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Jon Hancock profile picture
One of the most popular songs to come from the hapa haole music craze of the early 20th century, sung by everyone from Bette Midler to Bing Crosby. Notable early versions include the recording by Frank Crumit and, in particular, Vaughn De Leath's which made the song famous; like Crumit, De Leath was also a very capable ukulele player.

This video isn't for the most faithful or complete version, but I don't think you'll blame me. The "You like-a me like I like-a you" part at the end is not in the original sheet music, but does appear as early as Frank Crumit's 1925 release. For the songsheet I've stayed in line with May Singhi Breen's original arrangement.

https://youtu.be/uFOvN5FEhsw

#Ukulele

Jon Hancock profile picture
Typing up a ukulele songsheet might not be the most obvious tribute, but with the sad news today that actor, writer, musician and twitcher Bill Oddie has died it feels somehow appropriate. Although Oddie was better known in the UK and Australia through The Goodies television programme, in America his widest exposure was probably due to this musical spin-off, which grooved its way onto the Billboard Hot 100.

Lots of room to improvise and add to the three simple chords.

Wikipedia has this interesting note about the single release: "The Funky Gibbon was released with multiple alternative codas at the end of the song including "Tie a Yellow Gibbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" plus "And for Me Some Scarlet Gibbons, Scarlet Gibbons for My Hair" which were randomly heard on the double grooved single; as well as "He Promised to Buy Me a Bunch of Blue Gibbons to Tie Up My Bonny Brown ...". Certainly I'm more familiar with the "Tie a Yellow Gibbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" ending, but I've used the Bonny Brown line here to match the linked video.

https://youtu.be/vtvnV8AE75A

#Ukulele #BillOddie #FunkyGibbon #TheGoodies #Music

Jon Hancock · 6d
https://youtu.be/iAmx_XdQky8 #BillOddie #TheGoodies
Jon Hancock profile picture
At the end of 70s, Tim Curry had a perhaps unexpectedly successful run of albums and singles. This song from 1978, previously released by its writers the year before, was the opening track from his album "Read My Lips."

It's pretty straightforward, apart from a few lines where you need to fit the words into the rhythm… right up until it approaches the finish. Not only do we change up and need the Dreaded E Chord™, it also drifts off in a very tricky to follow way. Make it and your vocals mesh as best you can, or consider replacing the last part with a couple of repeats of "Birds of a feather" and end it from there.

https://youtu.be/6pQuZ4xQOVo

#Ukulele #TimCurry #RoughTrade #1970s

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Jon Hancock · 6d
Listening to the earlier Rough Trade version of “Birds of a Feather,” it has a far more standard ending. I might have to change the songsheet, because the Time Curry version is not at all easy to finish smoothly.