Al Jolson was tonight's theme, suggested by Larry, along with songs of the 20s and 30s. It was another well-attended session, including Dave, Dave's father, Frank (playing with us for the first time), Artie, Rochelle, Ann, Larry, Vin, Jen, Ken, Jim, John, Nathan, Chris and Suzala.

Here are the songs we did. The names in parentheses are those who suggested them.

1. When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along (Ken)

2. I Want A Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad (Rochelle)

3. Minnie the Moocher (Vin)

4. The Wabash Cannonball (Vin)

5. Yes Sir, That's My Baby (Dave)

6. Baby Face (Dave)

7. Crosby, Columbo and Vallee (Dave)

8. You Made Me Love You (Dan)

9. Give My Regards to Broadway (Dan)

10. It's Only A Paper Moon (Jen)

11. My Little Margie (Larry)

12. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter (Larry)

Everybody had fun doing these songs from 80, 90 and 100 years ago. My parents would have know all of these. As a kid, I used to hear this type of music when my mother played it on the ukulele.

We played them with mixed success. Some, such as the very popular Give My Regards to Broadway, were surprisingly difficult, with chord changes on practically every word. There is a website, Dr. Uke, which has the chords to over a thousand songs. I complained that he made many of the songs unnecessarily complicated. You could get away with fewer changes. Ken countered that at Dr. Uke's skill level, he could use difficult chords and fast changes and make the song sound more interesting. When watching Ken play some of these tough songs with no cheating or shortcuts, I had to concede his point. (I guess I have a weakness for that old C F and G7.)

Dave had to play and sing Crosby, Columbo and Vallee by himself since no one else knew it. This was a jokey number about three of the most popular singers of the era, Bing Crosby, Russ Columbo and Rudy Vallee.

These old songs were fun to play, but one stood out: Cab Calloway's Minnie the Moocher. We didn't get this entirely right, couldn't figure out a part of the song meant to be played in "double time," but there was a lot of laughing as we tried to sing the call and response lines of "hi di hi di hi di hi," "skiddly boo skiddly boo" and his other nonsense lyrics.

This verse, from the innocent year of 1931, seems ahead of its time:

"She messed around with a bloke named Smokey.

She loved him, though he was cokey.

He took her down to Chinatown,

and he showed her how to kick the gong around."

For our next session, someone suggested "Songs That You HATE". That's practically inviting a visit from the dreaded Ukulele Police. Oh, but wait! This just in: the Grand Elders of the Ukulele Council have changed the theme for our next jam to be Songs about Summer, Hot Weather, or the Beach. It will help us bear the cold and dreary months knowing that before too long we'll be swimming and barbequing. Until next time, keep practicing your chord changes.

-- Dan.