.