Monday 9 June 2014

'Dancing in the Dark' (Springsteen) Lightly Shuffled.

I've neglected my solo performing for the past couple of years, concentrating on group performances.
I like to keep around 30 to 40 songs in my head that I can play on request.

The list is quite a fluid thing with songs coming and going and there's a heavy rotation core of around 10 songs that I'm usually working on.

The list doesn't include my own songs.

Here's one that will probably stick in the list for a while:


I was reintroduced to this Bruce Springsteen song at the Littlehampton Ukulele Jam.
They were playing it in it's original key of G.
This meant the predominantly male voices were trying to do Paul Robeson impressions and the whole thing sounded like a dirge to me which, at that time, didn't really concern me much.

Later, at home, I started noodling about with the song and, using the chord shapes for the concert uke, played the song on my baritone uke which works out at a 5th below.
D in fact.
Turns out to be much easier to sing!

That was about 2 months ago.
I've been crushing it in to my head.
The chord sequence is quite simple compared to some of the Jazz tunes I've filed in the list, but the lyric scan is quite tricky in parts and getting that right took the time.

I played it 'out' in at the RAFA and The Old Barn open mic nights and I think I've managed to iron out all the wrinkles in it.

This version was a test of an iPad app called DAW.
As a studio package it's very basic... I like that!
The original track featuring the vocal and resonator uke was recored using a very old iPod then imported into DAW by means of a mind numbingly dull process.
I added a baritone uke and a bass line played on my broom pole and biscuit tin bass.


4 comments:

Banished To A Pompous Land said...

Well that was fun :-)

You know I've never been a fan of Broooooooce over the years and its always been a joke/bone of contention between me and Mrs B.

But we went to see him outdoors at Virginia Beach a few weeks back and he really does an astonishing live show. I mean hes 65! And he'd been on 2 1/2 hours when we left to avoid all the drunk drivers would be heading out at the end. And he was CROWD SURFING! As I said to Mrs. B one slip and there goes a hip!
Good new stuff too. I actually liked the new ones better than the oldies but then I'm difficult like that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81ZAzK7oYFY

OutaSpaceMan said...

While still not a fan of his 'style' at the 'Born in the USA' time, I realised what a great lyric writer BS was, and still is.

'The Ghost of Tom Joad' album made me re-evaluate my opinion.

Banished To A Pompous Land said...

Check recent live performances of The Ghost of Tom Joad with the guitarist from Rage Against the Machine. I still find a lot of his stuff annoying but I do like him when he's angry.

OutaSpaceMan said...

Thanks for the tip,
I'll go see what I can steal.
;-)