and should be viewed in conjunction with my earlier post My early love of music it was actually written whilst my only instrument at home was piano, which I could barely pick out a melody on and a set of homemade drums which I had cobbled together from cardboard boxes, a toy drum set and biscuit tin lids. The uke part in this video was put together in a few minutes and which I had played (for practice about 3-4 times) hence a little hesitation and deviation (joke - from a UK radio quiz show, info for overseas readers. LOL)
See the lyrics on my poetry pages, where you will find more song lyrics from now on - see comment below.
Showing posts with label original song. Show all posts
Showing posts with label original song. Show all posts
Saturday, 22 February 2020
Tuesday, 27 March 2018
A new song - How Do You Play Your Ukulele
Mmmmmm ....
Writing songs, thats's what it was all about when I started this blog. I seem to have gone around in circles ever since. But I have been writing poetry, and some of my readers may say, "well isn't that like writing a song?"
In a way yes, would be my answer. For me though poetry opens up a whole world of subjects that I would never contemplate writing a song about. I could not be pedantic about what I really mean but let me give you an example. The first poem I wrote was a failed song. I wrote the lyrics to "The Wind" just after Hurricane Katrina swamped New Orleans. It should have been a song but somehow it didn't work. So I called it a poem because I did like it, and still do.
Today, I finished off a song lyric which has been bouncing around in my head for (probably) months. I had written bits of it on scraps of paper which were in danger of getting lost. Something, sparked me off on a quest and I decided to get these down onto a more permanent footing and complete it. I even came up with a chord sequence for the song and started to put a tune to it. That still needs completing but I will try to record it on the PC and post to here asap. I must admit I am pretty pleased with it. And for those who want to see it, I include the whole lyric here. It is written Verse/chorus repeated three times. An unusual construct for me and one which I tend to think of as folksy. But I can think of many main stream popular songs which have this structure.
Writing songs, thats's what it was all about when I started this blog. I seem to have gone around in circles ever since. But I have been writing poetry, and some of my readers may say, "well isn't that like writing a song?"
In a way yes, would be my answer. For me though poetry opens up a whole world of subjects that I would never contemplate writing a song about. I could not be pedantic about what I really mean but let me give you an example. The first poem I wrote was a failed song. I wrote the lyrics to "The Wind" just after Hurricane Katrina swamped New Orleans. It should have been a song but somehow it didn't work. So I called it a poem because I did like it, and still do.
Today, I finished off a song lyric which has been bouncing around in my head for (probably) months. I had written bits of it on scraps of paper which were in danger of getting lost. Something, sparked me off on a quest and I decided to get these down onto a more permanent footing and complete it. I even came up with a chord sequence for the song and started to put a tune to it. That still needs completing but I will try to record it on the PC and post to here asap. I must admit I am pretty pleased with it. And for those who want to see it, I include the whole lyric here. It is written Verse/chorus repeated three times. An unusual construct for me and one which I tend to think of as folksy. But I can think of many main stream popular songs which have this structure.
How Do You Play Your Ukulele
There's a singer that I follow in my town
I catch his act, when ever he's around
In pubs and clubs on stages
where ever he appears
He will always draw a crowd
Its not his voice they want to hear
chorus
How do you play, your ukulele
How do you make it sound so sweet
Of all the things I've ever learned
Nothing takes me close
To recreating what I hear
That sound I love the most
There's this little lady that I know
Feels the way I feel about your show
She says the way you play your uke
Sends shivers up her spine
Now I would like to make
That little lady mine. so tell me
chorus
How do you play, your ukulele
How do you make it sound so sweet
Of all the things I've ever learned
Nothing takes me close
To recreating what I hear
That sound I love the most
These guys and I have formed a little band
To make our name we need a helping hand
If only I could play
The uke just like you do
We could bring a little joy
And spread a little voo-oo-do
chorus
How do you play, your ukulele
How do you make it sound so sweet
Of all the things I've ever learned
Nothing takes me close
To recreating what I hear
That sound I love the most
well there it is, maybe there is a little folksy touch to it and that is why it took me so long to write? Just goes to show, always make a note of your thoughts and ideas. And never throw out those old ideas no matter how long they have been lying around.
I will be back with the recording soon I hope.
Wednesday, 14 March 2018
A bit of blues, and a load of laughs!
Well here is a video that really does show me up. I had been writing a song and had a few lines down on paper.
I was also fiddling about with a little blues on my ukulele; would they work together - only one way to find out ........ and here it is!
and here are the lyrics which are not necessarily what I was singing, had I been drinking?
I was also fiddling about with a little blues on my ukulele; would they work together - only one way to find out ........ and here it is!
and here are the lyrics which are not necessarily what I was singing, had I been drinking?
I'm Not There
Nobody listen to my plea
Nobody want's to listen to my plea
I'm just invisible, I'm not there
Nobody seems to care, For me.......
Call me mister No........body
Call me mister No........body
I'm just mister No........body
Thats me!
Too many times Ive tried to grow
Be the kind of man, I'd like to know
I'm just invisible, I'm not there
Nobody seems to care, For me.......
Call me mister No........body
Call me mister No........body
I'm just mister No........body
Thats me!
Nobody want to be my friend
They got excuses I can't comprehend
I might as well not be around, I'm not there
Nobody seems to care, For me.......
Another fun session with Dr John!
Monday, 30 March 2015
A New Song - After all This Time!
One of the original objectives of this blog was to talk about and possibly pass on to my readers some thoughts about song writing. When I look back, it was clear that I did not have a lot to write about on this subject. Disappointing, but it was started at a time when I was in a bit of a trough as regards my output of new songs.
I did include some videos and share some advice from around the web including a couple of articles now on Hubpages:-
A review of useful websites on song writing
How to write a memorable song
That "trough" lasted a long time. I guess to write effectively one of the best practices is to write lots often and be prepared to crop out the dross. It was always said that the old tin-pan alley writers used to write several songs each day whilst in the "office", but most were thrown away the next day.
My song writing activity virtually stopped quite some time ago, although I still sing my own material for my own enjoyment. Most of those songs now sound dated, but then I think my musical taste stopped developing in the sixties. A couple of years ago, someone asked me, how do I write a song, what goes into a good song?"
I answered, "A little bit of this and a little bit of that". Of course, I mentioned that anything could trigger off the process of writing a song. Even the answer I had just given to the question". And I actually did take that phrase (which of course wasn't in itself an original idea) and write a song. In fact the first I had written in years. I did of course (?) video my self, performing the song using my Fender Stratocaster as a backing.
Well, last Friday, I was walking to work and thinking about a song we had been rehearsing at the ukulele club, and for some reason my mind was wandering after the 20-30th run-through of the intro in my mind. We had been having some issue with the timing, when we played the number and it was to be the opening song in our next concert. Anyway to cut a long story short, the idea for a new song began to form in my head. I hadn't even though about writing a new song BUT I could not stop once it started to appear. I always keep a notebook in my pocket even now and wrote the lyrics down as fast as I could so as not to forget them.
Later that evening, I took out my uke and started to strum a few easy chords, and before long the melody was written as well. Then I had to record it so that it wasn't forgotten. So of course, here it is for you to hear, warts and all, as they say. There is a slow refrain (think George Formby and songs from that era) but it takes off after about 45 seconds. I may split the refrain up so that it doesn't take so long to get into the verses.
I am hoping that this is the start of an awakening of my song-writing and creative writing endeavours which has been becalmed for lack of inspiration lately.
PS. Why not follow this blog using the Google Friend Connect Gizmo on the RH margin, you know it makes sense.
I did include some videos and share some advice from around the web including a couple of articles now on Hubpages:-
A review of useful websites on song writing
How to write a memorable song
That "trough" lasted a long time. I guess to write effectively one of the best practices is to write lots often and be prepared to crop out the dross. It was always said that the old tin-pan alley writers used to write several songs each day whilst in the "office", but most were thrown away the next day.
My song writing activity virtually stopped quite some time ago, although I still sing my own material for my own enjoyment. Most of those songs now sound dated, but then I think my musical taste stopped developing in the sixties. A couple of years ago, someone asked me, how do I write a song, what goes into a good song?"
I answered, "A little bit of this and a little bit of that". Of course, I mentioned that anything could trigger off the process of writing a song. Even the answer I had just given to the question". And I actually did take that phrase (which of course wasn't in itself an original idea) and write a song. In fact the first I had written in years. I did of course (?) video my self, performing the song using my Fender Stratocaster as a backing.
Well, last Friday, I was walking to work and thinking about a song we had been rehearsing at the ukulele club, and for some reason my mind was wandering after the 20-30th run-through of the intro in my mind. We had been having some issue with the timing, when we played the number and it was to be the opening song in our next concert. Anyway to cut a long story short, the idea for a new song began to form in my head. I hadn't even though about writing a new song BUT I could not stop once it started to appear. I always keep a notebook in my pocket even now and wrote the lyrics down as fast as I could so as not to forget them.
Later that evening, I took out my uke and started to strum a few easy chords, and before long the melody was written as well. Then I had to record it so that it wasn't forgotten. So of course, here it is for you to hear, warts and all, as they say. There is a slow refrain (think George Formby and songs from that era) but it takes off after about 45 seconds. I may split the refrain up so that it doesn't take so long to get into the verses.
I am hoping that this is the start of an awakening of my song-writing and creative writing endeavours which has been becalmed for lack of inspiration lately.
PS. Why not follow this blog using the Google Friend Connect Gizmo on the RH margin, you know it makes sense.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)