Ukulele Week: Day Three

Image stolen from Carol Lay


So someone in Wing A of either this floor or 3rd floor was playing their stereo really loudly a few afternoons ago while I was working on my paper. It wasn't all that bad; they were mostly playing the Bloodhound Gang and They Might Be Giants, so I could cope.

Then I finished my paper and got out the ukulele (must practice daily!). Coincidentally, this was about the time they ran out of TMBG MP3s and switched to...

...the Beach Boys!

YES

I had the Beach Boys directory of OLGA loaded before the first verse of "Surfin' USA" was through, and proceeded to "jam" along with their "hip" "tunes" somewhat "ineptly." It was pretty cool, actually.

They were playing really, really loudly so they did deserve this. I played as loudly as I could, and sometimes sang the chorus too. (I have a hard time playing and singing at the same time.)

I thought I was actually doing a fairly good job of being rhythm ukulele for the Beach Boys, but after four songs with accompaniment they opted to turn their stereo down and close their windows.

I had my blinds half-closed so they couldn't see where the ukulele groovin' was coming from, but I could hear the two of them debating sotto voce whether someone was playing along or if their speakers were busted. Then they wondered exactly what instrument that person was playing along with, and what exactly was wrong with said instrument.

Then they shut their windows and turned their stereo down.

In, I like to think, fear.




Perhaps counterintuitively, I have no Beach Boys songs for you.

I like to think that this is my best song. I didn't think I could sing Leslie Gore, but once I realized that I didn't have to sing in the same register she was, it got a lot easier. It's My Party, and it's 1.31 MB.

Unfortunately, this is my worst song: For Science, 1.15 MB. They Might Be Giants, won't you forgive me?

(Although next time we're spidered we'll probably start getting a lot of hits from people looking for They Might Be Giants MP3s, specifically ones from their online-only album Long Tall Weekend. Perhaps those people will be so frightened by my TMBG MP3 that they will cease their attempts to rip off John and John.

Not that I'm actually anti-online theft or anything. I just like it when we get search engine hits from lost people. Naked superheroes, porn bomb steal car stereos animals having sex? Shaving vulva ten things I hate about you!)

This last song is not so much a song as a service to other people forced to take English survey classes. It's a bit of a preview of the presentation I'm helping with this Thursday. Take that, Emily Dickinson! (363 KB)