The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Five entries total; a small fight, but the songs are terrific! Thanks to all who entered (and who said "Ukes are great!", whether they entered or not.)

The title was I Promise, the constraint was "Must feature prominent Ukulele, no other string instruments allowed", and here are the entries:

<a href="http://members.dslextreme.com/~mintyhan ... _ip.mp3">B. Ellison</a>

<a href="http://members.dslextreme.com/~mintyhan ... avanRay</a>

<a href="http://members.dslextreme.com/~mintyhan ... ip.mp3">MC Paul Denyer</a>

<a href="http://members.dslextreme.com/~mintyhan ... mp3">Minty Handy</a>

<a href="http://members.dslextreme.com/~mintyhan ... .mp3">Ross Durand</a>

Never underestimate the power of a tiny instrument, when wielded by musical giants. Perhaps next time we shall do KazooFight!, to accommodate the even more budget-conscious.

Votes and reviews appreciated, random comments encouraged.

This is really going to be a tough one! Ray with the Polynesian story and sound, Ross with the Hillbilly flavor, Minty and his happy ditty, B.Ellison with an old sea shanty and Denyer with his psychosis.

I couldn't help but notice that Minty's intro melody sounds just like Glenn Cases "Glutton" intro melody. It doesn't continue sounding the same, but it caught my ear because I really liked Glenn's Glutton song.

Great job guys!

I'm not sure why but I was really looking foward to hearing this uke fight.


B. Ellison: So I start off with this image of walking along the reef looking at fishes and seals and then there’s this“Giant squids attacking with their beaks”. And that took me right to 20,000 Leagues Beneath The Sea. What an odd song. As far as the music goes, There are a few rhythmic stumbles here and there but no big deal. I like the texture of the organ along with the ukuleles.

Caravan Ray: I lived on the Island of Maui for 7 years and so have had lots of exposure to different Polynesian music. So, the combination of the indigenous language and the strummed ukes hits a sweet spot for me. Nice harmonies. I would have loved to hear you pounding away on one of those log drums for percussion.

MC Paul Denyer: I’m sorry, I don’t even feel qualified to comment on something like this It sounds like I’ve got my car radio on and it’s on one of those frequencies that is picking up two stations at the same time and neither one of them very well. Definitely not for me.

Minty Handy: This is a pleasant enough song. Some reasonably clever lyrics. Good but not exactly rockin’ my world.

Ross Durand: Definitely a different use of the uke. I’m sure that you played every note in here but the repeating uke riff starts to come off as a loop to me. Especially after the other parts come in. The multiple parts twingin’ and twangin’ come off as kind of frenetic and unsettling. Maybe that’s what you intended. Harmonies seem a little off when they first come in. The voices a kind of wavery in that part. I’m not really connecting with the lyrics. I kind of wish I knew why you wanted to kick this person’s ass.

I rank ‘em like this

Caravan Ray
Minty Handy
Ross Durand
B. Ellison
MC Paul Denyer



Steve

I enjoyed all of these, even Mr. Denyer's double radio frequency experience. Tough vote! Count me in on kazoo fight, too!

I couldn't help but notice that Minty's intro melody sounds just like Glenn Cases "Glutton" intro melody.

Now that you said it, I can't see how I missed it, since I love Glenn's "Glutton." What makes it worse is that I had modified the melody because my original pass sounded too much like Brad Sucks' "Look and feel years younger"...so my apologies to Glenn and Brad, both of whom produce work that I dig more than anything* I've purchased from commercial vendors in the last few years, and who obviously have an influence on my work.

*except for "The Broken Record" by Twink; it's fantastic, and I highly recommend it.

sdurand wrote: I would have loved to hear you pounding away on one of those log drums for percussion

yes - that is lacking, but this was done generally late a night and loud banging wasn't really an option. (BTW, as a Kiribati song (sort of), the percussion used for a song like this should be several big blokes sitting around a large, wooden box, banging it with their hands, like this)

BLT wrote: Ray with the Polynesian story

Hate to be picky - but it's actually Micronesian

(though I guess when I posted the lyrics - I don't think I actually mentioned what language I was using (or abusing, to be more correct) - it's I-Kiribati. aslo known as Gilbertese.)

Pretty good small side fight.
Glad I didn’t record and submit the piece of shit song I was working on Wednesday night before quitting.
I voted for B Ellison, though it was the best overall song.

I though minty was going to kick ass in the uke, but he kept it pretty simple. Love the lyrics thought.
Caravan ray, good but a bit too long.
Denyer… odd and strange, but its your style.
Ross.. country uke.

I enjoyed all of them.

Caravan Ray wrote:

BLT wrote: Ray with the Polynesian story

Hate to be picky - but it's actually Micronesian

(though I guess when I posted the lyrics - I don't think I actually mentioned what language I was using (or abusing, to be more correct) - it's I-Kiribati. aslo known as Gilbertese.)

Actually you did mention the language, but they could be speaking Pekingese for all I know. What do I know, I'm just a seppo.