The Lancashire Hotpots – He’s Turned Emo (Chords)
September 13, 2009
The Lancashire Hotpots – Oh No, He’s Turned Emo (Chords)
After some Manglish from Zee Avi, here’s some Lanclish from the Lancashire Hotpots. If you’re planning on going to see the Hotpots on their Northern tour you’re in for an extra treat. They’re being supported by the Re-entrants (find the dates here)
Suggested Strumming
Dead easy song, this one. There are only two chords. And this strum will see you through.
d – d u – u d -
Really, that strum works for just about every song.
If you want to add an extra bit of fanciness to the chords, add a few G diminished chords at the start of the G7 bars.
Twiddly Bits
Even if you’re not interested in playing this song, it’s well worth learning this little lick. It’s a standard.
Zee Avi – Kantoi (Chords)
September 10, 2009
I love this sort of thing. I wish people would sing in their own languages more often. So full credit to Zee Avi for writing a song in a language I didn’t even know existed: Manglish (a cross between Malay and English). I would have thought this was a sure thing for Ukulele & Languages, but apparently not. Anyhoo, given that there are Zee Avi makeup tutorials online, her uke playing deserves some more attention.
Suggested Strumming
The main pattern you’ll need is:
d – d u – u d -
The intro: once for each chord.
First line: two for C, two for G7.
Second line: two more for G7, Two for C.
Third line: once for each chord.
Fourth line: one down strum for each chord.
Middle section: once for every chord except C (which is twice)
Noah and the Whale – Jealous Kind of Love (Chords)
September 8, 2009
Noah and the Whale – Jealous Kind of Love (PDF)
This little uke tune cropped up on the B-side to Shape of My Heart. It doesn’t seem to be available any more, but it’s rather lovely and a simple three chord song so I thought I’d write it up. The video cuts off but you can hear the whole thing on their MySpace.
Suggested Strumming Pattern
d – d u – u d -
Twiddly Bits
The uke doubles up the whistling part in the intro and after the choruses.
The Do – Stay Just A Little Bit More (Chords)
August 30, 2009
The Do – Stay Just A Little Bit More (Chords)
It’s really saying something when even I’m bored of the sound of ukuleles in adverts. I’ve been back and forth over whether this one actually is a uke. I’ll come down on the side of it being a baritone ukulele.
The song is in the key of B. So I’ve moved everything up a fret to make it more uke-friendly. If you want to play in the original key tune down a semi-tone.
It’s all easy going up to the middle section when you have to start messing with a G# chord. I’ve put the usual chord shapes in the chart, but you might be better off keeping your ring finger on the G string (4th fret for the G chord and 5th fret for the Cm chord) as it makes the G# transition a little easier.
Queen – Good Company (Chords and Tab)
August 27, 2009
Queen – Good Company (Chords)
Good Company Solo (Tab)
I’m amazed that no one has put the chords for this up already. It’s a ukulele classic. I suppose it is more than a little over shadowed on A Night at the Opera with it being followed by Bohemian Rhapsody.
It’s no surprise that Brian May learnt the ukulele before the guitar. This performance is definitely not one of someone who is playing the ukulele like a guitar. He’s throwing in a lot of Formby moves. There are a few triplets and, in the solo, a bunch of sort-of-split-strokes.
I think he must be tuned up half a step to G#C#FA#. They certainly seem to be the more natural chord shapes. And they match the chord shapes he’s using in this clip of him discussing the track (but the uke is tuned way down).
For the strumming, he’s doing mainly down strums with a few triplets thrown in to liven things up.
Katzenjammer – Cherry Pie (Chords)
August 25, 2009
Katzenjammer – Cherry Pie (PDF)
That settles it, I am moving to Norway.
Judging by the new songs that are showing up, Katzenjammer’s next album is going to be a killer. I’ve been waiting for a decent recording of this song to show up for a while. Although the clarity hasn’t helped my lyric transcribing skills any. And it doesn’t help that my cherry pie cooking knowledge isn’t up to much either. So, as always when I work them out myself, the lyrics are incomplete and not to be trusted.
The song kicks off with a nice little chord trick which has chromatic ascending notes on the C string. Then it’s barre chords moving up the neck. At one point in the song she does use the open chord shapes for C and D. So you could do that if you prefer.
There’s a ukulele solo in this version of the song – but it’s too quite to figure out what’s actually going on.
I suppose it’s only appropriate that a song about food ends with a scat verse. The chords in brackets are passing chords (so just use one strum to play them).
They also did Ain’t No Thang in the session. Which is a song I can’t get enough of.
Kate Micucci & William H Macy – It’s Time to Get Laid (Chords)
August 23, 2009
Kate Micucci & William H Macy – It’s Time to Get Laid (Chords)
She might not have had the chance to jam with him when they were making the film, but junkets give you much more time for ukeing it up. Bart Got A Room looks like a damn funny film. It’s got people from Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development and Scrubs in. How could it not be? I’m sure it’ll be out in the UK sometime in 2011.
The song is a pretty straight forward, 4 chord affair. So it shouldn’t present any problems.
Suggested strumming
Other than the single strums that crop up, the main strumming pattern is old faithful:
d -d u – u d -
Watch Bart Got A Room Trailers
Buy Kate Micucci’s music
Jungle Book – I Wanna Be Like You (Chords and Tab)
July 12, 2009
This one is a big favourite with ukulele groups (as ably demonstrated by the Hull Ukulele Group). But it could have been written for Hobbit to sing. It’s a perfect fit. Which is a whole lot more than you can say about the Jonas Brothers. I somehow find it hard to believe they spend anguished nights desperately wishing they could rid themselves of their wild instincts and join respectable society.
Although they do have a glint in their eyes which seems to say, “Teach me to destroy so I may be truly respected.”
Suggested Strumming Pattern
d – d u – u d u
Twice for each chord until you get to G7. Just one strum for that. Then the pattern twice for C and A7, once for D7, once for G7.
Next bit is a little tricky timing wise. Strum the pattern once for C. Then down once on C and down three times on G7.
Twiddly Bits
The intro goes like this:
Also on the C and A7 in the chorus Hobbit is switching between the chords and strumming all the strings open.
Buy the original.
Buy Snake Suspenderz stuff.
Snake Suspenderz – Daisy Fraser
July 9, 2009
Snake Suspenderz – Daisy Fraser (Chords)
I think Snake Suspenderz, led by the legendary Howlin’ Hobbit, are a great act. They have some jazzy touches that make their songs interesting but they never stray far away from a hook. And Daisy Fraser, from the A Few Loose Scales EP is one of my favourites.
I’m not quite sure on some of the lyrics. But, by the looks of it, neither is Hobbit.
Buy it on SongSlide on a pay-what-you-like basis. And you can get their CDs on their website.
She & Him – Sentimental Heart (Chords)
July 7, 2009
She & Him – Sentimental Heart (Chords)
I was a bit disappointed to find no ukulele on the album from Zooey Deschanel’s collaboration with M Ward. Particularly after statements like this.
Nevertheless, I love this song.
Suggested Strumming
If you want to emulate the piano, all down strums will do fine.
