One of the great things about the uke is that we can pick up the basics quickly. Being able to do that means we can play with others quickly! I have always enjoyed the communal element of music and miss it now that we to have to play alone as we wait for...all the things we are waiting for. Thankfully I have a lot of videos like this one to take me back. One of the great things about the holidays is the chance to remember the good times, whenever they were. This is one of those good times. Here I am with my oldest back in 2013 playing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. He is now a college grad (Music and History) and works as a farmhand. Like many people in his situation he lives at home and I see him every day. He still plays the uke, which sometimes makes me think of the good old days when we used to play together frequently.. He also plays his trumpet--his main instrument--daily as he keeps his chops up and waits for the Great Unpleasantness to end. Then I remember how loud a trumpet can be in an enclosed space. Anyway, I am in the midst of prep for multiple church Advent events so I am just going to leave this here. Honestly I don't remember what chords we used anyway. The words are easily googled...
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We made it to number 10! Here is one of my favorite carols. We started playing this in church years ago and there are a few versions of us singing online. The problem is that apparently I have trouble carrying this tune. They are good memories still, and I can't wait to mess it up again in church some time! Here are the lyrics and chords... Once In Royal David s City chords H. Gauntlett / C. Alexander 1849 G C D7 G Once in royal David s city, Em D7 G Stood a lowly cattle shed D G C DG Where a mother laid her Baby, Em D7 G in a manger for His bed C G Am* G Mary was that mother mild, C G D G Jesus Christ, her little Child. G C D7 G He came down to earth from heaven, Em D7 G who is God and Lord of all D G C DG And His shelter was a stable, Em D7 G and His cradle was a stall C G Am* G With the poor, and mean, and lowly, C G D G lived on earth our Savior holy. G C D7 G For He is our childhood's pattern; Em D7 G day by day, like us, He grew D G C D G He was little, weak, and helpless, Em D7 G tears and smiles, like us He knew C G Am* G And He careth for our sadness C G D G and he shareth in our gladness G C D7 G And our eyes at last shall see Him, Em D7 G through His own redeeming love D G C D G For that Child so dear and gentle, Em D7 G is our Lord in heaven above C G Am* G And He leads His children on, C G D G to the place where He is gone. Every year for the past decade or so we have gone caroling with the church. We started at the local hospital and more recently sang at a local nursing home. It has been super fun! I hope that the residents and patients have enjoyed our time together during the season. It has been a highlight of the church holiday schedule. I haven't been to that nursing home in some time. They have been playing it safe with the virus and totally support them in that...but it is strange. For a decade-and-a-half I officiated protestant worship there once a month and played my uke from time to time both in worship and as a sort of side "concert' in the rec room. I miss it. I actually try NOT to play uke at the carol-sing. I have other stuff going on and there are plenty of people who can play instead. The last few years, though, I have found myself with the ukesters. Part of the reason is that we sometimes need to rotate through to rest our hands and wrists. Another is that many of the jazz standards that comprise the 20th Century's best holiday songs are...well...jazzy and hard to play. I usually sound bad when I play them but no one notices because we are singing super loud. Imagine that as I struggle through this rendition of Winter Wonderland... Here it is! It is worth noting that I put the capo on the second fret for singing purposes... Winter Wonderland C Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin' G In the lane, snow is glistening G F Em Dm A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight D7 G C Walking in a Winter Wonderland. C Gone away is the blue bird G Here to stay is a new bird G F Em Dm He sings a love song, as we go along D7 G C Walking in a Winter Wonderland E A E In the meadow we can build a snowman E A E Then pretend that he is Parson Brown G C He'll say "Are you married?", G We'll say "No man”, D But you can do the job G7 when you're in town." C Later on, we'll conspire G As we dream by the fire G F To face unafraid, Em Dm The plans that we’ve made D7 G C Walking in a Winter Wonderland |
AuthorI play a number of musical instruments. In addition to the ukulele I play the mandolin, guitar, rhythm bones, and a few other things. This page, though, is about my uke project. I recently decided to post once a week on a uke-themed topic. Most of these posts will be simple songs you can sing along to. Maybe later I will do more informational videos as well. Archives
August 2021
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