thelostchordsblog

October 2022 Ceili

Dear Friends of the Lost Chords,

Great turnout last week at Florrie’s – 60 strummer and singers livened up Takapuna’s entertainment strip! And, wonderful to have Miguel and Elaine and the 4 To a Bar band performing that night – just like old times.

Our next Ceili is approaching – details are below. Keep practicing and enjoying making music with your Ukulele.

Date: Monday, October 17^th

Time: 7 – 9pm

Brackets: 4, 5, 9, 12

Location: Florrie McGreals

Address: 138 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna

BRACKET 4

Bracket 4 has a Bob Dylan favourite – I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight – a great number and, although only reaching No 24 on the US Top Billboard Charts in 1967, the later 1990 U2 version did make No 1 on the NZ Charts. Watch a live performance by Dylan at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHD_OAXl-ng. Note the steel guitar player at the beginning – the Steel, or Lap Guitar, is a six-string guitar, often on a stand with pedals. Happened to be the first musical instrument I learnt. The guitarist is Pete Drake, one of the most sought after backup musicians of the 1960s. The song was reportedly written for, and about, Joan Baez, although Dylan denied this. One commentator describes the lyrics as “sinister”, and all about control. He says “The narrator is far from being the ideal romantic lover. He’s domineering throughout. Just about everything he says is an instruction – ‘close your eyes’, ‘close the door’, ‘shut the light’”. When asked, Dylan says: “There’s not too much to say about this…maybe it was tongue in cheek, I don’t know. It’s just a simple song, a simple sentiment. I’d like to think it was written from a place where there is no struggle but I’m probably wrong…sometimes you may be burning up inside but still do something that seems so cool and calm and collected. Whatever the meaning, it’s a Lost Chords favourite.

Stray Cat Strut was released in 1981 by a US “Rockabilly’ band called Stray Cats. It wasn’t a great success. However, they later re-released it and it made it onto the Billboard Top 100 charts and peaked at No. 3. See the Stray Cats entertaining video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbAyj1h9vI0 One commentator writing about the song said “This song is about anarchy…he’s an anarchist and at some point he’s talking to other cats that wish they could be like him, but they have cat class and cat style, which means they are futile and materialist and they’re bound to it, so they can’t live in freedom…”. Someone responding to that analysis wrote: “Dude it’s about a stray cat, not anything else.” The music has also featured in several Disney film clips – I love this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrYlofQEnNk Whatever the song is about, we like playing it – so enjoy!

Bad Moon Rising is a song by John Fogerty, the lead singer in Creedence Clearwater Revival. Released in April 1969, the song peaked at No. 2 on the Top 100 and was CCRs second gold album hit. The song has been recorded by more than 20 artists in styles ranging from folk to psychedelic rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as No. 364 in its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. What’s it about? Reported in Rolling Stone in 2011, Fogerty said he wrote it after seeing a scene of a hurricane in the film The Devil and Daniel Webster. He said the song is about the apocalypse that is going to be visited upon us. The end of the 60s was a transitional time in America – not least for the members of Creedence Clearwater Revival. “At the start of 1969 we were walking the tightrope between fire and ice,” recalls John Fogerty. “We’d just put out Proud Mary, and in two weeks had gone from being one-hit wonders with the 1968 song, Suzie Q to being on our way up. I remembered one of my favourite old movies – a black-and-white 1941 film called The Devil And Daniel Webster, shot in that spooky, film noir way they did back then. It’s a classic tale where the main character, who’s down on his luck, meets the Devil and sells his soul to him. The scene I liked is where there’s a devastating hurricane; furniture, trees, houses, everything’s blowing around. That story and that look really stuck in my mind and they were the germ for the song. I don’t think I was actually saying the world was coming to an end,” Fogerty says, “but the song was a metaphor. I wasn’t just writing about the weather. The times seemed to be in turmoil. Martin Luther King and Robert F Kennedy had been assassinated. I knew it was a tumultuous time.” Listen to CCR at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUQiUFZ5RDw

BRACKET 5

Bracket 5 has Credence Clearwater Revival’s song Midnight Special – a traditional song thought to have originated amongst the slaves in the American South and one of the many folk music prison songs – an early printed version in 1905 of the lyrics has the words “Get up in the mornin’ when ding dong rings, Look at table — see the same damn thing” . The song was first recorded in 1925 and called “Pistol Pete’s Midnight Special”. Listen to the CCR at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T00eJSQimIk

El Condor Pasa, performed by Paul Simon, is an orchestral musical piece from the Zarzuela (a musical play or operetta) El Condor Pasa by the Peruvian composer Daniel Alomia Robles. It was written in 1913 and based on traditional Andean music from Peru. The operetta is about a group of Andean miners who are exploited by their boss. The condor that looks at them from the sky becomes the symbol of freedom for them to achieve. It has been estimated that 4000 versions of the melody have been produced, along with over 300 sets of lyrics. In 2004, Peru declared the song as part of their natural cultural heritage, and it is now considered the second national anthem of Peru. Simon and Garfunkel’s recording on their 1970 Bridge Over Troubled Water album is the best-known version. Hear the Los Incas version that Paul Simon originally heard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctny_PWpRTg and then Simon and Garfunkel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_k6SCfzyL0

One of Johnny Cash’s great songs in this bracket is Ring of Fire. The song doesn’t refer to the Pacific Basin volcano area, but a song about love. Like the previous song, there is a dispute about the authorship. Johnny Cash’s second wife (June Carter) claimed to write it (along with Merle Kilgour, an American singer and songwriter) as a song about her love for Johnny. This is strongly disputed by Cash’s first wife (Vivian Liberto) who said Johnny, while drugged and drunk, wrote the song referring to a certain piece of female anatomy. As a (?) funny aside, Merle Kilgour once proposed that the song be licensed as the theme music for Preparation H, a haemorrhoid cream! This never went ahead as the Cash family opposed this. The authorship still remains disputed. Maybe the words from the 1697 play The Mourning bride, by William Cosgrove say it all – “Heav’n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn’d, Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn’d.” Whoever wrote it, they did a great job, it’s a wonderful song! Here is an old video from 1968 of Johnny Cash https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It7107ELQvY

BRACKET 9

Leaving on a Jet Plane, a song written in 1967 by John Denver and most famously recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, became that trio’s most famous, and final, hit song, and was the only one of their songs to make No 1 on the Billboard Top 100 songs list. It also topped the charts in Canada, and was No. 2 in the UK. Hear them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc-7SnMnX78

Green, Green Grass of Home became a world-wide hit for Tom Jones in 1966. The beginning of the song talks about a man returning to the home of his youth, only to abruptly wake up from his dream and realise that he is still on death row and today he is to be executed, and his return home will be to be buried. The Joan Baez version of the song finishes as “Yes, we’ll all be together in the shade of the old oak tree/ When we meet beneath the green, green grass of home”.

Moving along, how times have changed, van Morrison’s song Brown Eyed Girl was considered too risqué to be played by some radio stations in the 1960s until words like “making love in the green grass” were removed. It has been listed as one of the top 100 tunes of the 20^th century. In his book Rock and Roll: The Best 100 Tunes, the music journalist Paul Williams said about the song – “I was going to say this is a song about sex, and it is, and a song about youth and growing up, and memory, and it’s also—very much and very wonderfully—a song about singing.”

BRACKET 12

With or Without You is a beautiful song recorded by U2. Hear them at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmSdTa9kaiQ U2 released the song in 1987 and in 2000, it was listed as No 8 in the industry magazine Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Pop Songs list. Lead vocalist Bono wrote the song during his first visit to Cote d’Azur in France in 1986. He describes a tortured relationship he can’t escape. At the time, he was struggling to reconcile his responsibilities as a married man and as a musician, and the conflict his musical life meant for his domestic life. He realised that neither role defined him, rather the tension between the two did. In 1987 he explained that everyone in the group knows what the line – “And you give yourself away” – means. He said “It’s about how I feel in U2 at times – exposed….. there’s a cost to my personal life”. While on that 1986 tour in the south of France, he wondered if domesticity would stand in the way of being an artist. He said “I was at least two people – the person who is so responsible, protective and loyal, and the vagrant and idler in me who just wants to run from responsibility. I thought these tensions were going to destroy me but actually, in truth, it is me. That tension, it turns out, is what makes me an artist”.

Another great song in Bracket 12 is First We Take Manhattan. It is a song written by the late Canadian singer-songwriter, Leonard Cohen, and originally recorded by American singer Jennifer Warnes in 1986. The song’s oblique lyric is suggestive of religious and apocalyptic themes, with references to meaningful birthmarks and signs in the sky. Coen explained the lyrics as: “I think it means exactly what it says. It’s a terrorist song – a response to terrorism. There is something about terrorism I’ve always admired – the fact that there are no alibis and no compromises”. An interesting insight into this great poet of our times. Why Manhattan – why Berlin? Germany generally, and Berlin specifically, has always been the place where new bands go in search of recognition. John Lennon once said that he was born in Liverpool “but grew up in Hamburg”. It is thought that “First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin” was said to Cohen by one of his early managers in mapping out a campaign to promote him. As for the rest of the words, there are rarely definite answers to anything Cohen wrote – one reviewer said “it is the purpose of poetry to invoke feelings and moods in people, even if the actual images conjured up vary from one person to another.” Whatever it means, it’s a great song, and one we enjoy performing.

Although most know this song as performed by the late Leonard Cohen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWXDKgjHEaI ), check out this great version by Jennifer Warnes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATQ91Lr0e4s

Walking on Sunshine is a songwritten by band member Kimberley Rew, for Katrina and the Waves 1983 debut album. It reached No. 4 in Australia, No. 9 in the USA, and No. 8 in the UK. Rew, when later interviewed said: “I’d love to say Walking on Sunshine relates to a single event in my life, but it’s just a piece of simple fun, and optimistic song, despite us not being outstandingly cheery people. We were a typical young band, insecure and pessimistic. We didn’t have big hair and didn’t look anything like a Motown-influenced group. We didn’t have any credibility or a fanbase in awe of our mystique. We were a second-on-the-bill-at-a-festival-in-Germany pop band. But we had this song!”. Hear Katrina and the Waves at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPUmE-tne5U

Lots to practice – get strumming!!

The Lost Chords

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video Stray Cats – Stray Cat Strut (Official Video)

Stray Cats – Stray Cat Strut (Official Video)Preview YouTube video Disney Cats Stray Cat Strut Music VideoDisney Cats Stray Cat Strut Music Video Preview YouTube video Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising (Official Lyric Video)Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising (Official Lyric Video)Preview YouTube video Los Incas ***El condor pasa 1963 VERSION ORIGINALELos Incas ***El condor pasa 1963 VERSION ORIGINALE Preview YouTube video El Condor Pasa LYRICS VIDEO Simon & Garfunkel : (El Condor Pasa 1970)El Condor Pasa LYRICS VIDEO Simon & Garfunkel : (El Condor Pasa 1970)Preview YouTube video “Baby, baby, baby, baby, don’t refuse me” Leonard Cohen’s Early Version Of First We Take Manhattan”Baby, baby, baby, baby, don’t refuse me” Leonard Cohen’s Early Version Of First We Take Manhattan Preview YouTube video Jennifer Warnes – First We Take ManhattanJennifer Warnes – First We Take Manhattan Preview YouTube video Katrina & The Waves – Walking On Sunshine (Official Music Video)Katrina & The Waves – Walking On Sunshine (Official Music Video)

We’re back! June & July 2022 Ceili

Dear Friends of the Lost Chords,

What a great night out at Florrie McGuires last week!!! And, what a venue – we felt wonderful playing in a ‘real pub’. The owners have done a very good job of their renovations, and the layout works. Speaking of the owners – a big thank you to Helen and her team for making us feel so welcomed. And a big thank you to everyone of the 72 ‘Friends’ who turned out on the night.

The next Ceili details are:

Date: Monday July 25, 2022 (1 week later due to school holidays)

Time: 7 – 9pm

Brackets: 8, 10, 16, 19

Address: 27-33 Ohinerau Street, Remuera

Don’t forget to email Brad (bbridges3107@gmail.com) if you wish to entertain us with an Open Mike contribution.

Some background to the songs:

BRACKET 8

Mustang Sallyis an R&B song written by and first recorded by Mack Rice in 1965, but gained a greater following when released a year later by Wilson Pickett. The song apparently started as a joke when singer Della Reese wanted a new Ford Mustang. Rice called the earlier version of the song, Mustang Mama but changed the title after Aretha Franklin suggested Mustang Sally. One way-out theory about the song is that the chorus line is derived from Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar because of the words “ride Messala ride” in the final act – methinks a big leap in interpretation.Listen to Wilson Pickett at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1FRrZD2y9Y

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow was written by Carol King and her then husband, Gerry Goffin. They had it recorded by the Shirelles and it became No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 chart. It was the first song by an African-American all-girl group to become a No. 1 hit in the US. It’s a benignly sexual song with the singer wondering what will happen the day after an encounter with her man. Although meeting some resistance from radio stations, it not enough to stop it from becoming a huge hit, selling over a million copies. The origin of the song is that the Shirelles needed a follow-up to their minor 1960 hit “Tonight’s the Night”, which saw lead vocalist Shirley Owens torn over a lover’s offer to “turn the lights down low” and make her “feel all aglow/ Well I don’t know . . . You might break my heart.” Goffin and King were so excited about writing for the group, they continued the narrative. King wrote the melody in an afternoon, then left to play mah-jong with a friend, leaving a note for her husband near the tape recorder reading: “Please write.” “I listened to it a few times,” Goffin told King’s biographer, Sheila Weller, “then I put myself in the place of a woman — yes, it was sort of autobiographical. I thought: what would a girl sing to a guy if they made love that night?” In just a few simple lines, Goffin is described as “nailed the insecurities of a new generation of sexually liberated women”. He wrote for a voice that was confident and vulnerable in equal measure: “So tell me now and I won’t ask again/ Will you still love me tomorrow?” The Shirelles originally thought the song sounded “too country” for their urban, R & B style, but were won over by the addition of a dramatic string section. Listen to the Shirelles at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnPlJxet_ac and for something different, a later version by co-writer Carol King and James Taylor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSJ3dOn1dFg

BRACKET 10

How many of the “older” members remember when they learnt to dance the Rock n’ Roll routines? What about the Twist as performed by the great Chubby Checker? So, lets get moving folks! One, two, three o’clock, four o’clock rock – are you ready to rock n’ roll? Rock Around the Clock is the first number in the bracket. Rock Around the Clock is a rock and roll song in the 12-bar blues format written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers in 1952. The best-known and most successful version was recorded by Bill Haley & His Comets in 1954. It was a number one single on both the United States and United Kingdom charts and also re-entered the UK Singles Chart in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2018, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, and artistically significant”. Rock Around the Clock is often cited as the biggest-selling vinyl rock and roll single of all time. The exact number of copies sold has never been audited; however, a figure of at least 25 million was cited by the Guinness Book of World Records. Listen to Bill Haley and the Comets at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgdufzXvjqw

The most famous version of Barbara Ann was released as a cover by the Beach Boys in 1965. It rapidly rose to No. on the charts. So, was Barbara Ann a real person? She was. Fred Fassert wrote the song in 1958, titling the song after his little sister, Barbara Ann Fassert. Fred’s brother Charles was a member of the group The Regents so the song was given to them. They recorded the song as a demo in 1958 but the song laid around so long, the group broke up. After their 1961 breakup, Gee Records released the song as BARBARA-ANN and it became the first of two chart singles for the group – not too bad for a group that didn’t exist anymore. Jan & Dean recorded the song in 1962 as an album track which helped inspire the Beach Boys to record their version for the album “Beach Boys Party!” in 1965; Dean was down the hall in another studio and came down to the Beach Boys recording session. He wound up sharing falsetto vocals with Brian Wilson on the song and is actually more prominent on the single than Brian (at the end of the album version, you can hear Brian’s brother Carl shout “thanks, Dean”). Listen to the Beach Boys at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPRonG87eKw

The bracket finishes with Good Golly, Miss Molly – a big hit for Little Richard in 1956. When asked by a journalist about the origin of the song, Little Richard once said that by “to ball” he meant to dance and have fun as one does at a ball or in a ballroom, and “rockin’ and rollin’” could be interpreted that way. However, he added, both “balling” and “rocking and rolling” are also slang terms for sex. Whatever the meanings and innuendos, it’s a favourite of ours. Here is Little Richard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ6akiGRcL8

BRACKET 16

Sweet Caroline is a song written and performed by American artist, Neil, Diamond, and released in June 1969. The song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified as Gold in the same year. In 2013, the song was played at a tribute for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. Diamond announced that all royalties for the song are going to a fund to help those most affected by that tragedy. There has been some mystery as to who Caroline is. For years the lore has been that Neil Diamond’s 1969 song “Sweet Caroline” was an ode to Caroline Kennedy, the then young daughter of late president John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline. In a 2007 interview Diamond acknowledged this. However, in 2014, the singer revealed the truth behind the hit. “I was writing a song in Memphis, Tennessee, for a session. I needed a three-syllable name,” Diamond said during an interview. “The song was about my wife at the time — her name was Marsha — and I couldn’t get a ‘Marsha’ rhyme.”

Hear an early version of the great Neil Diamond at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vhFnTjia_I

Reason to Believeis a song written and recorded in 1965 by the late American folk singer Tim Hardin. Hardin was once described by Bob Dylan as the ‘greatest songwriter alive’. Although achieving limited success, including his performance of the song at Woodstock, the song had greater appeal in the versions by The Carpenters and by Rod Stewart. This was true of one of Hardin’s other great hits – it was the version of If I Were a Carpenter by Bobby Darin that was the success. Hardin had a tragic life – addicted to heroin, he went to the UK to undertake a ‘cure’ regime that involved the use of barbiturates to overcome the initial withdrawal, which resulted in him having an addiction to barbiturates. He died in 1980 at the age of 39 from a heroin overdose. The song was once described as a “melancholic beauty, sung by Hardin in dejected tones that suggest he’s likely to fall again for the deceptive ploys of the girl he’s in love with”. In the song he walks that fine line between sacrifice and self-destruction. The song suggestions – Still I look to find a reason to believe – that’s he is about to cross over that line. Hear Tim Hardin at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bW6VZi0ICs and for something different, listen to Rod Stewart and his gravelly voice at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJylcQ7CGfI

Lazin’ on a Sunny Afternoon was written by Ray Davies of The Kinks. Like the Beatles anti-establishment tax song ‘Taxman’ (‘If you walk the street, they’ll tax your feet’), Sunny Afternoon is also a protest song at the high levels of progressive tax taken by the British Labour government of Harold Wilson. The lyrics ‘Ah, save me, save me, save me from this squeeze, I gotta big fat mama trying to break me’, were explained by Ray Davies in Q magazine in 2016 as “My mother was quite large. But that also alludes to the government, the British Empire, trying to break people. And they’re still doing it … How are we going to get out of this f—ing mess?” Hear The Kinks at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYIl6n_SRCI

BRACKET 19

This bracket has one of the big-time Ukulele songs – Somewhere over the Rainbow and What a Wonderful World. The first song was a ballad composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg for the film The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland and sung by her in the film. It won the Academy Award for the best original song and became Garland’s signature song. See Judy in the 1939 film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW2QZ7KuaxA

What a Wonderful World is a pop ballad written by Bob Thiele and George Weiss, and was first recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1967. Hear Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yCcXgbKrE The combination these two songs was made famous by the Hawaiian singer, Israel Kamakawio’le. A large man (at one stage, 343 kg), his name translates to ‘The Fearless-Eyed Man’. The medley was released on the 1993 Facing Future album, the all-time most popular album of Hawaiian music. Sadly, he died at the age of 38 in 1997. Hear his classic performance at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

We finish the night with another big-time favourite – The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Written by Robbie Robinson, and released in 1969 by the Canadian roots rock group, The Band, the song is on Rolling Stone magazine’s top 500 list, Pitchfork Media’s 42nd best song of the 1960’s, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s ‘500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll’ list, and Time magazines All-Time 100 list – some accolades!!!! The song is a first-person narrative of the social and economic distress experienced by those in the Confederate States – the South, popularly known as Dixie. Although it was a huge hit for The Band, it had its biggest success with the Joan Baez cover in 1971. It became a gold record and this version was used on the soundtrack of the 2017 film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The Band recording is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jREUrbGGrgM and the later one by Joan Baez at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnS9M03F-fA

So, get practicing and we look forward to another fun night.

The Lost Chords

2021 July Ceili

Hi Friends,

Great night last week at the Catnappers Arms in Takapuna – about 95 ‘Lost Chords Groupies’ were there strumming’ and singin’ away. Also, for the first time for a long time – Open Mike performers – thank you to the duo and to Max’s group who performed. Get practicing the rest of you – you can do it!

The next Ceili is at The Remuera Club – details are:

Date: Monday, July 26th

Time: 7 – 9pm

Brackets: 1, 6, 12, and 19

Location: The Remuera Club

Address: 27-33 Ohinerau Street, Remuera

BRACKET 1

Out very first bracket as The Lost Chords – almost 10 years ago – all good golden oldies in this bracket!

Jambalaya (On the Bayou) is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Hank Williams and was first released in July 1952, not long before his death at age 29. The song is named for a Creole and Cajun dish, jambalaya. If you are so inclined, have a go at making Jambalaya – see https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1167651/chicken-and-chorizo-jambalaya So, who is Yvonne in the song? He references Yvonne in the song as his “ma cher amio”. This is Cajun French for “my good friend” or “my dear” and more likely means “my girlfriend or fiancée.” Williams did a follow-up song about Yvonne called “I’m Yvonne of the Bayou”. I think one of the great covers of Jambalaya was by the Credence Clearwater Revival – have a listen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrUmGakCRdE

Dirty Old Town is a song written by Euan MacColl in 1949 and recorded by many groups, including the Dubliners and the Pogues. It’s a song about about Salford, Lancashire, England, in the city where MacColl was born and brought up. The words talk about the gasworks and also the old canal, which was the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal. There is a line in the original version about smelling a spring on “the Salford wind” is sometimes sung as “the sulphured wind”. Hear the Pogues version at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMMgIqW9vso

That’s Amore, is a 1953 song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Jack Brooks, and became a major hit and signature song for Dean Martin. The song was nominated for the Academy Award for best original song that year. Martin’s Italian heritage comes through in the film and the song – he was born Dino Paul Crocetti in Ohio, the son of Italian immigrants. See Dean singing this in the film “Occhio alla palla” (The Caddy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFSv-tq5GAY . For those who can remember, Dean’s many-time film partner, Jerry Lewis, is also in this clip.

BRACKET 6

An ABBA song is in this bracket – we must do some more ABBA – WATCH THIS SPACE – COMING SOON TO A CEILI NEAR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!. I Have a Dream came out in December 1979 and became a big hit in many countries. This song of hope features a large childrens’ choir making it the only ABBA song with additional vocalists. At one level, it was performed as a children’s song exploring some Scandinavian mythology. At another level some commentators say the song has a much deeper meaning. The reference to “If you believe in angels”, probably follows that you believe in life after death. Crossing the stream is a euphemism for dying, like ‘crossing over’, ‘going over to the other side’, etc. It comes from Greek mythology – the river Styx. (‘Stream’ rhymes with ‘dream’, but ‘river’ doesn’t!)

Also, several hymns talk about ‘the narrow stream that divides us’, or a similar phrase. Spiritual people also talk about the way that in our dreams we sometimes travel to the spirit world and meet our loved ones that have gone ahead of us. But, like the effect of the river Styx, we mostly forget what has happened when we awake, just as we forget our life in spirit when we incarnate on earth. Whatever interpretation you put on it, it’s a great song. Hear ABBA at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HMjOiHqE18

Walk Right In is the title of a country blues song written by Gus Cannon and originally recorded by his band, the Jug Stompers (great name!), in 1929. It much later became a hit when released by the Rooftop Singers in 1963 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hpPuFnq85A ). Note the two 12 string guitars in the video – one a left-hand guitar made especially for the recording by the Gibson Guitar Company. The success of the song, thirty-four years after Gus Cannon’s for release, was a boon for him. Then in his 70s, he had to pawn his banjo the previous year to pay his heating bill. He now received the royalties he deserved. Helped by the Rooftop Singers’ version appearing in the soundtrack to Tom Hank’s film, Forrest Gump.

Proud Mary was written by Credence Clearwater Revival member, John Fogerty. Initially, the song was nothing about a riverboat, rather Fogerty had the imagery of a woman who worked as a maid for rich people. Fogerty had been drafted into the Army and the day he was released from the military, he read his letter that said ‘Honourable Discharge’ and thought “But this is 1968 and people are still dying!” He went inside his house, picked up his guitar and strummed “Left a good job in the city”, added the minor chord where it says “Big wheel keep on turnin’”. He said “By the time I hit ‘Rolling, rolling, rolling down the river’, I knew I had written my best song.” So, why a name like Credence Clearwater Revival (CCR). The band was originally called The Golliwogs and were asked by their recording studio owner to change the name. When interviewed 20 years later, band members said the name came together from Fogerty’s friend Credence (CCR added the extra ‘e’), a TV commercial for the Olympia Brewing Company (this was the ‘clear water’), and the four band members renewed commitment to their band. Its fifty years ago this year that CCR released this song at Woodstock, so its timely that we give it another run. Hear CCR at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfyEpmQM7bw and a fabulous version by the great Tina Turner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2T5_seDNZE

BRACKET 12

King of the Road, first recorded in 1964, was an international hit the following year for Rodger Miller. The story tells of the day-to-day life of a vagabond hobo who, despite being poor (“a man means by no means”) revels in his freedom, describing himself as “King of the road”. Miller was on tour in 1964 and saw a sign “Trailers for sale or rent”. He then bought a statue of a Hobo and, according to him, looking at this inspired the rest of the song. Listen to the original at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HBQFjoqDYE

Released in 2012, Ho Hay is a song by the American rock band The Lumineers, and reached No 1 on the Billboard for 18 weeks. Written by the lead vocalist Wesley Schultz and band member Jeremiah Fraites, the song is said to poke a stick at disinterested concert-goers. Schultz said “the song was an effort to get under people’s skin at shows in Brooklyn, where everyone is pretty indifferent. I figured if we could punctuate it with shouts, we might get someone’s attention” – nothing like the Claddagh audiences!!!! Listen to the Lumineers at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvCBSSwgtg4

We finish the bracket with Ghost Riders in the Sky tells a folk tale of a cowboy who has a vision of red-eyed, steel-hooved cattle thundering across the sky, being chased by the spirits of damned cowboys. One warns him that if he does not change his ways, he will be doomed to join them, forever “trying to catch the Devil’s herd across these endless skies”. The song was written and originally recorded by Stan Jones in 1948. Jones was a forest ranger who wrote songs on the side. Jones said he had been told the story when he was 12 years old by an old cowboy friend. The legend is based on a true story, known as the Stampede Mesa, which happened in Crosby County, Texas. One night a cowboy, leading a large heard of cattle, caused the herd to stampede, which resulted in the death of hundreds of cattle and a number of cowboys and their horses. All cattle drives from then on avoided that part of Texas.

More than 50 performers have recorded versions of the song. Charting versions were recorded by The Outlaw, Vaughn Monroe (“Riders in the Sky” with orchestra and vocal quartet), which topped the Billboard magazine charts, by Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Marty Robbins, The Rams, Johnny Cash and Spike Jones and his City Slickers. There is some dispute about which tune the song is based on. Some believe the melody is based on the song When Johnny Comes Marching Home, and others think it’s based on an old Irish song called Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye. Hear Johnny Cash at:

BRACKET 19

This bracket has one of the big-time Ukulele songs – Somewhere over the Rainbow and What a Wonderful World. The first song was a ballad composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg for the film The Wizard of Oz staring Judy Garland and sung by her in the film. It won the Academy Award for the best original song and became Garland’s signature song. See Judy in the 1939 film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW2QZ7KuaxA

So, get going in the practicing department and we will see you all at The Remuera Club on July 26.

May 2021 Ceili

Dear Friends of the Lost Chords,

We made it!! We actually had a gig and met up with many of our old friends – in fact 75 of you. Thank you all for turning out at The Catnappers Arms in Takapuna – lots of great singing and strumming. The next Ceili will be back at The Remuera Club.

Date: Monday, May 17th

Time: 7 – 9pm

Brackets: 14, 15, 17, and 21 (new NZ Bracket you can find it in Song Brackets)

Location: The Remuera Club

Address: 27-33 Ohinerau Street, Remuera

Remember: The bubble has burst and our cuzzies from Oz are flooding in!Keep recording those QR Codes!!! The use of them has dropped off hugely since we went to Level 1 but they are one of the really effective means we have for contact tracing. Also, lots of effective hand washing, social distancing where you can, masks on public transport please, and, lastly, got the sniffles – stay home and get a test!!!

Thank you all for the wonderful gold coin donations at the Ceili – awesome!!! A very nice lady at the last Ceili suggested that we make an account number available for those of you who would like to make a donation but did not have any cash on you at the Ceili, for those of you who would like to, you can make a donation to this account – B Bridges, 38-9010-0136252-09, Ref your name. Thanks in advance.

Don’t forget to email Brad if you wish to entertain us with an Open Mike contribution.

Here is some background to some of the songs for the next Ceili.

BRACKET 14

A great song by John Denver Back Home Again, was released in 1974. This was a big hit for Denver, topping several Country and Popular song charts. The song is thought to refer to the loneliness of the long-distance truck driver. He said he wrote this song to express the joy of returning to a comforting environment near all of your loved ones after a long, hard time away from home. He admits that the simple things in life are the best things, and that there’s no place like home. Hear him at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1aRS1kY6CA

Much is being said at this time about kindness, and it is fitting that we can include Glen Campbells great hit Try a Little Kindness. A song written by Curt Sapaugh and Bobby Austin, it became a big hit for Campbell and peaked on three separate music charts. Listen to the words at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX7NNMKBPsw

As Tears Go By is a song written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Oldham. As Tears Go By was one of the first original compositions by Jagger and Richards, as until that point The Rolling Stones had chiefly been performing blues standards. A story surrounding the song’s genesis has it that Rolling Stones manager Andrew Oldham locked Jagger and Richards in a kitchen in order to force them to write a song together, even suggesting what type of song he wanted: “I want a song with brick walls all around it, high windows and no sex.” The result was initially named “As Time Goes By” – Jagger ‘borrowed’ the title of the song Dooley Wilson sings in the film Casablanca. Oldham who replaced “Time” with “Tears”. “We thought, what a terrible piece of tripe. We came out and played it to Andrew [Oldham], and he said ‘It’s a hit.’ We actually sold this stuff, and it actually made money. Mick and I were thinking, this is money for old rope!” Oldham subsequently gave the ballad (a format that the Stones were not yet known for) to Marianne Faithfull, then 17, for her to record as a B-side. It is sometimes said that the song was written as an answer to the Beatles’ “Yesterday”, a strings-driven ballad that became one of the band’s biggest hits in 1965. However, this is false: “As Tears Go By” was written at least one year before “Yesterday” ‘s parent album, Help!, was even released. Hear the Rolling Stones on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUItFzV17EU and Marianne Faithfull at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjFNc4j4VZE

BRACKET 15

Mamma’s Got a Squeezebox by The Who from their album The Who by Numbers. Written by Pete Townshend, the lyrics are couched in sexual double entendres.

Squeeze Box was a commercial success, peaking at No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 16 in the US Billboard Hot 100. The song is also their only international number-one hit, reaching No. 1 in Canada, and No. 2 on the Irish singles chart. Here them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXoxH8HI7z8

Dancing in the Dark, written and performed by American rock singer Bruce Springsteen, spent four weeks at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over one million singles in the U.S. It was the first single released from his 1984 album Born in the U.S.A., became his biggest hit and helped to propel the album to become the best-selling album of his career. There have been many covers including Tina Turner, The Shadows, Downtown Boys, and Kermit the Frog!

After a major argument with his manager, Springsteen went home and wrote Dancing in the Dark that same night. He wrote about the difficulties of being an artist (“check my look in the mirror, I wanna change my clothes, my hair my face”), the pressures of commercial success and the line between maintaining his artistic integrity. He is saying it’s impossible to just click a producer’s fingers and get a hit.

“Can’t start a fire… can’t start a fire without a spark”
“This gun’s for hire, even if we’re just dancing in the dark”

He’s saying ‘you need a creative spark to be creative, not somebody ordering you to be creative’ and ‘you can ask for a hit, and pay me for a hit, but it doesn’t mean I’ll write a hit. I need a creative spark to write a hit, not the orders of my producer.’

Hear this fabulous song at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=129kuDCQtHs

BRACKET 17

Queens Crazy Little Thing Called Love was written by the late Freddie Mercury in 1979 as a tribute to Elvis Presley. He has been quoted as saying about the song: “It took me five or ten minutes. I did that on the guitar, which I can’t play for nuts, and in one way it was quite a good thing because I was restricted, knowing only a few chords. I couldn’t work through too many chords and because of that restriction I wrote a good song, I think.” Sing along with Queen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO6D_BAuYCI

Crocodile Rock, famously written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and performed by Elton John in 1972, became his first USA No. 1 single. It also topped the Canadian charts. Influenced from many sources, and the cause of copyright violation law suits, Elton John said of it: “I wanted it to be a record about all the things I grew up with. Of course, it’s a rip-off, it’s derivative in every sense of the word”. His co-composer, Bernie Taupin, said of it: It was a funny song in that I didn’t mind creating it, but it wouldn’t be something I’d listen to; it was simply something fun at the time.” Listen to a very young Elton at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Ta0qCG8No However, for all you Muppets fans, check out Elton on The Muppet Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji6qM1-NJ_0

Also in this Bracket 17 is The Stones Paint It Black. The official recording is worth a listen to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4irXQhgMqg Released in 1966, the song reached No 1 in the US and the UK. The song’s lyrics are meant to describe bleakness and depression and describe the extreme grief suffered by one stunned by the sudden and unexpected loss of wife, lover or partner. The words “I see lines of cars and they’re all painted black” refers to the hearse and the limos. Mick Jagger apparently took inspiration from the novelist James Joyce’s 1922 book Ulysses. The fourth line of the first verse “I have to turn my head until my darkness goes” refers to the novels theme of a worldwide view of desperation and desolation. Very sombre!!!

BRACKET 21

The first of (hopefully) several new brackets for 2021! Information about the songs next time.

Get practicing – see y’all on May 17 at the Remuera Club.

The Lost Chords

St Patrick’s Day Hooley

The Catnappers Arms people, who also own Florrie McGreal’s will be having a Hooley on the 17th. See poster below for more information.

March Ceili Cancelled

Dear Friends of the Lost Chords

“There is nothing certain but the uncertain.”

Our current uncertainty about holding Ceili’s evolves around, “when will we move to level 1?” Level 1 means we can safely have Ceili’s, and, as part of the event, enjoy the catering offerings of the Remuera Club and the Catnappers Arms.

Given that we can’t predict when a change down to Level 1 will be permitted, we have reluctantly decided to cancel our Ceili scheduled for next Monday (March 15th).

What will help give some certainty is if everyone is following the rules – if feeling unwell, get advice; have a Covid-19 test; self-isolate pending the result, and masks!!! and social distancing!!! Remember, isolating at home means you can still practice your songs for the next Ukulele Ceili!

We hope that the next Ceili will be:

Monday, April 12th at the Catnappers Arms, Takapuna

Brackets: 2, 13, 18, 19

Hang in there – we will be together soon. Until then:

“Because life is uncertain, eat dessert first”

Brad, Peter, Ligi, Clare, Vanessa, Ritchie

February 2021 Ceili Reminder

Dear Friends of the Lost Chords,

Ra Hari Waitangi – Happy Waitangi Day

Hope that you have had some time relaxing to celebrate this important day.

It’s only a week to go to our first Ceili for 2021 – our 10^th year!!! Hopefully this year we will get together every month for strummin’ and singin’ and lots of fun.

We hope to be able to be using our new sound system at this Ceili and look forward to feedback from the 50 or 60 sound engineers in the audience . Seriously, we do want to provide the best experience for you, and we are sure this new gear will be an improvement on what we have had. The Remuera Club will have their usual bar service and buffet meal, so come along early to enjoy their hospitality. Also, as we don’t have an EFTPOS machine (joke!) a couple of coins rattling in your pocket and making their way into the Koha bucket, will be greatly appreciated.

Ceili details are:

Date: Monday, February 15th

Time: 7 – 9pm

Brackets: 2, 13, 18, 19

Address: The Remuera Club

27-33 Ohinerau Street, Remuera

Get practicing, and we look forward to getting together for the first time in 2021.

A new special Bracket 13 has been added to our song bracket list with Poi E in it. Please download it for your use.

The Lost Chords

February 2021 Ceili

Dear Friends of the Lost Chords,

What a great end-of-year function we had three weeks ago at the Catnappers Arms – best count we have for the night was 105 people. It was great to see the bearded ol’ fella in the red suit – apparently he was found wandering down Hurstmere Rd with a ukulele under arm looking for a place to play! Also, a big thank you to the contributors to the Koha Bucket, and to the management of the Catnappers Arms – we have been able to purchase a new sound system and, all going well, it will be in use for the February Ceili.

Details of our first 2021 event are:

Date: Monday, February 15th

Time: 7 – 9pm

Brackets: 2, 13, 18, 19

Address: The Remuera Club

27-33 Ohinerau Street, Remuera

BRACKET 2

Just about my all-time favourite is in this bracket – Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. The song is about a love that has soured and gone stale. In his work, Cohen has several areas of religious imagery – e.g.: “You saw her bathing on the roof, her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you” – refers to Bathsheba, who tempted the King to kill her husband so he could have her. “She tied you to her kitchen chair, she broke your throne and she cut your hair” – talks about Delilah, who cut off Sampson’s hair that held his superhuman strength. Whatever the metaphors and imagery, it’s a great song. Whatever the metaphors and imagery, it’s a great song. Other than the great versions by Leonard Cohen and Jeff Buckley, I couldn’t resist collecting a few other versions. One of my all-time favourite “Popera” groups, Il Divo, does it like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueZ3i6Rqqo8 . A group with a difference – The Canadian Tenors – has that slight Celtic sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wllPTTIi1GY Its often been sung on shows like UK Idol and American Idol. This is one of the most emotional versions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO-abUhL_Ws . I’ll stop now! Lastly, and for all the romantics among us, this version of the wedding group singing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyMqnJ0Mk8c

Light My Fire is a song by the Doors, which was recorded in August 1966 and released in January 1967 on their self-titled debut album. Released as an edited single on April 24, 1967, it spent three weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late July. A year later, it re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 following the success of José Feliciano’s version of the song (which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard chart), peaking at number 87. The song was largely written by the band’s guitarist Robby Krieger, and was credited to the entire band. The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in September 1967 for 500,000 units shipped. As of December 1971, it was the band’s best-selling single; with over 927,000 copies sold. The song is ranked at number 35 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Robby Krieger, the Doors guitarist, wanted to write about one of the elements: fire, air, earth, and water. He recalled to Uncut magazine: “I was living with my parents in Los Angeles. I asked my friend Jim what should I write about?” He said: “Something universal, which won’t disappear in two years from now. Something that people can interpret themselves.’ I picked ‘fire’ to write about, as I loved the Stones song, ‘Play with Fire’, and that’s how that came about.” A ‘darker view’ of the meaning has been offered as: ‘the metaphor explicit with the line “And our love become a funeral pyre.” Kreiger uses the image of fire here and in the chorus to express the duality of passion and destruction, two impulses which in fact have much in common. But rather than a violent destruction, his words appear to be a more nirvana-like and ascendant end, declaring, though he says it is a lie, “we couldn’t get much higher,” and evokes the image of his ashes blowing away in the smoke. It may also be seen as a commentary on the hopeless entanglement of love, sex and death in romance. One commenter remarks the lyrics remind him of a lover’s joint suicide, like a willing Romeo and Juliet. The glamour of death lends Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers their place in our hearts, and the same may be said of Morrison himself, whose tragically young end has made him a sex god, immortal in the same way he seems to dream of becoming in this song. Heavy stuff!!! – a bit too much for my simple mind! Check out the Doors version at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq8k-ZbsXDI However, the best, in my humble opinion, is the version by Jose Feliciano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKn446XQ3G0

Down on the Corner is a song by the American band Creedence Clearwater Revival. It appeared on their million seller fourth studio album, Willy and the Poor Boys (1969). The song peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 20 December 1969. This song tells the story of a fictional jug band, Willy and the Poor Boys. They were street musicians “playing for nickels, can’t be beat”. The album is on Rolling Stones top 500 albums of all times. Hear CCR at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clJb4zx0o1o

BRACKET 13

In this bracket is that crowd-pleaser fav – that iconic song made famous by the Patea Maori Club – Poi E. The song was written by Ngoi Pēwhairangi with the intention of promoting Maori ethnic pride amongst young Maori, and with the music scored by that legend of New Zealand music, Dalvanius Prime. The song soared to No. 1 on the New Zealand charts in 1984 and, thanks to Vodafone using it in an advertisement, re-entered the charts in 2009 and, again in 2010 when it was featured in the film Boy. Poi E is the only New Zealand song to hit the top charts in three different decades. Have a listen on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQLUygS0IAQ

April Sun in Cuba is a song released in 1977 by NZ group Dragon. The members of the rock band lived the stereotypic Rock ‘n Roll lifestyle. After finding success in Australia in 1976, they overindulged in drugs and alcohol, trashed hotel rooms, and crashed cars. Two band members died from drug overdoses, including Paul Hewson, who co-wrote April Sun in Cuba with singer Marc Hunter. When interviewed for Australian TV about this song they said they were in the middle of a dreary Melbourne winter and fantasized about a holiday in the sun. Cuba was the first place they thought of so it got the nod. There are references to Castro & JFK but the song isn’t political, it is simply about escapism. The song reached number 2 on the Australian music charts and number 9 in New Zealand on the NZ Singles Chart. Join Dragon live at the Sale Bar Auckland on January 2010 for TV’3’s @ Seven show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyj9e0rnOxw

BRACKET 18

One of my favourites is in this bracket – Walk of Life by Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler wrote this song to celebrate the street buskers of London, hence the references to “Be-Bop-a-Lula” and “What’d I Say,” two standards that might be part of a singer’s repertoire in the mid-’80s. He later said the idea for the song had been inspired by a photograph and Cajun-style accordion. “I saw a photograph of a kid playing a guitar in a subway, turning his face to the wall to get a good reverb,” Knopfler said. “When I started playing the guitar, because I didn’t have an amplifier, I’d put the head of the guitar on the arm of a chair and put my head on the guitar to try and get into a loud noise. It kinda reminded me of that, I suppose.”. “I’d been influence a little bit here and there by Cajun music,” Knopfler continued. “Actually there was a Cajun version, a Louisiana version, by someone. Really, all I was trying to imitate with that Farfisa (organ) riff, it’s really like accordion. If you substitute (the Farfisa for) accordion, it’s Cajun-style.” Listen to them at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd9TlGDZGkI

My other big favourite in this bracket is Gutter Black by Hello Sailor – a New Zealand pop/rock band originally formed in 1975. Although the band formally disbanded in 1980 after just two albums, they have continued to sporadically reunite during the years since; recording a further four albums and performing numerous live tours and appearances. It’s a great song and made even greater by being the theme song to that wonderful TV series – Outrageous Fortune. Gutter Black features what composer Dave McArtney called the band’s trademark “whiteman’s attempt to play that ska rocksteady beat” — plus the distinctive sound of amped-up drums and handclaps. The song was originally titled ‘Sickness Benefit’, with lyrics mentioning “dole bludgers living in Ponsonby”. In his 2014 book Gutter Black, McArtney wrote “It was the drum sound in Gutter Black that caused the ears of radio to prick up … The loping feel, with no glue in the form of a steady eight-note pattern to glue all the ingredients together, was an almost pagan disregard for musical convention.” Hear them at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8X_lytyYm4

Hey Soul Sister, a great song performed by Train, and released on their album Save Me, San Francisco in 2009. It topped the charts and was the top selling tune in iTunes in 2010 and earned Train a Grammy Award. In talking about the accompaniment, lead guitarist Jimmy Stafford said: “At first, I tried to do it using a guitar pick, and it didn’t sound right. I had to go online and Google a Ukulele lesson, and noticed they’re not using picks at all, it’s more of a flamenco style. Once I got that down, it was more of the real deal”. What is Hey Soul Sister about? Stafford says it was inspired by the annual Burning Man Festival held in the Nevada Dessert. He said that “thousands and thousands of people go there every year. They build a huge man and burn it at the end of the festival. People go naked and all of these beautiful women dancing around the fire. I guess it’s a total crazy deal”. The festival is north of Reno and a temporary city – Black Rock City – is built every year. The festival started out in San Francisco in 1986 and is about exploring artistic forms of self-expression. Attendance is now nearly 100,000. The 2019 event will run from August 25 to September 2 if anyone is interested in going. Hear Train, with song great Ukulele playing at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVpv8-5XWOI

BRACKET 19

This bracket has one of the big-time Ukulele songs – Somewhere over the Rainbow and What a Wonderful World. The first song was a ballad composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg for the film The Wizard of Oz staring Judy Garland and sung by her in the film. It won the Academy Award for the best original song and became Garland’s signature song. See Judy in the 1939 film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW2QZ7KuaxA

What a Wonderful World is a pop ballad written by Bob Thiele and George Weiss, and was first recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1967. Hear Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yCcXgbKrE The combination these two songs were made famous by the Hawaiian singer, Israel Kamakawio’le. A large man (at one stage, 343 kg), his name translates to ‘The Fearless-Eyed Man’. The medley was released on the 1993 Facing Future album, the all-time most popular album of Hawaiian music. Sadly, he died at the age of 38 in 1997. Hear his classic performance at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

Well folks, get practicing over the summer holidays and we’ll all be together again in February.

Until then, our best wishes from us to you, and hoping that you have the time to relax and refresh over the holidays with those closest to you.

The Lost Chords

Reminder – December Ceili

Dear Friends of the Lost Chords,

A reminder about our last Ceili for the year at The Catnappers Arms in Takapuna. The old bearded fella in the red suit will be there so bring the “Little Friends of the Lost Chords” with you to meet one of Santa’s helpers – there will be a prize draw for one of Santa’s little friends.

Date: Monday, December 7

Time: 6.30pm – 8.30-ish

Location: The Catnappers Arms

136 Hurstmere Road

Takapuna

Brackets: A real mixture this time – see below

Special Guests: Maybe, just maybe, Santa might be there

We are looking forward to catching up again with our many Lost Chords friends. So, get together and we’ll see you then.

Also, at this Ceili we will be saying farewell to our talented Bass player. David has been a great member of the Lost Chords and has added a real professionalism to our group. As we’ve done in the past, we have asked David to put together a special ‘Farewell Bracket’ of some of his favourites.

Other than the Christmas bracket and David’s bracket, the other two brackets for the night a mix of some of the popular songs.

FIRST BRACKET

Christmas Carols

The bracket is from last year plus, we might have some surprises

SECOND BRACKET

Song Bracket

On the Road Again 6

You’re Sixteen 6

I Am Sailing 6

Build Me Up Buttercup 11

I’m A Believer 20

Bye Bye Love 1

THIRD BRACKET

Song Bracket

Ten Guitars 1

Country Road 7

Hello Mary Lou 7

Taku Poi E 13

Sweet Caroline 16

Wagon Wheel 16

DAVID’S FAREWELL BRACKET

Song Bracket

Have You Ever Seen the Rain 3

Come a Little Bit Closer 7

Runaway 10

Lazin’ on a Sunday Afternoon 16

Hello Dolly 18

Stuck in the Middle with You 18

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down 19

So, get practicing and strumming folks – look forward to catching up soon.

The Lost Chords

December Ceili 2020

Dear Friends of the Lost Chords,

Our end-of-year function has come around again – Christmas at the Catnappers Arms in Takapuna. (https://www.catnapperarms.co.nz/). Note the earlier start in case any of the ‘Little People’ come along to see the ol’ bearded fella in the red suit. There will be a lucky draw for a gift for one lucky boy or girl!

Date: Monday, December 7

Time: 6.30pm – 8.30-ish

Location: The Catnappers Arms

136 Hurstmere Road

Takapuna

Brackets: A real mixture this time – see below 😊

Special Guests: Maybe, just maybe, Santa might be there

We are looking forward to catching up again with our many Lost Chords friends. So, get together and we’ll see you then.

Also, at this Ceili we will be saying farewell to our talented Bass player. David has been a great member of The Lost Chords and has added a real professionalism to our group. As we’ve done in the past, we have asked David to put together a special ‘Farewell Bracket’ of some of his favourites.

Other than the Christmas bracket and David’s bracket, the other two brackets for the night are a mix of some of the popular songs.

FIRST BRACKET

Christmas Carols

The bracket is from last year plus, we might have some surprises 😊

SECOND BRACKET

On the Road Again

You’re Sixteen

I Am Sailing

Build Me Up Buttercup

I’m A Believer

Bye Bye Love

THIRD BRACKET

Ten Guitars

Country Road

Hello Mary Lou

Taku Poi E

Sweet Caroline

Wagon Wheel

DAVID’S FAREWELL BRACKET

Have You Ever Seen the Rain

Come a Little Bit Closer

Runaway

Lazin’ on a Sunday Afternoon

Hello Dolly

Stuck in the Middle with You

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

So, get practicing and strumming folks – look forward to catching up soon.

Cheers,

The Lost Chords