Author: Uke Guy

Video: Mercury Duo – O Sen Sen Sen

@bandagentileza on Twitter sent me a link to a video of his band.  The guitar on the right is a handmade ukulele (looks to be a cigar box style).  Anyway, Mercury Duo is the name of the band, and they are great!  Guessing from the link, I think they are possibly from Brazil?  "O Sen Sen Sen" is a fun (and yet deceptively complicated) song.  It reminds me of music that you might hear in a more recent Mario Brothers video game.  You know, when they started to step up the music a little bit.  Anyway, I really liked watching/listening to it... in fact... I'm going back for more now.

Ukulele Tabs: Panic! at the Disco – I Have Friends in Holy Spaces

@MrsRossTyv on Twitter asked for an easy chord sheet for Panic! at the Disco's "I have friends in holy spaces".  Well.. I have something for you, but it isn't super easy.  I know very little about this band (other than the fact that my younger brother thinks they are rad).  But, looking at the chord structure reaminds me of David Bowie and the lyrics really remind me of The Cure, so I'm intrigued to say the least.  Here's the chords:

Panic! at the Disco - I have Friends in Holy Spaces
Ukulele Tab

A       C#m                F#             Bm
You remind me of a former love that I once knew
        Dm                         E
And you carry a little speech with you
A            C#m                          F#
We were holding hands walking through the middle of the street
                Bm          Dm                E
It's fine with me, I'm just taking in the scenery

    D              Dm               Amaj7  F#m
You remind me of a few of my famous friends
           B                   Dm          E
Well, that all depends what you qualify as friends
   D               Dm              Amaj7   F#
You remind me of a few of my famous friends
           B                    Dm         E
Well, that all depends what you qualify as friends

A                       C#m                       F#
Take a chance, take your shoes off, dance in the rain
                  Bm               Dm                  E
And I was flashing around and the news spread all over town
A       C#m                                     F#
I'm not complaining that it's raining, I'm just saying that I like it a lot
             Bm             Dm                       E
More than you think, if the sun would come out and sing with me

     D             Dm               Amaj7  F#m
You remind me of a few of my famous friends
            B                     Dm       E
Well, that all depends what you qualify as friends
    D              Dm              Amaj7  F#m
You remind me of a few of my famous friends
           B                     Dm         E          A
Well, that all depends what you qualify as friends

F   Bb  (play 4X)

A     = 2100
C#m   = 1444 or 6444 (whatever is easier for you)
F#    = 2120
Bm    = 4222
Dm    = 2210
E     = 4442
D     = 2220
Amaj7 = 1100
B     = 4322
Bb    = 3211

Tabs: Cheers theme song

I told @greg_benson1501 on Twitter that people dig hearing old TV show songs on Ukulele.  Now, this is assuming that you are roughly my age and you know that there was a show before Frazier.  If you aren't familiar with the show, Frazier, then I apologize for wasting your time, because you are gonna think this is lame.  I have to say, though, that around the drunken campfire, this song and the Fact's of Life themesong (or possibly Diff'rent Strokes) are my biggest winners.

Cheers Theme Song

Bb                     F
Making your way in the world today
      Bb                F
Takes everything you've got
Bb                  F
Taking a break from all your worries
Bb              F
Sure would help alot
G#           G           Cm    F
Wouldn't you like to get away?
F                     Bb
Sometimes you want to go
Bb         G#              Eb   F
Where everybody knows your name
Bb        G#              Eb   F
And their always glad you came
Dm                   Eb
You want to be where you can see
     Dm                   Eb
Your troubles are all the same
Dm
You want to be
      Eb        F     Bb
where everybody knows your name

Bb  F  Bb  F  Bb

Here are the fingering for those chords:
(note: http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/chords/ is a great resource for uke chords)
Bb = 3211
F = 2010
G# = 1343
G = 0232
Eb = 3331
Dm = 2210

This might look a little tricky, but if the G# gives you grief then just play it as 0343 but mute the open string. Oh snap. I just thought of one that would have been easier to post. I'll do that next. But, that assumes you know what "Charles in Charge" is.

Tabs: Guns n Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine

Woodshed, over at ukulelehunt.com posted this tab for Sweet Child O' Mine awhile back.  Ah, Guns N Roses on Ukulele.  It never sounded so good!  This is a pretty tricky tab, especially when you slide down and back up, but keep at it and it gets easier.  Try not to think about it too much.  I've practiced it so many times now that I can play it even when I'm about 4-5 beers into the night.  Lemme tell you, you might have thought you went to a camp-out with some wallflowers, but once you get some booze in 'em and crank out this little ditty, you own the party.

Video: Gus & Fin’s cover of Joy Division’s “Transmission”

I'm not sure if I've ever seen any other videos of Gus & Fin, but I can tell you that I'm going to search for it now.  They do a freaking great version of Joy Division's "Transmission" (note: remind me to tell you about the steel drum band cover of the same song).  I love the cigar box guitar, what a great tone!  Apparently, the cigar box guitar guy is Gus and the fella on the Ukulele is Fin.  Something tells me I'm going to start stalking these guys.