Friday, September 30, 2011

#40 - Friday I'm in Love



Song - Friday I'm in Love
Artist - The Cure

Another Friday song! I think I want to start doing some theme weeks. 80s theme week, 90s theme week, TV show intro theme week, you get the idea. I think it would help keep me motivated. Hey! I made it through the first week of school/work/internship while maintaining the blog! Woohoo!

Also, I am the very best procrastinator there ever was ever. I have managed to avoid doing my epidemiology homework today by:
1. Cleaning the house
2. Looking up animal masks for Halloween
3. Making this video
4. Making this list
5. Doing other homework
6. Looking for thins to do to avoid doing my epi homework

As you can see, I am a very experienced procrastinator. If you need any tips, you know where to find them, just don't expect them right away cause you know, I have lists to make and stuff.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

#39 - The Sign



Song - The Sign
Artist - Ace of Base

Sure, pretend you don't know all the words to this song, cause I know you do! Remember how everyone would say that this song was about the devil or something? I actually remember spending a little time being scared of this song because I thought the devil would come get me or something.
I was a weird kid.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

#38 - More Than Words



Song - More Than Words
Artist - Extreme

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today so please excuse the crappy singing, crappy playing and hoodie. I think my friend Shawn was the one to put this song into perspective for me. It's kind of a terrible song when you listen to the lyrics!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

#37 - The A-Team Theme



Song - The A-Team Theme
Artist - Daniel Caine (I think?)

Guest appearance by Felix today! He is way better on the ukulele than he would like to admit. You can usually find him on bass, guitar, or singing to the cats.

Monday, September 26, 2011

#36 - Umbrella



Song - Umbrella
Artist - Rihanna

It's officially fall in the northwest today. I got a little drenched on my way home from work, but only a little bit! Fall is definitely my favorite season; I love that I get to wear sweaters again and drink tea and hot soup. The rain is just one more part of it that makes it great.

I really don't like Rihanna, but I do enjoy this song. She seems like she is always unimpressed and bored. "Ugh, do I really have to be in this commercial? This video shoot is so boring. Awards shows? Blech". She looks like she is always smelling a fart.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

#35 - Yoshimi



Song - Yoshimi
Artist - The Flaming Lips

Thanks to Erin for suggesting this one! Amazing song about fighting robots to save all humans!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

#34 - Hey Ya!



Song - Hey Ya!
Artist - Outkast

My voice is kind of shot this morning because I went on an AMAZING gladiator bike ride last night. What's a gladiator bike ride you ask? Only where all your friends dress in American Gladiator gear and fight in various ways inspired by the show. It was great and I screamed my face off cheering for people. Totally worth having a scratchy voice today.

Thanks for another awesome request from Kahlil to do this song. You're my new go to when I don't know what to play!

Friday, September 23, 2011

#33 - Friday



Song - Friday
Artist - (can we call her that?) Rebbecca Black

This is the first song featuring Felix on bass! Check out that sweet sweet bass solo....

Thursday, September 22, 2011

#32 - Radio



Song - Radio
Artist - Alkaline Trio

Sorry about the quality of this video, I'm not sure why they come out blurry sometimes.
I really want to start doing more songs like this: cruel and nasty lyrics with the sound of a cute little ukulele on top. It's a great contrast!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

#31 - If I Only had Brain



Song - If I Only had Brain
Artist - Harold Arlen (The Wizard of Oz)

New location! Don't be scared! Trying to mix up my videos a little bit and I'm trying to wean myself off of reading everything from the computer. Hopefully that will help me with my blank staring problem!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

#30 - Question



Song - Question
Artist - Old 97s

Holy wow!! 30 videos! If I keep this up I really need to get some better recording devices. I love the banjo uke, but the sound really gets warped when I record with my iphone.

Still, this song is beautiful and right in my range. Thank you Carly for suggesting it, after actually looking at the lyrics I think I understand why you love this song so much.

Monday, September 19, 2011

#29 - My Freeze Ray



Song - My Freeze Ray
Artist - Joss Whedon

Have you seen Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog? If you have you know I am not doing this song justice, but it was fun to play. If you haven't, what's wrong with you?? Go view it immediately!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

#28 - Jolene



Song - Jolene
Artists - Dolly Partin

I love Dolly Partin. She is so incredible and in every interview with her that I have heard she sounds like she would be a kick to hang out with. In one interview with Terry Gross she described this song and how she wrote it about a beautiful bank teller that she suspected was flirting with her husband. When asked why she thought so many people were drawn to the song (this was shortly after Jack White covered it) she said she wasn't sure because it was so simple a monkey could sing it. "It's just the same words over and over, "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene" anyone could have written it!" So modest!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

#27 - Karma Chameleon



Song - Karma Chameleon
Artist - Culture Club

We had a garage sale today, which was a great idea until the northwest decided that intense heat one weekend means all day rain and low 70s the next! So I spent most of the day in the rain selling stuff, which actually ended up being way more fun than it sounds like it would be. I am now crazy tired and feel a little bit sniffly, so sorry about the low energy on this song!

Friday, September 16, 2011

#26 - Keep on the Sunny Side



Song - Keep on the Sunny Side
Artist - Ada Blenkhorn (popularized by the Carter Family)

This song took me WAY too tries to get right. This isn't even that great, but I was just done trying! Oof!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

#25 - I Wanna Marry a Lighthouse Keeper



Song - I Wanna Marry a Lighthouse Keeper
Artist - Erika Eigen

This song is SO HARD but SO FUN! Thanks to Kahlil for requesting it! It's extremely hard also to gargle water and then continue singing, so that's skill I now know I have. I need to do more challenging songs like this!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

#24 - Brand New Key



Song - Brand New Key
Artist - Melanie Safka

This song is for my mom on her birthday! We sang it together a few weeks ago and it was just a blast. It also reminds me of her as she is currently riding her bike around the world in Ireland!

Happy birthday mom!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

#23 - Beer



Song - Beer
Artist - Reel Big Fish

What a great day it was when my brother decided he was done with ska and gave all of his Reel Big Fish CDs to me! I think I listened to them for about a year straight. This is my first attempt at anything ska-ish on the ukulele and it's apparent that I really need to work on strumming patterns. But this song makes me really want to play some more Reel Big Fish, anyone know how to play the trumpet?

Monday, September 12, 2011

#22 - Brown Eyed Girl



Song - Brown Eyed Girl
Artist - Van Morrison

This is another one of those songs that if you are doing covers it has to come up eventually. I think even my high school garage band did a version of this song. I think 3 Inches of Blood, Kiss, and 50 cent have probably done a cover of this song.

Anyway, it's a great song and fun to play! Sorry I didn't get the ukulele in the video very well, I hate when that happens as the banjo/uke is too adorable to miss. Better camera angle next time I promise!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

#21 - Paparazzi



Song - Paparazzi
Artist - Lady Gaga

Here's my first attempt at a modern pop song! Aside from looking like high notes are actually causing me physical pain at times, I think it went alright. I really need to gain control of my face!

I'm trying to get a feel for which songs are better for the ukulele and others that might be better suited for the banjo/uke. What it comes down to is my recording capabilities are not great so if it's a song I can sing with some umph behind it, the banjo/uke works just fine. If the song is a little higher though or I can't get a lot of power behind it, the little uke is better because it has a softer sound. Of course some songs (Rainbow Connection and Little Boxes for example) just demand the sound of the banjo so there is no debate! I can see how some people end up owning a ton of ukuleles though!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

#20 - Radio



Song - Radio
Artist - Regina Spektor

Ok, this was a previously recorded one! I couldn't quite get one in today, as our house was insanely hot and we spent all day in various places with AC. Is it fall yet?

I am excited that I have made it to 20 video posts though! A friend said that he can't wait till I have to do one with or cold. I'll be sure to do an awful one when I am sick just for his amusement!

Friday, September 9, 2011

#19 - I Want You to Want Me



Song - I Want You to Want Me
Artist - Cheap Trick

I'll admit it, the first time I heard this song was the cover in 10 Things I Hate About You. What 13 year old girl didn't love that movie?

Another song where I wasn't sure what to do with the end of it, so it just got super awkward. Oh well, no one watches past the 1st minute of a Youtube video anyway!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

#18 - Ring of Fire



Song - Ring of Fire
Artist - Johnny Cash (Co-written by June Carter Cash)

What music blog would be complete without a song or 10 by Johnny Cash? I think this version lands somewhere between his and hers version; his version up beat and a little nutty, hers slow and mournful.

Also, maybe I should get a metronome, I can't seem to pick a rhythm to stick with in this song!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

#17 - You and I



Song - You and I
Artist - Ingrid Michaelson

Someone suggested this song to me a few hours ago and now I think it might be my favorite song ever! It's so adorable and it's great how it breaks the love song mold; sometimes a ton of money WOULD make life super awesome. Sure, love it great and squishy and makes everyone sigh, but wouldn't it be that much better if you could go live in France for a few years without thinking about money?
These song suggestions are great, keep em' coming!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

#16 - Little Boxes



Song - Little Boxes
Artist - Malvina Reynolds

I love the show "Weeds" and I love this song, but it bugs me when this song is heard and someone says, "Oh, it's the weeds song!" The song existed before Weeds! I did love the second season when so many different bands covered the song, it really showed a lot of diversity within the meaning of it.

Little Boxes always reminds me of my high school drama teacher and going on class trips with her. When you cross over the Marcum bridge coming into Portland it gives you a view of all the houses lining the waterfront on the west side. They really DO all look the same! She would sing this song as we crossed over into downtown and it made me never ever want to live in one of those houses.

Monday, September 5, 2011

#15 - Union Maid



Song - Union Maid
Artist - Woody Guthrie

I thought this might be an appropriate number, seeing as it's labor day and all. Yet another song that is just out of my range, so there are a few cracks in there which I find kind of amusing. This project has really made me realize the limitations in my range, but that's great because it will just make me work harder!

There was a verse for this song that was later written other members of the pro union group Guthrie was associated with (The Almanac Singers). I had never heard it before and though it might have been appropriate for the time, I thought it went against Guthrie's "go get em' girls!" attitude. Here is the final verse:

You gals who want to be free, just take a tip from me;
Get you a man who's a union man and join the ladies' auxiliary.
Married life ain't hard when you got a union card,
A union man has a happy life when he's got a union wife.

I don't know, I wasn't super into it, but to each their own!

Finally, this song really makes me think of my former employees of Dosha Salon and Spa that organized themselves and unionized. As far as I know, this is the first unionized spa in the nation. I am so proud to call these people friends and former co-workers. They are smart, strong and by standing up for what they believe are carving a new path for all people in the salon and spa industry. Thank you so much for your hard work and determination.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

#14 - Tiny Bubbles



Song - Tiny Bubbles
Artist - Don Ho

I hard the most difficult time ever finding a song to sing today. I felt unmotivated, tired and cranky, which doesn't exactly mean the creative juices were flowing. This song came as a request from someone on facebook, which was exactly what I needed. What a cute little song! It lends itself perfectly to the ukulele and I wish I could do the part in Hawaiian, but I really didn't want to butcher it.
I promise some more upbeat and inspired songs this week!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

#13 - The Tide is High



Song - The Tide is High
Artist - Blondie (Originally recorded by The Paragons)

I've spent all day at the river so I apologize that this song is a little lazy and off key. Maybe I'll give it another shot when I have some more energy.

Really, what a bizarre and sad song though. Is this song sick and twisted anthem for battered spouses or something? A rally cry for all the neglected and needy women of the world? Fun beat and a fun song to sing, but man are those lyrics a little messed up!

#12 - American Music



Song - American Music
Artist - The Violent Femms

Thursday, September 1, 2011

#11 - Eye of the Tiger



Song - Eye of the Tiger
Artist - Survivor

So apparently this song was written at Sylvester Stallone's request because the rights to "Another One Bites the Dust" couldn't be obtained for Rocky III. There's an awesome little tidbit your next cocktail party.

If you haven't karaoked this song before I highly recommend it. Nothing seems to pump people up quite as much as the intro, which didn't quite translate to the ukulele as I had hoped.

My favorite story about this song comes from a former boss who went to a Tony Robbins seminar. After hearing all about how easily they could take control of their own lives and break through all obstacles they had to learn how to punch through 2X4s. That's right, punch through blocks of wood. But what feat of strength without a power ballad playing in the background? And what power ballad do you suppose people broke their knuckles to? You guessed it.

#10 - Rainbow Connection



Song - Rainbow Connection
Artist - Kermit the Frog (or ya know, Jim Henson)

As a kid I always wanted to be blond and a soprano. I bleached my hair blond a few times and my attempts at singing soprano are just about as appealing. So I apologize for my squeaky squeaky voice, but I really wanted to try this song and it was already dropped down a key from the original.

I had a pretty rotten day and didn't know if I was going to whip something up for the day music-wise, but I have to say that I'm glad I did. Playing the ukulele makes me really happy; it's like trying not to really laugh when you're fake laughing, eventually the silliness will get to you. Thanks ukulele, for cheering me up.

Also, I really need to close my damn mouth when I'm concentrating and work on that vacant stare of mine.