Aug/21/08
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The Ditty Bops – (I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My) Sister Kate

(I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My) Sister Kate (Chords)

The version of Sister Kate by occasional ukulelists The Ditty Bops might be the most famous and Bob Brozman’s version the most musically adept, but the ukulele version by, Blue Stone Folk School alumni, Pholly is certainly my favourite.

However, I’ve gone with my own favourite way of playing the chords. It’s in the same key as all those versions but with a few changes the quick chord run. It’s actually closest to Bob Brozman’s guitar version. I also like to throw in a few variations on the D7 and G chords: sliding in from one fret lower at the change to each chord and throwing in the occasional E note to create D9 and G6 chords.

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18 Comments

  1. LonnaB August 21st, 2008 7:57 pm

    Cool, I’d been looking for some Pholly. Once again, I have to come to the number one uke site to find what I was after!

  2. Ukulelezo August 21st, 2008 9:23 pm

    You always know just how to make my day! Thanks!

  3. Josh August 22nd, 2008 4:07 am

    That intro sequence is just delicious and particularly fun to play — real hard not to smile when playing it.

  4. todd August 22nd, 2008 4:20 am

    “Blue stone folk school????!!!!”

    why is it that when I read “sing out” or “no depression” every cool workshop, and school for preserving the folk arts is either in the midwest u.s., east coast u.s., southeast u.s. or maybe…..just maybe a smattering of something cool like this in the pacific northwest????

    and here i sit in the deserts of the southwest…..sigh….i need to move :)

  5. Ritchie August 22nd, 2008 7:48 am

    Al, nice tip re; the D7 & the G chords …the D9 & G6 has a nice sound and adds just a ‘little bit’ more to it….. who needs to go to school when Al keeps giving us tips …. especially when it’s raining ;-)

  6. Geoff Davis August 23rd, 2008 4:12 am

    It’s great to see the girls here! This was their first tune. I arranged the uke parts and they took off. They don;t even look to me for arrangement help anymore.

    Now I promote them and they promote the Folk School.

    Re: the D9, G6, etc.

    I usually write arrangement in a very simple manner. Advanced players will find their favorite cool chords.

    Geoff (aka Pholly Dad [the one on the left])

  7. Phoebe Davis August 23rd, 2008 1:19 pm

    Pholly girl, Phoebe, is flattered!

  8. Woodshed August 23rd, 2008 5:14 pm

    Lonna: Well obviously ;)

    Ukulelezo: Now I’m the one blushing.

    Josh: I completely agree. That’s why I wrote it up this way. I can’t play it any other way now.

    todd: Folk school sounds like a great idea to me. I imagine it being like Fame but with Morris dancing leg bells instead of leg-warmers. I suspect that’s not entirely accurate.

    Geoff: Keep up the great work.

    Phoebe: Shouldn’t that be phlattered? Anyhoo, keep the good stuff coming. How long until we get a new video from you two?

  9. Geoff Davis August 24th, 2008 2:21 pm

    The Folk School’s only video camera (which was really mine) went kapoot! So until we’ve money for one….we’ll all have to wait. Bummer!

  10. John T. Quinn October 29th, 2008 5:31 pm

    i was listening to ditty bops sister kate in the car on drive to work this morning and thought i’d search for a uke tab. i found this and couldn’t be more pleased. well done girls!

  11. Byjimini May 22nd, 2009 9:38 pm

    I think I have a new song for my weekly folk club. :)

  12. Woodshed May 23rd, 2009 8:57 am

    Byjimini: Once you start strumming this one it’s impossible to stop.

  13. Rach May 30th, 2010 1:23 am

    can someone recomend a good strumming pattern for this?

  14. KoAloha Sceptre Tenor Review | Ukulele Hunt July 7th, 2010 6:01 pm

    […] Sister Kate […]

  15. Ambient Doughnut January 13th, 2011 9:40 pm

    Love it! The change from G back to E7 is a bit of a bugger though. Trying a few different fingerings to make it smooth. Playing a G6 makes it easier. :o)

  16. Woodshed January 16th, 2011 10:44 am

    Ambient: Yeah, G6 makes for a much easier change.

  17. Simon August 16th, 2011 9:26 pm

    Ambient, I play the G with my 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers. That way I can keep the 2nd and 3rd fingers in the same position for most of the chords in the song.

  18. Katiefuzz February 24th, 2012 4:54 am

    More ditty bops, go!

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