Uke & Guitar – Lyrics & Chords – Tablature – Audio Samples – Solos – Duets – Trios – Ensembles

“The more you love music, the more music you love.” ― Tom Moon, 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die

“People would come and people would go, I realized then, but music would be there until the end of time.” ― Len Vlahos, The Scar Boys

If you want to know what this website is all about, it’s all summed up in this video:

Welcome to the Green Bay Ukulele Club’s free sheet music page! We’re very excited to share our music with you. The Green Bay Ukulele Club has over 500 songs in its repertoire, and on this page are some examples of our club favorites. This is some of our best stuff!

A central tenet of the Green Bay Ukulele Club’s mission is to promote and share the simple joy of playing music together. We love to show our audiences how beautiful and versatile an instrument the ukulele can be.

Multiple ukulele and guitar parts are provided for each song, so find a partner and start jamming! Most of the songs feature a uke melody and a uke countermelody, which stand alone as an instrumental duet. Add the guitar part and you’ve got a full-sounding trio. Start singing and you’ve got a band! Add another uke or two and now you’ve got an orchestra!

Many thanks to my wife Julie, for her assistance and forbearance; and my sons, Clayton and Cody, and my students (especially Isabelle, Brady, Owen, and Noah) for helping me develop these arrangements of some of the world’s greatest songs. And special thanks to Suzanne Kasten for her enthusiastic support!

Most of the songs are in their original key. Enjoy!

Michael Monfils

  

And don’t forget to sing with a friend!

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OUR BIGGEST HITS

“If Music is a Place — then Jazz is the City, Folk is the Wilderness, Rock is the Road, Classical is a Temple.” ― Vera Nazarian

LIST OF ALL SONGS ON THIS WEBSITE as of Feb. 1, 2024:

SUGGESTION: Many songs have multiple files. If you use the Search feature on this website it will only take you to specific files, one at a time. It is much better to scroll down the web page to the song so that you can see all of its associated files for all instruments in their full context, with the relevant comments and performance tips. It is well worth the extra effort.

At the top of our list, perhaps Queen’s best song. At first blush it sounds like it is telling a tale from the bygone era of sailing ships, but it’s actually a song about space travel, which also means time travel: “For so many years have gone, though I’m older but a year, your mother’s eyes, from your eyes, cry to me . . .”

Can ya believe it? That super-high voice ain’t Freddie Mercury; it’s the drummer, Roger Taylor, banging on the tambourine and singing harmonies! Amazing!:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: A classic from Question Mark and the Mysterians. Catchy, funky repetitive riffs and licks in the key of G that fit the ukulele nicely. Play the chords nice and “choppy” and the lick nice and smooth. The vocal is very ad-libbed. Have fun!

“Rock music in its lyrics often talks ahead of the time about what’s going on in the country.” ― Edmund G. Brown

“And my kids, they just dooon’t understaaand me at all . . .”:

I used to dress up like this guy when I was a teenager. My first driver’s license says I was 135 pounds. Those were the days . . .

“And I’ve been workin’, like a dog . . .”:

A fun Henry Mancini riff from the Pink Panther movies of the ’60s:

UPDATED March 10, 2017

Scroll down for a great version of “The Pink Panther Theme.” Also, if you’re a big Henry Mancini fan like I am, you’ll want to check out “Moon River” from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” in its original key.

“They’re creepy and they’re kooky . . .”:

This one’s dedicated to my cousin Robbie, who is an Addams Family fan and does a great impersonation of “Lurch.”

PERFORMANCE NOTES: It’s a scary song, but don’t let all those little rests scare you; they’re just there to chop it up and add a fun “bounce” to the melody. Use a heavy pick and pick close to the bridge for a brighter sound. Regarding the uke duet, because of the limited range of the ukulele a functional countermelody for Uke 2 is impractical, so the uke duet melody is accompanied by Uke 3’s lightly strummed chords instead.

SIMILAR SONGS: Scroll down on this page for “Monster Mash” and “The Munsters’ TV Show Theme”

“Might as well face it, you’re . . .”:

“People can enjoy music everywhere. Therefore, music is more than a gift because it represents a unique form of human freedom.” ― Eraldo Banovac

“Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart..” ― Pablo Casals

“Whenever I want you, all I have to do . . .”:

“Boy, you knew who you were theeennn . . . !”

“Girls were girls and men were men . . .”

I tried to be faithful to Edith’s idiosyncratic style: there’s an extra beat here; a missing beat there. (It’s charming.) Archie’s voice is combined with the guitar to keep it a duet.

Here’s an easier version:

RANDOM, USELESS MUSIC TRIVIA: Most toilets flush in Eb. “All in the Family” was famous for breaking societal norms and barriers, including he first sound of a flushing toilet to be broadcast on television, and which became a recurring gag during the series.

[Flushing sound] Archie walking down the stairs: “Ya know Edith, ya can’t really buy beer; you can only rent it . . .”

“Music will save the world.” ― Pablo Casals

“Musicians have always had a better understanding of love than the rest of us. Over the years they have told us that love: is like a rock, is here to stay, is all you need, will find a way, will keep us together, will tear us apart, sucks.” ― Cuthbert Soup, Another Whole Nother Story

“All together now . . . Everybody! . . . “:

“I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.” ― Tom Waits

This song ranks high on the Internet as one of the saddest songs of all time. I’ve tried to sing it, but I always get all choked up in the middle of the second verse:

This next one is certainly an odd next-door neighbor for “Alone Again (Naturally)”:

“While visual art is a thing of timeless beauty, to me, music is so much more. It brings you back to some of the greatest moments in your life. It represents so much more than just noise, it tingles and fills you with feelings. Overwhelms you with emotions of joy or sadness; comfort or anger. . . Music is truly a thing of absolute beauty.” ― Jacob Cagnina

“Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends.” ― Alphonse de Lamartine

“Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music.” ― George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss

Parents! Do yourselves a favor; watch this show with your kids (trust me on this one):

UPDATED AND COMPLETE!

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This catchy jingle makes a great ukulele trio. Ukes 1 and 2 are the whistle duet, and Ukes 3 and 4 are the rhythm section. The “whistle” ukes should execute the marked grace notes and slurs with a quick but smooth slide technique. Uke 3’s part incorporates bass lines and countermelodies into the harmony, and Uke 4 is a simple chord strum. The guitar is in drop-D tuning to allow for the descending bass line and should be played with a dampening palm mute technique with the strumming hand. Have fun!

“Thank God for books and music and things I can think about.” ― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

“Music does bring people together. It allows us to experience the same emotions. People everywhere are the same in heart and spirit. No matter what language we speak, what color we are, the form of our politics or the expression of our love and our faith, music proves: We are the same.” ― John Denver

John, we really miss you . . .:

“What kind of kids eat Armour Hot Dogs? Sing it with me . . . !:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This arrangement features some great jazz chords and that neat mid-range countermelody that sounds like a kazoo.

I made some alterations to Uke 2 to flesh out a special uke duet version:

“Groovy, baby!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: An easy repetitive melody, combined with a challenging syncopated riff, this tune is fun to play. There are some weird dissonant chords in spots — those are not mistakes — they add to the silliness of the piece.

“Hulk . . . SMASH!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This is a simple theme in the guitar-friendly key of E minor, and it comes together pretty easily. The C# in the harmony gives it some majesty a la themes from many Western movies. Uke 4’s mimicry of the pulsing violins is the heartbeat of the entire arrangement.

And here’s another one who left us too soon . . .:

The hauntingly beautiful song about a mystical island from the 1949 musical “South Pacific”:

 

“Music makes you braver.” ― Anonymous

UPDATED Feb. 7, 2017

Riddle-me this:

Where can you find the best “Bat-Tabs” on the internet?

At the Green Bay Ukulele Club, of course!

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Add some bongo drums for that period “Beatnik” flavor. Holy Count Basie! Ya gotta love that last chord! We’ve even added the “Pow! Whap! Biff! Ooof!” Get everybody to sing along!

“Dada-dada-dada-dada-dada-dada-dada-dada . . .”

“We can all dance when we find music that we love.” ― Giles Andreae

“We’ve got the blues on the run!”:

“Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours.” ― Elton John

“Buh – buh – buh . . .”:

Just saw KISS last night; the “Freedom to Rock” tour. Whatta great show! Celebrating over 40 years of Kisstory! These guys are the hardest working band in show biz. My favorite producer, Bob Ezrin, was the genius behind the musical arrangement of this iconic rock ballad. Try strumming the chords in the boxes on the page and listen to the unique voicings which create the mood. I wanted to do justice to the harmony in the song, so you’re going to see some things in our club version that you won’t find anywhere else. I will be tweaking this tune and adding the piano intro and string section soon.

NOTE TO GUITAR PLAYERS: Don’t be lazy! Play the “slash chords” as written. If you play the pedal bass C in the voicings of the first three chords (C, Dm, Em = C, Dm/C, Em/C) you will sound exactly like the orchestrated arrangement of the studio version of this song.

“Cuz me and the boys’ll be playin . . . all niiiiiiiiiiight . . .”:

Well, as they say, “There goes the neighborhood!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Our “banjolele” sure comes in handy for this one. Uke 1 is an excellent example of bluegrass-style melody playing. It incorporates some extra notes played on open strings and some crossover technique where segments are played on 2 or 3 strings instead of only 1 string. In combination with the other instruments the illusion is created that everybody is playing more notes than they actually are.

(Go to the VIDEOS Page to see our club performing this song live!)

PERFORMANCE NOTES: A wonderful bright jazz number that evokes so many fond memories.

“Just close your eyes, and dream, little pal . . .:”

PERFORMANCE NOTES: “Three Amigos!” It’s all here, the whole enchilada: the shuffling intro riff, the nice jazzy chords, the camaraderie. My boys and I love this movie; we watched it many, many times when they were young’uns. Such beauty, fine sentiments, and goofy silliness, all wrapped up in one tasty comedy burrito. I want this scene played at my funeral.

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Bonanza was one of the great Western TV shows, and this one had perhaps the catchiest driving rhythm of all of them. Whenever and wherever we play this song it brings lots of smiles. Use alternate down-up-down-up picking. Hum the fast passages as you learn to play them. Work on a section at a time and then put it all together. This song has made several of my students better pickers and strummers.

And here’s a specially-arranged fun uke duet version:

“What do you do when you’re branded, and you know you’re a man . . . ?”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Another catchy Western from the good old days. All the vocals in the Chorus are captured in this arrangement. The Latin rhythm will take a bit of practice, but it’s well worth it.

Alternate lyrics from when we were kids:

“Stranded, stranded on a toilet bowl.

What do you do when you’re stranded,

And you don’t have a roll?”

(Only at the Green Bay Ukulele Club!)

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Oompah, oompah! This is a fun one for your uke group; add some guitars, a bass, and drums and you’ve got the full marching band sound! Uke 2 plays a kind of “Morse code” bit throughout the Verse sections. The Chorus at the end has a Latin feel.

A great song from a great war movie, “Kelly’s Heroes”:

“The King,” laying down The Law!

“I’m just a hunka-hunka burnin’ love . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Catchy little standard with a light-hearted sentiment. This song is a great example of simple chromatic movement of the harmony and/or the bass line creating chord changes with strings of rapidly changing, seemingly complex chords. Many players will get frustrated and give up at that point, but if you study the tab closely you’ll begin to see the logic.

“You hear lots of notes, don’t you? Some have a major sound. Some have a minor sound. But there’s not one blue note among all these black and white keys. The real blues, the soul of the sound, comes from the spaces in-between.” ― David Mutti Clark, Professor Brown Shoes Teaches the Blues

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This charming tune is a great introduction to “blues” and “swing”; the melody is easy to play and the rhythm is catchy. Try it at different tempos. The modal shift between the C chord and the Ab7 creates a unique mood that really makes the song stand out. It is really fun when a good soloist improvises some jazzy lines over it.

At slow tempos the song has a “dreamlike” quality. At a faster tempo it really swings. Here it is at 200 beats per minute:

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” ― Plato

I’m a lucky guy; I’ve got two great boys. It has been relatively easy to find excellent role models for them.

They say it’s difficult being a girl growing up these days. If you’re looking for a positive role model for your daughter, you couldn’t do much better than Carol Burnett, a very funny, classy, and talented lady.:

(We are very happy with the large number of downloads this file has been getting; it perhaps shows that Western civilization isn’t on the skids as bad as some people think!)

“Here in my car . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Just for fun and variety’s sake, we decided to further expand our repertoire and add small synthesizer parts to some of our songs. A small portable Casio synth or something similar should get the job done. This is a classic from the 1980s.

Although our sheet music for this is in the “Lyrics and Chords” category, it’s mostly tablature for uke and guitar. We’re incorporating more tabs into our lyrics and chords in a new format. We hope you like it.

Only at the Green Bay Ukulele Club!

“Sometimes you want to go . . .”:

The Lyrics and Chords PDF has been updated; the guitar part now uses a capo @ 1st fret and is much easier to play.

“Lovely Sweet One”:

“Music is a holy place, a cathedral so majestic that we can sense the magnificence of the universe.” ― Don Campbell

“You couldn’t not like someone who liked the guitar.” ― Stephen King, The Stand

“I kinda like it . . . !:

“You know what music is? God’s little reminder that there is something else besides us in this universe; harmonic connection between all living beings, everywhere, even the stars.” ―  Robin Williams

“Daniel, you’re a star . . . in the face of the sky-yyy-y-yyy . . .”:

And if you’re looking for “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” you can find it on the FREE MUSIC (EASY) page.

Yup, it’s the “Even though, we ain’t got money, I’m sooo in love with ya honey” song:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Notice that in the Verse section the guitar uses open chords and then in the Chorus section the guitar uses moveable barre chords. Start out with a light touch and with each successive Verse and Chorus add more strums, fills, and volume. Kenny’s vocal phrasing is exquisite; if you can sing like this guy you are a very good singer.

The world needs more songs with a positive message like this one. Now go give your spouse and/or kids a hug.

“A gentleman is someone who knows how to play the banjo and doesn’t.” ― Mark Twain

The time we spent in the Deep South was very special; the music, the food, the people, were great!:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Play this one briskly with enthusiasm! Emphasize the eighth notes and rests, and don’t forget to put accents on the “hoorays!”. Guitar 1 plays a cool countermelody that holds it all together. I’m hungry fer some biscuits ‘n gravy.

“There she was, just a-walkin’ down the street . . .”:

“When tired, when bored, when happy, when unhappy, when night, when day, when cold, when hot, when nervous, when relaxed you always need music to fly into another dimension, the Dimension of Mindlessness!” ― Mehmet Murat Ildan

“Life is for the living.

Death is for the dead.

Let Life be like music.

And Death a note unsaid.”

― Langston Hughes, The Collected Poems

“All we are is . . .”:

“I ain’t got nothin’ but love, babe . . .”:

“God is love, and music is the language of love; therefore, music is the language of God. Music is a language more profound than words. How often have you heard a great piece of music and felt that? Great music does not just make you feel good; great music suggests some profound truth or mysterious meaning that is objectively true but not translatable into words.” ― Peter Kreeft

“For those in peril, on the sea . . .”:

UPDATED MARCH 30, 2017

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This is a nice full arrangement that requires 3 guitars for full effect. Guitar 2 is a beautiful low countermelody taken from the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters’ choir.

When I was a kid I sometimes stayed up past midnight on Friday or Saturday night to watch the late movie on Channel 2; the station would sign off with the “Star-Spangled Banner” and then finally a haunting version of “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” accompanying a short dramatic film of rolling waves on The Ocean Blue. The low-register voices combined with the imagery were very powerful and made a deep impression on me.

A favorite cartoon from my youth — good ol’ Fred and Barney:

“Yabba-dabba-dooo!!!”

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This is not a barely recognizable, watered-down version of the song; it’s all here: the swing feel, the horn hits, the fancy chords and dynamics, etc. The challenges are many, and the rewards are many, as well. Work on one section at a time. Instead of counting and doing all the math, listen to the original and just slap those horn hits when you hear ’em. Again, we recommend a U-bass to really get the most out of this arrangement.

“Cuz in the wind, he’s still alive . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Lots of challenges in this well-crafted but silly quirky spy riff. Augmented chords galore give it that unique melodramatic sense of urgency.

“Their brands were still on fire and their hooves wuz made of steel . . .”:

Check out this new version!!!

UPDATED Feb. 12, 2017

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Wow! This is a BIG song with a BIG sound! “Ghost Riders” has been one of the most downloaded files on this site, even before the big update. I have a lot to say about this one.

You’ll need two good guitar players to play this arrangement. The ukes are used mostly to bolster and add interest to the Chorus section. Guitar 1 should pick near the bridge of the guitar for a clean, biting “western” sound. The guitars play an interesting voicing of D which are actually Dadd4 chords. With that open G string running through them they have an added air of mystery and “spookiness.”

The files do not reflect the song in its entirety, but do include all the major sections you need to know. Learn how to play your parts from the tablatures, then refer to the Lyrics & Chords sheet for the form of the song, and work from that to play the whole song.

Click on the VIDEOS tab and scroll down to see Clayton and Cody jamming this great Western riff!

This is our favorite TV show of all time:

Gotta ask the perennial question: Ginger or Mary Ann? The future of Western civilization depends on the answer.

New, updated files:

This tune is a big hit around here, of course. I grew up here in Green Bay during the Lombardi years. The live jazz band of the old days at Lambeau was much better than the “canned” pop music the NFL mandates these days.

I used to live two blocks away from the stadium. I parked cars on my yard for 75 cents. I had a regular patron from Detroit who always gave me 20 bucks for a reserved spot under the big willow tree for his Cadillac; if he couldn’t make it to a game he sent me a 20 dollar bill in the mail anyway. What a gentleman! He bothered to know my name and address, and he kept me on retainer. I think he was trying to teach me something; I know he was.

Those days are sure long-gone. We’re talking the equivalent of about $200 at today’s rate! But the memory of him is worth more to me than the money. I hope that during their lives my sons will have similar encounters with strangers who will impart such an ethos to them. We need more people like that guy.

I can still remember the roar of the crowd and the crash of the cymbals!:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This arrangement uses a call-and-response form, where different instrumental sections play at different times, and also overlap for maximum effect. “Fight” songs like this should be played with bold accents and sharp contrast. Have fun!

BONUS: Here’s the chant riff that they play at Packers home games:

PERFORMANCE NOTE: The dissonant sounding C7(#9) chord is sometimes known as the “Jimi chord” or the “Purple Haze chord” after rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix. He didn’t invent the chord but he did make it famous by the way he used it in many of his iconic guitar riffs.

 

“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse . . .”:

NEW UPDATED VERSION!

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This was an early club favorite; now we’ve added more instruments and it sounds just like the actual movie theme, in all its haunting beauty. If nothing else, learn Uke 1’s melody; add some vibrato and slurs to emulate the violin. Uke 2 utilizes fast “tremolo” strumming for that essential “Latin” flavor. Uke 3 reinforces the highest voice of Uke 2’s part, following its melodic contour. Uke 4’s lines and chords are simple, but evocative.

Some of the instruments sit out for several measures. Instead of counting measures, it is better to listen to the song and become familiar with the sections of the song and identify where your part comes in or goes out.  Also, note that the melodic phrases consistently start on the “and” of beat 3. These realizations will help you learn and play the song in less time.

The lovely arpeggiated Guitar 2 gets its own sheet so that you can better focus on the part. It should be played fingerstyle.

Enjoy!

And just for yuks, here’s what the ensemble sounds like with the violin backed by the original instrumentation:

“Now, listen while I play-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay . . . my”:

FUN TRIVIA: The lead guitarist is Bill Bartlett, of “Black Betty” Ram Jam fame.

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Some say this was the first “bubblegum rock” song, but it’s far more than just that. Listen to the original studio recording with headphones; you’ll be surprised how much instrumentation and detail is in it. We’ve captured all of the important elements in our version, including the exotic sitar part, which is syncopated against the beat and takes a little practice to nail down. This definitely is a club favorite.

They don’t write ’em like this anymore.

“It’s our problem-free, philosophy . . .”:

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” ― Plato

This is a very detailed treatment of this great song. It’s even got the “secret chord.” Only at the Green Bay Ukulele Club:

LEONARD COHEN (1934-2016) R.I.P.

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Get everybody singing on the Choruses, louder each time. A U-bass would be a fine investment if you really desire to do this great song justice.

“Play your music so the earth can dance.” ― Marty Rubin

“Because I’m . . .”:

“We are the music makers, and we are the makers of dreams.” ―  Roald Dahl

“‘Cause I’m still in love with you . . .”:

“According to the science writer Philip Ball, when it was pointed out to musicologist Deryck Cooke that Slavic and much Spanish music use minor keys for happy music, he claimed that their lives were so hard that they didn’t really know what happiness was anyway.” ― David Byrne

“Let Us Rejoice!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Clap your hands! Try varying the tempo; start out slow and build up a head of steam till you max-out at the joyous end! Play it with spirit!

“Book ‘im, Danno.”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: There are a lot of simplified versions of this classic for ukulele; this ensemble emulates the song in exquisite detail, in the original key. We hope you like it.

“But the more you think about it, I think the best songwriter is the one who makes you feel like you are in the best place in the world when you are listening to his or her songs. The one who makes you understand yourself a little better when your ears hear their words. At that moment, that songwriter is the best. That’s the beauty of a song.” ― Billy Joe Shaver, Honky Tonk Hero

“You know I need someone . . .”:

“Take a sad song, and make it better . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: I wanted to do this one for a long time but I had some difficulty hearing the very independent countermelody. Then, one morning I woke up with the song in my head and I got a big mug o’ black coffee, put on the headphones, and voila! I could hear it clear as a bell and I got it all down in a couple hours that morning. Weird how that works. Historical note: I truly believe that one of the big factors why the Allies won World War Two was that they successfully used humor as a weapon. This gave them a huge advantage over their relatively unhumorous totalitarian enemies.

“Oh mother, tell your children,
Not to do what I have done;
Spend your lives in sin and misery,
In the . . .”:

“It’s Howdy Doody time!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Based on the old melody “Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Yay,” this catchy tune heralded the pioneering “Howdy Doody” children’s TV show. Uke 3, which emulates the wandering piccolo part, is a challenge; the secret is to execute the slurred notes on the uke by smoothing sliding the finger to the neighboring frets. It’s worth the extra effort, as it gives the song that sense of light-hearted whimsy.

“It’s gonna be a bright (bright) bright (bright) sunshiny day . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: There’s a lot of detail all on one page. Listen to the original; the song builds in volume and interest as more instruments are added. Uke 2 adds a reggae feel with high-voiced triads on beats 2 and 4. Strummers should “chop it up” a bit and play their strums sort of on the staccato side, incorporating chucks and mutes. The Bridge section is sooo ‘early 70s, with dynamic horns and attention-getting modal shifts. It definitely refreshes the song so that when it returns to the Verse there is a strong sense of resolution and returning home to the familiar. The world needs more happy, positive songs like this one.

“Yes, Master . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This one’s a group favorite. The rhythm’s a bit tricky, but with some focus and practice it comes together pretty quick. Drum fills are included for those gaps between sections; if you don’t have a drummer you can “chuck” them on your strings, thump on your instrument with your hand, or tap them out with your feet. Give it a nice snappy ending.

“Don’t let them say, your hair’s too long, ’cause I don’t care, with you I can’t go wrong.”

“Then put your little, hand in mine, there ain’t no hill, or mountain, we can’t climb . . .”:

“There is so much more to the notes . . . behind everything is raw emotion, and it’s proof that he is human. That his heart beats just like mine and that sadness can infiltrate those that appear to have souls made out of stone.” ― Melissa Grijalva, The Love Story That Shouldn’t Have Been

“It’s the REAL thing!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: My favorite TV commercial of all time. This was a very effective advertisement. All the overlapping harmonies are reflected in this arrangement’s instrumentation. This was a real joy to work on. Refer to the ad on YouTube for the dynamics: you should start out lean and build volume and depth with each passing section, and them all instruments should be belting it out full bore by the end.

“I’m a boy, and I’m a man. I’m eighteen . . . and I like it!”:

“To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.” ―  Aaron Copland

There are a lot of sad songs on this website. This is one of the best:

Many beautiful chords are in this song; learn one line at a time, and soon you’ll be able to play the whole thing.

“Songs are dangerous, songs are subversive and can change your life.” ― Ronnie Gilbert

“Music is what tells us that the human race is greater than we realize.” ― Napoléon Bonaparte

“. . . Ain’t gonna need no husband, won’t need no wife,
You’ll pick your son, pick your daughter, too,
From the bottom of a long glass tube.”   Whoa-oooooh.:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: It is scary how many of this song’s prophecies have come true already. In many ways, humanity is ahead of schedule, and that’s not always a good thing; our wisdom and sense of proportion are lagging way behind our technological progress. One way you can slow down and gain some perspective is to grab your ukulele, guitar, harmonica, what have you, and get back to basics. Playing a musical instrument is a perfect form of meditation and relaxation; if you’re doing it right, it will feed the mind, body, and soul. Give your left brain a break and stop analyzing and overthinking everything. Just take it easy and play something simple and sincere for its own sake. This public service message was brought to you by the Green Bay Ukulele Club.

And speaking of the devil . . . :

Art Fleming was the original host of the popular TV game show Jeopardy! from 1964 to 1975.

“If you would dance, my pretty Count, I’ll play the tune on my little guitar.” ― Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

(If you don’t know who this guy is, it’s Chuck Berry, one of the inventors of Rock ‘n’ Roll as we know it today.)

“Even the simple act of tuning the radio to a music program can lift our spirits and show the world ‘I’m not going to give up.’ ” ― Shirley Corder

“Jeremiah was a bullfrog; was a good friend of mine!”:

“It’s a gas, gas, gas . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: It occurs to us at the Green Bay Ukulele Club that the ukulele is the perfect instrument for all those carnivorous theropod dinosaurs out there such as those of the family tyrannosauridae that have reduced forelimbs. Theropods with longer arms and bigger hands (such as allosaurs) may have to clip their nails, though. Experience has shown that, though most meat-eating dinosaurs are reasonably social and well-behaved amongst their own family group members, it is difficult to include them in larger ensembles because they keep attacking and eating the other dinosaurs.

By the way, I’ve always loved dinosaurs since I was a little kid; I used to draw them all the time. During college I spent a whole summer in South Dakota on a dinosaur dig. After that, I was in the museum exhibit fabrication business as a sculptor/model builder. Here’s a picture of a life-sized Allosaurus (my favorite dinosaur) I made.

“Music and comedy are so linked. The rhythm of comedy is con­nected to the rhythm of music. They’re both about creating tension and knowing when to let it go. I’m always surprised when somebody funny is not musical.” ― Conan O’Brien

“Born in Arizona; moved to Babylonia . . .”:

“He gave his life . . . for tourism . . .”

Don’t forget to share . . .:

“And it was a little bit frightening . . .”:

“Everybody was . . .”:

“The Cockroach“:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Uke 2 sets up a choppy arpeggio figure that one of the guitars and the bass match when the rest of the band comes in. Add some percussion or at least stomp your feet for effect. Gotta dance!

“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its law.” ― Plato

“If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” ― Louis Armstrong

“The Women of Chiapas”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Everybody clap your hands! The x’s in the tablature indicate where instrumentalists who are sitting out the first section should clap, stomp their feet, knock on wood, or bang a drum.

Play the first section with definition and bold accents. Render the second full ensemble section with smoothness and grace. Remember, this is an audience participation number!

“No . . . YOU tell her!”:

I give you: The original “bro-mance,” Laurel and Hardy! You young cocky whippersnappers who smugly declare you won’t watch something because it’s black-and-white are short-changing yourselves. Back in the olden days, actors and performers were required to be multi-talented and spontaneous and didn’t enjoy the luxuries of special effects and fancy editing that exist today.

PERFORMANCE NOTES: The degree of difficulty is high in this one. Uke 1, rake the pick across the string on those quick 16th notes; with practice, you’ll get it smoothed out. That low F note (5th fret, 3rd string) requires a quick jump of the hand. If you can’t do it, put a capo on the 1st fret and then you can play that note as an open note on the 2nd string. Uke 2, your repeating motif is easy, but don’t forget to put the brakes on it in measure 17.

“All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: There’s been some confusion on the internet about the guitar chords in this song. I referred to live performances on YouTube and I believe we’ve got the chords voiced correctly. It’s a pretty easy song to play, so you can concentrate more on the vocal parts.

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.” ― Victor Hugo

“Before that moment you touched my lips, that perfect feeling, when time just slips . . .”:

This one’s for the history buffs out there:

“You used to say, live and let live. You know you did, you know you did, you know you did . . . “:

“Won’t you please, please tell me what we’ve learned, I know it sounds absurd, but please tell me who I am . . .”:

“These songs tell me I’m not alone. If you look at it that way, music . . . music can see you through anything.” ― Hannah Harrington, Saving June

“Singing about being rescued will never get old. Never.” ― Travis Thrasher, Marvelous

“Don’t give up until you, drink from the silver cup, and ride that highway in the sky . . .”:

“When everything’s dark, and nothing seems right . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: A beautiful, emotive ballad. Be sure to render the different sections with the appropriate dynamics. Contrast is a crucial element in art and music.

“Take a little trip . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Zany craziness; definitely a novelty song for a ukulele club. Get a U-bass to play this one, or at least a guitar to play the bass line. Add some percussion for that extra ‘oomph.” The chord strums should be “muted” or “chucked” to get that that funky syncopated vibe. The Outro Solo is very bluesy and uses lots of sassy bends and slides. This is a club favorite, and elicits a lot of smiles.

“You’re gonna make it after all . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Oh what fun! This was one of the highest-rated TV show theme songs of all time. It’s an easy-to-play melody. Such great memories . . .

PERFORMANCE NOTES: A lively audience favorite. Uke 1 and Guitar 1 play the melody in unison, one octave apart, and their parts have been written in such a way that the melody follows chord shapes which are easier to play at a fast tempo. This is another “clapper” song; get some folks to help with the percussion for extra fun.

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Classic Disney. Everybody should join on the Chorus. If somebody can do a Donald Duck voice, all the better! This is a march, so don’t forget to clap your hands and bang a drum!

Okay, okay, I admit it; I had a crush on Barbara Bain. So sue me . . .

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Well, here it is in all its glory, and in its original key. Everything is in this arrangement. Reinforce the high parts with lots of instrumentation. I love the heavily syncopated line near the finale. That last chord is a doozy, and I dropped the guitar’s E string down to Db to accommodate it. Play this one loud, and push the dynamics to the limit! Add some bongo drums and a flute for that period flavor. Only at the Green Bay Ukulele Club.

“Music good! ” ― Frankenstein’s Monster

“It was a graveyard smash . . !”:

MASTER CLASS:

“My huckleberry friend . . .”:

https://youtu.be/BOByH_iOn88

The famous scene where Audrey Hepburn debuts this lovely song.

There’s so much to say about this one.

I woke up one morning with this tune in my head and I had to tab it out right away so I could get on with the rest of my life. Many ukulele websites already have versions of this song so why should I make one more? Because THIS IS THE ORIGINAL Henry Mancini version from the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, that’s why! It’s an exquisite arrangement!

Henry Mancini (of Pink Panther fame) was a composer of my generation. I love his blend of classical, blues, Gypsy jazz, and ’50s and ’60s beatnik and hippie pop and rock styles; he seamlessly wedded traditional with modern. “Moon River” won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year in 1962.

PERFORMANCE NOTES: The song starts off with Audrey’s solo guitar part, which in the studio recording is capoed at the 1st fret and uses lots of barre chords (don’t forget that you have to finger chords away from the capo one fret higher than written). It goes into full bloom when the rest of the instruments join in at measure 19. This is real “goosebump” territory. The arrangement is in the original key and is very faithful to the original; you’re going to need two very good guitarists to do it justice.

If you are a serious student of music, you need to study this piece! It has so many good things in it to teach you.

TRUE CONFESSIONS: Tears came to my eyes when the beauty of this song revealed itself to me. (Maybe it should have been called “Breakfast at Epiphany’s.”) Ha ha . . .

Anyway, knock yourself out. This is why I do this. It’s worth it.

And here’s the same melody with Uke 2 filling the role of the lone guitar in the first verse:

“Next to the word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.” ― Martin Luther

“Praise for the singing, praise for the morning . . .”:

“Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: My favorite version of this Bob Dylan song. The uke and guitar parts played together do a nice job of emulating that twangy early British invasion sound.

From Wikipedia: On Saturday, August 1, 1981, at 12:01 am Eastern Time, MTV launched with the words “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll,” spoken by John Lack and played over footage of the first Space Shuttle launch countdown of Columbia (which took place earlier that year) and of the launch of Apollo 11. Those words were immediately followed by the original MTV theme song, a crunching rock tune composed by Jonathan Elias and John Petersen, playing over the American flag changed to show MTV’s logo changing into various textures and designs.

Another favorite TV show . . . The interplay between Grandpa and Hermann was hilarious:

“The shin bone’s connected to the ankle bone . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: We wanted to keep it in the original key of E minor so Uke 1 is tuned [gBEA]. Uke 2 emulates the famous creepy harpsichord part which was the signature riff of the early version of the song and is quite a challenge to play. To make it easier for uke groups we split up Uke 2’s part into two parts for Ukes 3 and 4. The addition of Uke 5’s lower voice completes the “chimey” chorused sound of the harpsichord. Uke 6’s light block chords help fill the harmony and reveal something about the structure of the song.

Guitar 2 is in drop-D tuning = [DADGBe]. Guitar 3 has a special role as the background driving Duane Eddy-style low “secret agent” kind of riff which was so popular at the time. It should be played with palm mutes. It’s not very loud but it adds a lot to the overall vibe.

The b5 in the chords creates the haunting Halloweeny” sound. The b5 interval forms the very dissonant “tri-tone” chord which used to be known as “The Devil’s Chord.”

“The boys watch the girls while the girls watch the boys who watch the girls go by . . .”:

“Music is the soundtrack of our lives.” ― Dick Clark

“I’ve got sunshine, on a cloudy day . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This was the National Geographic theme from 1967 – 1984. It sure brings back a lot of memories. The unique sound is the result of polyharmony; The melody is in the key of C, and the lower countermelody is in the key of F. This creates the unique tensions that you hear. I added Ukes 2 and 3 to “cluster” the harmony for a thicker sound, so they are optional. The challenge is to get the mixed meter right. You could “do the math” and analyze it as you play, but really it is better to listen to the song over and over again and just render it from memory.

And here’s what it sounds like with the brass and strings of the original:

We would like to dedicate this one to our good neighbors up in the “Great White North”:

It’s been said that this TV theme is the “Cheers” theme of this generation:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This is a nice compact tune, perfect for modern short attention spans. Uke 2 steals the honors as it nails the hookish piano intro. Barre the Em and C chords with your index finger and you should be able to get it down easier. Guitar 2 should bang down hard on those power chords. Have fun!

Now, that’s funny!

“. . . The thrill of victory . . .

. . . and the agony of defeat . . .”:

The granddaddy of all “fail” videos?

PERFORMANCE NOTES: 5 Ukes in all their glorious harmony! The bass plays the notes that the pitched timpani drums played in the original. Undoubtedly this is the most famous of the Olympic themes.

This is my alma mater. I worked at the Brathaus on State St. while pursuing my history degree. Looking back, I’d have to say that I learned more about life and humanity on both sides of that bar than I did in school.

Anyway, thanks to the Green Bay Ukulele Club you can now enjoy the “Fifth Quarter” in the privacy of your own home; John Philip Sousa said this was the best fight song of all time:

This one makes me feel like a kid again.

“. . . is a very, very, very fine house . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This makes a great duet with uke and guitar; the uke plays the triads that the right hand plays on the piano, and the guitar can just play the bass line, emulating the left hand on the piano. “Everything is good.”

“. . . there’s a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This arrangement for solo uke is in the same key as the original (Ab major) which normally is not considered a uke-friendly key, nor a guitar-friendly key for that matter. However, you’ll find that the ukulele’s open G string adds a lot of nuance, color, and sophistication to many of the chords.

Try playing it along with the movie. Someday I’m gonna wish upon a star and produce a decent ensemble version of this classic piece. In the meantime, enjoy . . .

For the popular Izzy uke version called “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” go to the FREE MUSIC (EASY) page on this website.

“I see people turn their heads and quickly look away; like a newborn baby, it just happens every day . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: The song’s in E minor but the guitar is capoed at the 2nd fret so the chord shapes and licks transpose to D minor. This one showcases our new hybrid format which incorporates tablature with the lyrics and chords. Below is a sample of the famous Intro lick for uke and guitar (capo@2).:

This one was a lot of fun to transcribe:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Uke 2 plays the signature keyboard riff at the beginning. The best way to play it is with barre chords shifting position crisply between 5th and 6th positions. I pick the Intro section fingerstyle, with the thumb and index and middle fingers, sort of like banjo rolls. Uke 4 plays an important role as the background vocal harmonies, which really fill in the sound and accurately emulate the original recording. Have fun with this one; I sure did!

“Four geological eras had to pass so that human beings would be able to out-sing the birds and die for love.” ― Gabriel García Márquez

“With a love so rare and true . . .”:

UPDATED MARCH 29, 2017

PERFORMANCE NOTES: It sounds even better if you can get someone to tap out the high-hat cymbal pattern (ta-ta-ta-titi) on a music stand or somesuch with a pencil.

One uke and one guitar can do a pretty good job of capturing the essence of this iconic riff:

Bored? Nuthin’ on TV? Sick of Facebook?

Then play your ukulele!

“Lotsa curves, you bet; even more . . . when you get . . . to the junction!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Easy blues with a classic country feel. This type of 12-bar blues is known in the business as a “quick four,” which means the second measure goes to the IV chord (Bb7) of the progression instead of staying on the “home” chord (F). The fast “train fill” strums should be played with accents on the downbeats and “chugging” muted strums (“chucks”) between them. The mutes are actually rendered by the chording hand, not the strumming hand; the idea is to dampen the strings with the chording hand and only push down or “squeeze” the chord when you want to hear it on the accented downbeats.

“Son, can you play me a memory . . ?”

“And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say, ‘Man, what are you doin’ here?'”

PERFORMANCE NOTES: There’s so much we put into this one that I don’t know where to begin, but let the record show, when our advanced group worked on it, it came together pretty quickly and was very impressive. My nieces and nephews sang along on a holiday and it was sooo much fun! There is something magical about this Irish waltz adapted for the modern era that will always be timeless.

This piece is an excellent example of how descending bass lines work. Don’t let the fancy slash chords intimidate you, the chords are mostly pretty basic (fortunately, it’s in the key of C). Learn and drill a section at a time and eventually commit them to memory so that you can really perform the song with confidence and gusto. Be sure to vary the volume and dynamics appropriate to each section.

Rrrrowwwrrr!!! . . . Mercy!:

This wonderful song deserves a lot more respect than it’s gotten over the years. The cynics are wrong about this one; it’s not about drugs ― it’s simply a sad song about growing up . . . :

UPDATED May 16, 2017

Don’t forsake all your so-called “childish” interests and passions; to do so is a form of death. We hope that’s why you’re visiting us here at the Green Bay Ukulele Club. Keep the faith, folks. Forever young!

A sentimental favorite from the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, “The Man Who Knew Too Much.”

” . . . What ever will be, will be; the future’s not ours to see . . .”:

“It’s not easy being green . . .”:

NEW, UPDATED FILE:

“I’ve found that no matter what life throws at me, music softens the blow.” ― Bryce Anderson

“Because I’m free; nothing’s worrying me . . .”:

Click on the TUTORIALS tab to see a video of Cody strumming the chords to this great song.

“Love conquers all,” murmured Kim. “I heard it in a song, so it must be true.” ― Simon R. Green, Ghost of a Chance

“And it burns, burns, burns . . .”:

I know, I know . . . I’m old, and I’m really showing my age on this website.. But I’m a big fan of science fiction movies from the period before the Star Wars franchise. When I was a kid growing up during the height of the Cold War, sci-fi was less about fantasy and more about science and exploration. Test pilots and astronauts were my heroes. The soundtrack for this movie was really good. Ominous, mysterious mood music. Only at the Green Bay Ukulele Club.

Here’s what it would look like arranged for ukes, guitars, and bass.:

ATTENTION SCI-FI BUFFS!:

It gives me great pleasure to bring you this charming song, written and sung by Victor Lundin, the actor who played Friday in this classic movie. His performance of this whimsical country tune brought joyful tears to many folks at science-fiction conventions. In our humble way, we wish to help preserve this piece of nostalgia for posterity. Enjoy, and share it with your kids!

WHAT WERE THEY THINKIN’ IN THE 1970’s? #19:

“Hey!”

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Uke 2’s 3rd string is tuned one half-step lower = [gBEA] so that it can play the melody an octave lower than Uke 1. The ukes are in a supportive role so there’s no uke duet; this piece has a “big bottom” and showcases the guitars and bass. If you don’t have a drummer/percussionist you should improvise something with anything at hand. Be sure to get your audience clapping and stomping; this is definitely an audience participation number.

Here it is in all its glory. So squeeze into your old shiny tinfoil leisure suit and rock on! Glam rock at its best and worse. Another guilty pleasure. Only at the Green Bay Ukulele Club.

“You keep on shouting, you keep on shouting . . . !”:

“And I think it’s gonna be a long, long time . . .”:

“I’m not the man they think I am at home, oh, no-no-no.”

PERFORMANCE NOTES: All lot of detail is in this great song; we didn’t cut many corners to give you a high fidelity arrangement. The slide guitar and synth fills really capture the unique flavor of this moody atmospheric piece. Learn one line, then one section at a time. I hope you like it; it was a lot of fun to work on.

And from the “What the Heck Were They Thinking” Files:

“She packed my bags . . . last night . . . preflight . . .”

“So, just stay right here . . .”:

“Cherry Blossoms, Cherry Blossoms . . .”:

“Scooby-Doo, where aaaaaare you?!!!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Well, here it is — the tune that, if not the number one cartoon song of all time, always at least makes the top three list. Everyone knows this one, young and old, from little tykes to great grandparents. This project really was a labor of love. People love singing this song. Uke 1 is the melody, and Ukes 2 and 3 are the vocal harmonies that go in and out. Invest in a U-Bass (if you don’t already own one) and have yourself a great time playing the bass part; it really adds a lot to the song. I’m including Uke 1 with lyrics to make it easier for beginners and young ‘uns to play the melody as well.

“Come, and play . . . everything’s . . .  A – okay . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Fun! Fun! Fun! This song is formally known by the title “Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?” It’s also known as “Sunny Day” or “Sunny Days.” By any name, this is one of the catchiest TV show jingles of all time.

The melody is not that difficult to play, and it is reinforced an octave higher to emulate the children’s voices; for Uke 3 you’ll need at least a concert uke, or even better yet, one with a cutaway so you can more easily reach the high notes. Uke 2 incorporates the keyboard and harmonica licks, and really makes this arrangement sound “authentic.” The bluesy signature riff was a very ubiquitous feature of the music of the time, and was often incorporated in various forms in blues, rock and country solos on instruments such as piano, guitar, and harmonica.

“YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!!!”:

“With a love like that, you know you should be glad.”

“In music the passions enjoy themselves.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil

“We can’t do it any other way, everybody’s got to rock and roll!”:

“Say what you want about fairies, but you haven’t rocked out until you’ve heard ‘Smoke on the Water’ played on a harpsichord.” ― Red Tash, Troll or Derby

Is this the most famous rock guitar riff of all time?:

“Curses! Foiled again!!!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This song uses the three primary chords in three major keys (F# major, G major, and G# major). If you study the chord boxes, the chord shapes are consistent throughout, so that all you have to do to play in a new key is shift the chord shapes up one fret.

“Something in the way she moves . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: A lot of little fills and signature licks in this song, hence all the detail boxes. I wanted to fit it all on one page, so the format may be a little dense as a result;  just take your time and learn each little lick to add to your performance. Remember: “God is in the details.”

“Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence.” ― Robert Fripp

“People talking without speaking; people hearing without listening . . .”:

“Forget scientists. The next space launch we should send up painters, poets and musicians. I’d be more interested in what they discover than anything that takes place in a test tube.” ― James Rozoff

“Planet Earth is blue, and there’s nothing I can do . . .”:

R.I.P. Star Child.

“Please, say si, si . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Since Uke 2’s part is more like a second melody we’re offering a uke trio instead of the usual uke duet. Uke 3’s strum is a very necessary part of the harmony and rhythm. It sounds really nice.

The Fm and Fm6 chords are beautiful; this is the emotional peak of the song, so render it accordingly. I like to slightly “lag” the melody in choice spots in this section for dramatic effect. This is one of my favorite songs.

“Look out! Here comes the Spider-Man!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Gypsy jazz for the masses. A hallmark of this genre is the minor 6th chord. Many tabs on the internet miss this important feature in the harmony. Minor 6th chords, played with this type of rhythm, have an exotic air of mystery and suspense. Adding to the mood is the descending line which is typical of the “secret agent” genre in the last verse. Our advanced group likes to play this for Halloween.

“The hurt is the place where the music enters you.” ― Ella Leya, The Orphan Sky

“No I won’t, be afraid, oh I-I-I-I-I won’t, be afraid . . .”:

He says he was in tears when he recorded this take. Give it another listen. It’s very emotive.

“What so proudly we hailed . . . “:

UPDATED MARCH 16, 2017

PERFORMANCE NOTES: I think you’ll find this a pretty solid arrangement of the U.S. national anthem. Many ukulele versions of this song are in the key of C major; I much prefer it in D. Our club arrangement includes glockenspiel and cymbal crashes for effect. If you have a decent-sized ensemble you can reinforce the uke and guitar melody parts with more players.

SPECIAL NOTE: Guitar 3 is my personal version for solo guitar. It combines melody, harmony, and bass in one instrument. It sounds great as a trio with ukes 1 and 2. I play it with our larger ensembles as well to unify and fill out the sound.

PERFORMANCE NOTES: It’s all here. Jazzy, modern (for its time), boldly going where no man has gone before. If you’re playing the melody on an electric uke, crank up the reverb or delay if you have it. Give those notes a quiver with vibrato and slur them a bit too to emulate the lady’s falsetto voice.

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This is a big one, with the whole kitchen sink. There are key changes galore. Knock yerself out!

“Music has power to create a universe or to destroy a civilization.” ― Katherine Neville, The Eight

NEW UPDATED VERSION!

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Doom and gloom at its finest! Render this one with pure unmitigated evil.

NEW UPDATED VERSION!

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Use “The Force.”

 

PERFORMANCE NOTES: A Green Bay Ukulele Club Halloween favorite. Do yourself a favor and get a Ubass or something like it. It adds so much to this kind of song.

“You are my candy girl, and you’ve got me wanting you . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: A very early “bubble-gum” classic. Play those fills nice and loud. Veronica looks like my sister, Marya.

“Hands . . . touchin’ hands . . . reachin’ out . . . touchin’ me . . . touchin’ you . . .” Sing it with me!:

“SWEET CAROLINE . . . BUM-BUM-BUH!”

PERFORMANCE NOTES: I often want to keep great songs in their original key, even if it means they’re harder to play; this one’s no exception. There’s a lot of detail in this song. Play those “Bum-Bum-Buhs” nice and loud in the Chorus. This is such a great audience participation number.

PERFORMANCE NOTES: As implied by this song’s title we’ve kept the melody in the lower registers with the guitars, so the ukes play a supporting role, and that’s why there’s no uke duet this time. This arrangement is classic southern gospel, and is worth some study if you want to learn how the harmony in this genre works. Render it nice and slow, with reverence.

“The man that hath no music in himself,

Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,

Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils;

The motions of his spirit are dull as night,

And his affections dark as Erebus.

Let no such man be trusted.

Mark the music.”

― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

“Pleased to meet you . . . hope you guess mah name . . .  Aaaw, yeah.“:

“Life ain’t nuthin’ but a funny-funny riddle . . .”:

Ain’t it the truth. We really miss you, John. You were an American institution.

My niece requested this one. It’s got a million chords and key changes. Knock yourself out.:

“On with the show, this is it!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Uke 1’s 3rd string is tuned one half-step lower to B = [gBEA]. The tempo looks really fast, but that’s because I chose to go with a simple meter so that the music would be much easier to read and use. The bass part really moves in this one, and drives the rhythm. Play it with showtune-style energy.

My Saturday mornings started bright and early at 7:00 am with this show and a bowl of my favorite cereal. The content and gags were more adult fare than kids’ stuff, and the art, music, sound effects and voice characterizations were top-notch. That Mel Blanc was a genius.

“Music is, for me, like a beautiful mosaic which God has put together. He takes all the pieces in his hand, throws them into the world, and we have to recreate the picture from the pieces.” ― Jean Sibelius

This beautiful anthem is sung to the tune of “Finlandia,” which you can find below in the CLASSICAL MUSIC section:

“I wanna show that gospel, country, blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll are all just really one thing. Those are the American music and that is the American culture.” ― Etta James

“. . . don’t pay no transportation, no Jim Crow and no discrimination . . .”:

“For me there is something primitively soothing about this music, and it went straight to my nervous system, making me feel ten feet tall.” ― Eric Clapton

“The blues was bleeding the same blood as me.” ― B.B. King

R.I.P. B.B.:

“Now the whole damned bus is cheerin’, and I can’t believe I see . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: Lots of chords. Study this one if you want to learn more about the rules of harmony.

“Who knows when we shall meet again? . . . If ever . . .”:

“And if I kiss you, in the garden, in the moonlight, will you pardon me . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: When I think of ukulele I think of Tiny Tim. This arrangement captures all the sounds and nuances of the original studio recording. When our advanced group performs it, many people comment on how they had forgotten how good this song was. The recording was fully orchestrated and in the key of E. When Tiny Tim performed it solo he strummed much simpler chords in the key of F. There was only one Tiny Tim.

And we’re including a bonus uke duet version for you, because we like you. Only at the Green Bay Ukulele Club!

PERFORMANCE NOTES: From the Jim Carrie Sci-fi classic “The Truman Show,” this simple piece is hauntingly beautiful. The first time our group performed it we were in awe at how moving it is. The jarring, demented Coda at the end provides a stunning contrast, and reminds us that there is something “very wrong” about Truman’s situation.

“Life is a big story. Music is just one way to tell it, to realize how many tales all kinds of people share.” ― Stasia Ward Kehoe, The Sound of Letting Go

“A time to gain, a time to lose,
A time to rend, a time to sew,
A time for love, a time for hate,
A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This is definitely the “Hawaii Five-O” of sci-fi themes. It’s also got a James Bond vibe to it. I love the punchy descending bass line, and that little motif that runs throughout. My kids used to dance in the middle of the living room to this; the memory still makes me laugh.

“There’s no need to fear . . . Underdog is here!!!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: One of the great theme songs of one of the greatest cartoons of all time. It’s all here, all the voices and instruments, compressed into 3 ukes, 3 guitars and 1 bass. The modal shift in the Chorus from Fm to Gb7 creates the haunting sense of urgency that is the song’s signature. There’s a lot of detail in this one; I hope you like it.

BONUS! Here’s a fun but challenging uke duet:

My Aunt Verona used to make goggles out of her hands and sing this song to me because I liked airplanes so much (I still do). The era between the World Wars was known as the Golden Age of Flight. The “Junior Birdmen of America” was a national youth organization in the 1930s dedicated to aviation education and “airmindedness.” Back then, in a pre-digital age, the airplane and rocket were the ultimate symbols of technological progress. If you ask people today to name examples of technology they will mention computers, smart TVs, cell phones, and the like.:

“I’ve paid my dues . . .”:

The state of education in this country took a nosedive at about the same time this show went on the air. I leave it to you to draw your own conclusions. It’s a nice song, anyway:

“. . . and I think to myself. . . “:

This song has an interesting history. It was initially a bust in the United States because the promo people didn’t like it but it was a huge hit in the UK. The juxtaposition of this beautiful tune with its naively simple melody and the heavy stuff going down in the world politically and socially during that time made its message all the more poignant and happy/sad. Oh, the humanity . . .

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This song is not as hard to play as you might think; give it a try. If you examine the tablature you will notice that once you get past the high-register intro it settles down and you can pretty much play the rest of it in 1st position. With a decent guitar player it makes a beautiful duet.

“So where are the strong, and who are the trusted . . ?”:

Why can’t we all just get along?

“Music . . . is like looking into the night sky, or the Grand Canyon . . . there’s something about it that seems to speak about things that are beyond the mundane. And it’s an interesting thing that music can do that, because although it has this arguably transcendental element, it’s also something that’s very accessible to people in general. It’s very rare to find someone who doesn’t like music; so it’s transcendental and universal at the same time. The funny thing is, it’s that music speaks to you of meaning whether you understand it or not, and that’s one of the reasons it’s an imperishable art.” — Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, Clinical Psychologist and Most-Interesting-Person-in-the-Room

“Makes no difference who you are . . .”:

NOTICE: Sit tight folks! A supercalifragilistic  new uke duet version and a beautiful full ensemble version of this wonderful tune are in the works. I’ll have them for you soon. In the meantime, keep practicing . . .

I have no idea what the lyrics mean, but it’s a great classic rock song, nonetheless. I sure wish I could sing like this guy:

By the way, the guy in the white tunic with his arms folded in the background is Robin Trower, a British blues/rock guitarist of some repute. He has the strongest natural vibrato I’ve ever seen, and his tone, control of feedback, and sense of dynamics are superb. My heroes I can count on the fingers of one hand. He’s one of them. Here he is adding color and shape to two of Bryan Ferry’s songs on Jay Leno. Watch him — he is a “zone” player, and a master of his art. I’ve got goose bumps!:

“I’ve found in composing that being simple and profound—having in-depthness in your music—is the most difficult thing to do. Anybody can write a whole lot of notes, which may or may not say something . . . But why make it complicated for the musicians to play? Why make it difficult for the listeners to hear?” ― Horace Silver

“But I wanna know for sure . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This is one catchy Western tune. Play it boldly, and really push it when the melody peaks, and then bring it down nice and easy at the end.

“Music has touched me deeply, sometimes to tears. But at the same time it’s been life-affirming, because I’ve been grateful for the fact that I’m alive and human and capable of being so moved.” ― Brian Molko

“A broom is drearily sweeping, up the broken pieces of yesterday’s life.

Somewhere a queen is weeping, somewhere a king has no wife.

And The Wind, it cries . . . Mary . . .”:

“Will The Wind ever remember, the names it has blown in the past . . ?”

“Music is a safe kind of high.” ― Jimi Hendrix

Now this one I can sing, if only because of the fact that the lyrics start with a disclaimer pretty much absolving the singer from any responsibility for singing out of tune!:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: One of the great TV show themes of all time. It has a beautiful, wistful air; a very appealing light jazz tune. Those slashed lines in the string parts for ukulele emulate the violins sliding upwards.

“Guess who!”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: This is a great jazz number. There is a lot of detail in this one, and it is very faithful to the original. The piano solo is split up between Ukes 2 and 3; it sounds great. Study the chord progression if you want to learn more about how to write and play jazz standards.

“Why would we need music if our lives were exactly as we wanted them to be?” ― Mo Daviau, Every Anxious Wave

“Awesome!!!”

“Life is like a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up.” ― Hans Christian Andersen

“When you’re happy, you enjoy the music but when you’re sad, you understand the lyrics.” ― Frank Ocean

This classic has made more people cry than any other. Must be my singing, huh?:

“You’re ev’rything I hoped for . . . you’re . . . ev’rything I need . . .”:

PERFORMANCE NOTES: What an incredible song! Those chords are so poignant and sad. Listen to the original piano part to get a feel for how to render them on the uke or guitar. Be aware of the dynamics; if you’re singing it, focus on your vocal part.

“When there’s music in your soul, there’s soul in your music.” ― Criss Jami, Healology

Stevie being wonderful. A classic R & B love song:

“I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind, that I put down in words . . . how wonderful life is, while you’re in the world . . .”:

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Classical tablature is coming soon!

“All the good music has

already been written by

people with wigs and stuff.”

― Frank Zappa

 

“Beethoven tells you what it’s like to be Beethoven and Mozart tells you what it’s like to be human. Bach tells you what it’s like to be the universe.” ― Douglas Adams

“Wagner’s music is better than it sounds.” ― Mark Twain

A rousing start to our classical music section. This ensemble utilizes 4 ukes, 2 guitars, 1 bass, tambourine, snare, and crash cymbal:

“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.” ― Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

“To me, beautiful music is whatever music makes you glad to be a human being, whether it is Musetta’s Waltz from La Boheme or Muskrat Ramble from New Orleans. Much of what passes for music today makes me wish that, if there is such a thing as reincarnation, I can come back as a dolphin.” ― Thomas Sowell

Warm greetings to our new friends from far-away places like Iceland and Tasmania!

(We’re still waiting to hear from North Korea, though . . .)