The last chapter in my ukulele adventure was a drill in songwriting. Today, it’s an exercise in working up and down the fretboard. I can’t say I was excited when Trevor, my uke instructor, sent me a song Dean Martin made a hit in 1953. Composed by Harry Warren with lyrics by Jack Brooks, That’s Amore  became a signature song for Martin. I’ve always found it a bit kitschy — the type of tune the house accordion player in an Italian restaurant uses to serenade a couple. (Yep, this happened to me, on a first date no less. She was nice, but there was no amore there.) To his credit, Trevor made his own arrangement of the song, so it maintains the sweet sentiment without the cheese. Take a look at the lyrics and don’t grimace:

When the moon hits your eye
Like a big pizza pie, that’s amore
When the world seems to shine
Like you’ve had too much wine, that’s amore

Bells will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling
Ting-a-ling-a-ling and you’ll sing, “Vita bella”
Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay
Tippy-tippy-tay like a gay tarantella

When the stars make you drool
Just like pasta e fagioli, that’s amore
When you dance down the street
With a cloud at your feet, you’re in love

When you walk in a dream
But you know, you’re not dreaming signore
Scusami, but you see
Back in old Napoli, that’s amore

No organ grinder or accordion here. Just a gentle tenor ukulele:

I’m playing on my Kala low G but with new strings — Uke Logic super fluorocarbon strings designed by a luthier in Hawaii. That’s a fancy way of saying I’m using fishing line on my instrument. The strings are warm-sounding and so much easier on the fingers than the stock Aquila Super Nylgut. The Uke Logic strings are more expensive, but I’ve talked a little with the luthier, and he has been a lot of help in ways a major manufacturer couldn’t be when solving tonal problems. They have been worth the money for the service alone.

Next, I tackle my first classical piece on the ukulele!