Tag Archives: Christmas songs

2019 “Uketide” Tunes – Part II

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Today we go from an Irish carol to a popular American Christmas song. Frosty the Snowman was written by Walter “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson. Gene Autry was the first to record the song in 1950 as a holiday follow-up to his 1949 seasonal hit, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Frosty went on to inspire a children’s book and several television shows. I believe at one point Frosty and Rudolph even co-starred in a stop-motion animation show.

When Christmas songs started their endless radio marathon in early November this year, Aria and I commented how often we heard this song. Regardless of repetition fatigue, Aria chose it for us to perform together:

The two of us have a Christmas recital we’re doing for the music school later this month. I’ll play my piece in the next “Uketide” Tunes installment.

2019 “Uketide” Tunes – Part I

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“Uketide” Tunes is back for the holly jolly season! Aria and I are talking about songs to do together, but I’m also performing a few solo pieces. I’m not sure about a release schedule so check back regularly throughout December. Ugly sweaters are promised at some point.

Let’s get started! A favorite Christmas hymn of mine is the 19th century Irish carol, The Snow Lay on the Ground, which paints the scene of the Christ Child’s birth in a Bethlehem manger. Why there is snow on the ground in a Mediterranean climate I don’t know, but the snow is only mentioned once. It is the repeating Latin chorus that is most notable: Venite adoremus Dominum. Translated: Come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. This is also the refrain in O Come, All Ye Faithful.

The melody line for The Snow Lay on the Ground  is uncomplicated, and while I start playing simply, there are embellishments and chord additions throughout the song that make it more interesting. The carol has four verses, but I play it slightly differently through two:

An American song, with Aria, is next!

2018 “Uketide” Tunes – Part VIII

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It was a holly jolly time in the last outing. Now…the grand finale. In 1949 Honolulu-born Robert Alex Anderson wrote a hapa haole song made famous by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in 1950. Our family loves Hawaii, and it’s only appropriate to close down the ukulele concert with Mele Kalikimaka:

The idea for doing the song with a kazoo comes from Cynthia Lin. Thanks so much for watching the 2018 “Uketide” Tunes videos. I look forward to doing this again next December after having a full year of lessons behind me. Happy holidays!