h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Aisling Out Walking (see the journal for 16 November) have been booked for a 60th birthday party next week. We have a 45-minute slot, and our current repertoire is

Real Love (Ruby Murray, 1958)
Do You Love an Apple (trad)
Island of Dreams (Springfields, 1962)
Stupid Cupid (Connie Francis, 1958)
Abilene (George Hamilton IV, 1963)
Dream a Little Dream of Me (written 1931; Mamas & Papas 1968)
Dream Lover (Bobby Darin, 1959)
All I have to Do is Dream (Everly Brothers, 1958)
Memories Are Made of This (Dean Martin, 1955)
Try a Little Tenderness (1932; Bing Crosby 1933)
Alley Oop (1957; The Hollywood Argyles 1960)
Walkin' After Midnight (Patsy Cline, 1957)
Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go? (trad)
Return to Sender (Elvis Presley 1962)
I'll Fly Away (1929; sung in O Brother, Where Art Thou? 2000)

How's that for retro? The latest song dates from 1963.

The lyrics and chords for three of these songs can currently be found on the Uke Ireland website http://ukeireland.com/chords-tabs/

Alley Oop was the sole hit of The Hollywood Argyles; according to Wikipedia, their lead singer Norm Davis is currently a poet and poetry teacher in Rochester, New York. Look at that caveman go!

When I stayed in Dublin we stayed at a friend of my then girlfriend's family. He was an editor of The Dublin Times and a singing man, he took us around the singing pubs and everywhere we went they called him up to sing. His name was Sean Cuddy if I remember correctly from nearly 40 years ago. I was astounded at the talented people getting and singing at these places - certainly they could have knocked most of your X factor wannabes into a cocked hat.


This link is another singer synonymous with Dublin for me, he sang at a pub in Coventry where I used occasionally sing and I met him there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T7OaDDR7i8

Thanks for the link to ukeireland. I'm a very basic uke player but there are definitely songs on there I should be able to add to my somewhat limited repertoire.

MC

I only recognise some of the playlist, but I'm sure it'll be a good gig.

Tell me, is there any money in a 45 minute slot for all of you, or is this a favour for friends/family or just done for the love?

I spent many happy years doing the tech for bands and there was never much money, but there was usually enough to settle the bar bill and a few shekels left for a kebab on the van journey home.

Apologies for not popping in sooner - I didn't realise until just now that you were doing NaJoPoMo.

Dream a Little Dream is one of my favourites.

Very cool all round.

Thanks, everyone!

Ukulele Hooley put together a book of easy songs that is ready for downloading free here: http://www.ukulelehooley.com/images/Ukulele%20Hooley%202011%20Busk.pdf

Yes, we don't always get paid, but on this occasion we are: €250. Ka-ching!

Yes, McKay, Shawn Cuddy is a well-known name, but not as well as the late Ronnie Drew (in your link).

I do a version of The Rocky Road to Dublin, which is an interesting song because it only has two chords (Dm and C) but it takes a while to learn where to change them. It's a slip jig, meaning it's in nine-eight time, but when Luke Kelly sang it he sometimes (not always) put an extra beat into one particular bar, making the rhythm quite puzzling.

Yes - singers sneaking extra beats in does play havoc with the whoever is backing them - I first became interested in Irish music when I was dating the above mentioned girl, though it was before that I first saw the Dubliners ~ I saw them in Germany ! Never really understood that one.

Germany has kept a lot of traditional and folk musicians alive. Always was a big market for Irish music, possibly the biggest.

I'm putting down the final order we did the songs here, for my own record.

Dreams-J-Trad-A-Love-J-Away

Dreams:
Island of dreams
All I have to do is dream
Dream lover
Dream a little dream of me

James:
Abilene

Trad:
Loch Lomond
Do you love an apple
Will ye go lassie

Andrew:
Try a little tenderness

Love:
Real love
Memories are made of this
Stupid Cupid

James:
Return to sender

Away:
I'll fly away
Alley Oop
Walkin' after midnight

The party was in Sonairte Ecological Centre, which pleased me mightily. It was a 60th birthday party for a German woman who has lived a long time in Ireland. The folks had been partying since five-thirty, and we performed at nine-thirty. Everyone was relaxed and receptive, of all ages down to small children. Apart from my bass amp (necessary because a u-bass in inaudible acoustically) we were unplugged, so we had to do a bit of calling for attention, but once we started there was enough hush and plenty of interest. At one stage they formed a ring around us, holding hands and dancing and joining in. It doesn't get much better than that. We were on for about an hour, and they paid us more than contracted.

Here's our first YouTube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKnU5djPG5Y

I know four of those tracks. Mama Cass' version of Dream a Little Dream is the best cover of any song I have ever heard.

Yes, that was one of the first visits the sixties made to the thirties.

Here's another clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uEDWOMktHU