Garfunkel and Oates – Me, You and Steve (Chords)
October 6, 2009
Garfunkel and Oates – Me, You and Steve (Chords)
It’s not often I do requests for non-commenters any more. Partly because I despise people in general and partly because most requests look like this, “Song request – Mr. Brightside by the killers and the ukulele is by Julia Nunes.” But this week I’m doing a three requests from people who seemed quite nice and, more importantly, requested songs I wanted to do anyway.
The first one is for one of the funniest songs from Garfunkel and Oates (Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome). As always with their songs, I need to slap a big NSFW on this one. And there are two bits of Micucci good news. She’s currently recording the next series of Scrubs and she will be playing played at Uketober Fest in Griffith Park LA along with fellow Uke Hunt favourites: , Madame Pamita and The UkuLady.
Suggested Strumming
Two down strums for almost all the chords. The only exceptions are the G in the intro (which last for four beats) and the last line of the middle section (one down strum for each chord lasting four beats each – you can pluck a few individual notes as well if the mood takes you).
Requested by Ed.
Ukulele Prom DVD, Play Ukulele by Ear: Friday Links
August 28, 2009
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain’s performance at the Proms will be released on DVD and Live in London #2 will be out soon. This review of the ukulele prom by Howard Jacobson is fantastic. “Seid umschlungen, Millionen!” indeed.
Jim D’Ville has released a DVD called Play Ukulele by Ear and has set up a website to go along with it. You can read Ukulele Tonya’s review of it here.
The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra will be releasing a new EP, The Dreaming, on 28th September. Tracks include Africa, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man and Blue Smoke.
Bookulele – A Love Story (via Ukulelezo).
Garfunkel and Oates (Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome) release their debut album.
Download a bunch of tracks from Toy Horses in exchange for your email address.
Metallica’s Seek and Destroy and Seaside by The Kooks on Uker Tabs.
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
Kate Micucci Interview
April 20, 2009
Kate Micucci is a busy bunny. There’s the TV shows, the solo music, the theatre show, the movies, the duo, the web series and the sandcastles. But I managed to find the time in my busy schedule to ask her a few questions.
When and why did you first pick up a ukulele?
I got my first uke when I was living with my aunt, uncle, and grandpa in Hawaii. It was pretty awesome. Every night I would sleep in a giant chair on the porch. And because I’ve been a piano player all my life, I was really missing playing an instrument, so my grandpa took me to the local music store and bought me a uke. Then I bought a book of old standards and learned a Gershwin tune.
How did you and Riki get together for Garfunkel and Oates?
Riki wanted to write some songs together to make a musical short she wrote called Imaginary Larry. In the short I play Riki’s imaginary friend. And so it made sense that we would sing some songs together. We wrote the songs so quickly and it was really fun. It just seemed like we were on to something.
Any plans for a full length version of Imaginary Larry?
Well, right now they are still in the process of finishing the short. The movie is getting rotoscoped. My character is going to be completely animated. It looks amazing!
Is that a Martin S-O you’re playing? Do you have any other ukes in your collection?
Yup. That’s a Martin! The Martin Guitar factory is right down the street from where I grew up, so I play it proudly. As for other ukuleles, I still have my first uke, which my grandpa bought me. And I have a few toy ukuleles from the 50s. I used to have a banjolele but I traded it in to help pay for my guitar.
When you were making Bart Gets A Room with William H Macy did you get a chance to uke out together?
We didn’t have any scenes together so unfortunately there were no jam sessions. But I always bring my ukulele to work. There is a lot of down time on a set.
Your role in Scrubs seems perfect for you and your music. Was it written for you?
Yeah, apparently it was! Kinda crazy. Being able to go to work and sing and act on such a fun show. I felt like a very lucky kid.
I’ve heard rumours that there’s going to be a Scrubs spin-off series and that you’ll be in it. Any truth in either of those?
I have heard those rumors too. I don’t know what the chances are of Scrubs coming back for a ninth season. But if it ever did, I’d be happy to play The Gooch again. And I loved singing with Sam Lloyd (Ted the lawyer) and his band. In real life, their band is called The Blanks. They have been special guests in my stage show. And if you ever get a chance to see them live, they are so much fun.
What can we expect from you this year?
I hope to have a second EP out by the summer. A movie I am in called WHEN IN ROME is coming out in August. I continue to do my live show called PLAYIN’ WITH MICUCCI at the Steve Allen Theater in Hollywood. And expect a lot more from Garfunkel and Oates. We are currently recording an album and playing shows in LA.
You can buy Kate’s Songs EP on CD Baby
Friday Links: Killian Mansfield
April 17, 2009
15 year old uker Killian Mansfield has been putting together an album in aid of children’s cancer charity Hope and Heroes (Killian himself has cancer). The album includes collaborations with some serious musical heavyweights: Dr John, Levon Helm, Todd Rundgren and John Sebastian. If the music is anywhere near as good as the photos, I’m in. You can keep up to date with the album’s release by fanning him up on facebook.
The bill for New York Uke Fest 2.0 is filling up with acts including Tripping Lily, Ukulele Barrt, Victoria Vox, Bill Tapia and Nellie McKay. Friend of Uke Hunt, Tricity Vogue is hoping to go as well and is looking for free/cheap accommodation. If you can help her out, you can contact her via her website.
If you live in and around London, you can keep up to date with the latest happenings via Mighty Ukulele. And wherever you are, they’re also looking to keep their teacher and club listings up to date, so get in touch if you want to be added.
Kate Micucci busts out the uke for episode 5A of Nick’s Big Show.
MP3s: sixeyes has Elliott Brood busting out the uke for The Valley Town. Culture of Me has Via Tanya’s wonderstranger. Sign up for Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer’s mailing list and get his blasting of Tim Westwood. Some uke action in Carnival Saloon’s Hawaiian roundup.
The Humble Uker directs out attention to the Sontag Jazz-Uke which looks fantastic.
“Thousands of children skipped off to school with a ukulele and I was one of those kids.” Ukulele Mike speaks of his misspent (well-spent) youth.
Ukulele Spotting: Last night’s Samantha Who? had some Fluke action going on (thanks to Jenny for that).
Ukulele Links
February 27, 2009
Jon Snow learns to love the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (but can’t grasp the concept that there being no guitarist in the band).
Download a whole load of Garfunkel and Oates (Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome). In the ‘Where are they now?’ file, Michael Barreto Hindert of The Bravery played a couple of songs on his ukulele for East Village Radio (uke songs at 35 and 44 minutes in the show). Popwreckening has Julia Nunes doing Mr Brightside.
Phase Two of the Ukulele Project needs your help.
Le Soir Sessions from Vetiver and O’Death.
Roy Sakuma on Ukulele Spotlight.
Back in the 60s did mushrooms play ukuleles?
Kate Micucci/The Gooch – Mr Moon (Chords)
February 15, 2009
Kate Micucci – Mr Moon (Chords)
Hmm, not so keen on Kate Micucci’s Scrubs song this week (and Zach Braff literally phoned in his performance) but she does a very funny angry. So back to the cute/beautiful Mr Moon which made an appearance on the last episode.
Strumming Pattern Suggestion
Nothing taxing in the chords, but some of the changes come in unexpected places.
On the C Dm F G parts:
d – d u for each chord (but I like to do d u d u for the G chord)
On the C Dm F C parts, the F chord is half a best shorter. So you play d u d on the F chord then u on the C chord. Like this:
For the chorus d – d u will see you through the G and C chords. For the Dm chord, she gets a bit funky with it and doesn’t strum until the second beat. For example, the bar starts on the word ’smiled’ but she doesn’t strum until the word ‘while. So you get this sort of strum pattern:
- – d – - u d u
On other parts of the song, she does play the first beat (with a down strum).
Phew! Let me know if this stuff is helpful to those of you wanting strum patterns – I’m still feeling my way around describing strum patterns.
Buy on CD Baby
Kate Micucci & Ted (Scrubs) – Screw You (Tab & Chords)
February 1, 2009
Ted and The Gooch – Screw You (Chords)
When three of my favourite things – ukuleles, Scrubs and Kate Micucci – collide you know a chord sheet isn’t going to be far away. I’m probably going to have to wait months before the episode is shown over here, so It’ll have to be Screw You from the Ted and The Gooch webisode and became the Scrubs ukulele girl.
The song was originally called Fuck You when she did it with Riki Lindhome. I think the joke loses its bite with the clean-up. Swearing can still be beautiful.
The chords to the song are simple. But if you want to jazz it up with the picking, the intro goes something like this:
And the verses like this:
It looks like she’s using her thumb for the G and C strings and her index finger for the E and A strums (sometimes strumming up to hit both strings at the same time.
Buy Scrubs stuff
Visit KateMicucci.com
Friday Links: Kate Miccuci on Scrubs
January 30, 2009
Kate Micucci is playing her ukulele on Scrubs – which is my new favourite ukulele news ever. She discusses her role as Ted’s ukulele sweetheart, Stephanie, here. Until you get a chance to watch it, you’ll have to content yourself Kate and Ted duetting on Screw You a PG version of Fuck You.
Tiki King has a some photos from NAMM including some new Fluke designs, some Les Paul-y type electric ukes from Stagg (with a strange choice of knob placement) and Ohana getting into the ‘oddly placed soundhole’ game.
The new Beirut double EP March of the Zapotech doesn’t have a great deal of ukulele on it (Quiet Color have an MP3 of the uke-heaviest track The Akala). Perhaps because Zach’s had his ukulele stolen.
New York Ukulele Festival is back on again under new management.
The Hull Ukulele Group starts up on 9th February. If you live in the area, sign up for their Facebook group.
More King Blues chords from sam_not_static on Uker Tabs.
Milk Milk Lemonade has an MP3 from The Half Sisters.
Is it ‘ukulele’? Is it ‘ukelele’? There’s only one way to sort this out. FIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!
Do you think playing the ukulele is gay? If anyone asks, tell them your ukulele belongs to your secret girlfriend.
Saturday UkeTube
December 13, 2008
This week’s vidoes include some hip hop ukulele, Jake playing Jackson, Jodi and Amber playing Jackson, another hit from Toy Horses, and Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome putting their acting chops to good use. But the song I’ve listened to most this week has been Sarah Kinlaw’s Guilty Love. [Read more]
