About The Elements Song

I stuck this commentary in a separate post as it is quite long.

The Elements song by Thomas Lehrer is a fun memory test if nothing else! Here he is performing it in 1967: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcS3NOQnsQM In this version he says Gold twice and misses Sulfur...

Mr. Lehrer based on this song "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General". Not as well known now I guess: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSGWoXDFM64

Bonus! Here is an odd Japanese version for ya too: http://boingboing.net/2010/10/08/the-elements-tom-leh.html

The number of elements discovered expands all the time. This song lists 102, now there are 118, though not all have names yet. The named ones 103 to 112 are lawrencium, rutherfordium, dubnium, seaborgium, bohrium, hassium, meitnerium, darmstadtium, roentgenium and copernicium,

The newest only have names based on their number so 113 to 118 are ununtrium, ununquadium, ununpentium, ununhexium, ununseptium and ununoctium.

Though 114 and 116 were only this year named Flerovium (FL) and Livermorium (Lv) for the labs they were discovered in. You can see the whole table here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_table_(large_version)

Of course it was much easier to learn in Aristotle's time when there was only Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Also Chuck Norris only recognises one element: the element of surprise :-)

The Elements Song

The Elements Song

         C
There's antimony, arsenic, aluminum, selenium,
       G7
And hydrogen and oxygen and nitrogen and rhenium,
      C
And nickel, neodymium, neptunium, germanium,
     G                            D7              G
And iron, americium, ruthenium, uranium,
   G7                                             Cm
Europium, zirconium, lutetium, vanadium,
        Bb7                                                              Eb
And lanthanum and osmium and astatine and radium,
     G7                                                             Cm
And gold and protactinium and indium and gallium, [Breath]
      G#7                                                       G7
And iodine and thorium and thulium and thallium.

           C
There's yttrium, ytterbium, actinium, rubidium,
      G7
And boron, gadolinium, niobium, iridium,
         C                   G7                C              G7
And strontium and silicon and silver and samarium,
       C                             F           G7                   C
And bismuth, bromine, lithium, beryllium, and barium.

             C
There's holmium and helium and hafnium and erbium,
        G7
And phosphorus and francium and fluorine and terbium,
        C
And manganese and mercury, molybdenum, magnesium,
     G                                            D  7           G
Dysprosium and scandium and cerium and cesium.
     G7                                                        Cm
And lead, praseodymium, and platinum, plutonium,
   Bb7                                                  Eb
Palladium, promethium, potassium, polonium,
       G7                                                Cm
And tantalum, technetium, titanium, tellurium,
      G#7                      G7
And cadmium and calcium and chromium and curium.

          C              
There's sulfur, californium, and fermium, berkelium,
     G7
And also mendelevium, einsteinium, nobelium,
        C           G7            C                G7
And argon, krypton, neon, radon, xenon, zinc, and rhodium,
       C                 F              G7                C
And chlorine, carbon, cobalt, copper, tungsten, tin, and sodium.


######## Optional verse with new elements up to end of 2012 ##########

     G7                                                                            Cm
Some new ones are still numbers so as not to be too bohrium
            Bb7                                                         Eb
they've also added hassium and dubnium, seaborgium,
       G7                                                Cm
darmstadtium, roentgenium, copernicium, flerovium
      G#7                                                             G7
and lawrencium,  meitnerium, rutherfordium, livermorium

################################################


       C                              G7
These are the only ones of which the news has come to Ha'vard,
           C             F               C      G7      C
And there may be many others, but they haven't been discovered.

End: C G7, C G7, C G7, G7 C

Christmas Time (Don't let the bells end)

This songs lyrics are hard to make out in the rocking original (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQhuoY5h2kE) but quite poignant when you read them. It can be covered with less rock too, here is an example with just piano: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8XPmxTsc5Q&list=FL2Az2fvu7SdV-aLys70PSXA&index=2

On the Uke, I do an into with A played by moving G up 2 frets, and then D on  the 5th fret with the A shape barred. If that makes no sense, never mind!

A                     E                                   F#min                                     D
Feigning joy and surprise at the gifts we despise over mulled wine with you

A                 E
On the 25th day of the 12th month                    

                             F#min           D
The sleigh bells are in time ringing true

Bmin                               A        Bmin    D
How we cling each Noel to that snowflake's hope in hell

E                  A C#min F#min
that it won’t end

A                  D     E
Don’t let the bells end

A  C#min F#min A                D    E
Christmas  time, just let them ring in peace.

A D E A D E

A                
Well the weather is cruel,

E                                   F#min               D
and the season of Yule warms the heart, but it still hurts.

A                           E                                      F#min
You’ve got your career, spent the best part of last year apart

             D
and it still hurts

Bmin                 A           Bmin      D      
So that’s why I pray each and every Christmas day

E          A C#min F#min
that it won’t end

A                 D     E
Don’t let the bells end

A C#min F#min A                  D    E
Christmas  time, just let them ring in peace.

A                           D  E
(Christmas time, don’t let the bells end)

A                           D  E
(Christmas time, don’t let the bells end)

F#min                                     A            C#min
Dust underneath the mistletoe leaves when you’re not here,

F#min
You went away upon boxing day,

    E                    D                 A
Now how the hell am I gonna make it into the New Year?

A D E A D E B E F# B E F#

N.C.
Christmas time, don’t let the bells end

N.C.                                B
Christmas time, don’t let the bells end

B  D#min G#min B          E  F#
Christmas   time, don’t let the bells end

B  D#min G#min B          E  F#
Christmas   time, just let them ring in peace.

B  D#min G#min B          E  F#
Christmas   time, don’t let the bells end

B  D#min G#min B          E  F#
Christmas   time, don’t let the bells end

B D#min G#min F# E F# B

Xmas - All I want for Christmas is you

Here are a good set of fairly simple chords for this. For the Am7/D bit, you could play D or Cm as well.

Mariah's version is definitive of course, here is a version with her and kid's instruments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sWEfszb9h8Q


G
I don't want a lot for Christmas

There's just one thing I need

C
I don't care about the presents

Cm
Underneath the Christmas tree

G                      B7
I just want you for my own

Em                       Cm
More than you could ever know

G                 E7
Make my wish come true

Am7            Am7/D
All I want for Christmas is...

         G  Em  C  D
You

G
I don't want a lot for Christmas

There's just one thing I need

C
I don't care about the presents

Cm
Underneath the Christmas tree

G
I don't need to hang my stocking

G
There upon the fireplace

C
Santa Claus won't make me happy

Cm
With a toy on Christmas day

G                      B7
I just want you for my own

Em                       Cm
More than you could ever know

G                 E7
Make my wish come true

Am7            Am7/D
All I want for Christmas is you

G  Em  C  D
You       baby


G
I won't ask for much this Christmas

I don't even wish for snow

C
I'm just gonna keep on waiting

Cm
Underneath the mistletoe

G
I won't make a list and send it

To the North Pole for Saint Nick

C
I won't even stay awake to

Cm
Hear those magic reindeers click

G                             B7
'Cause I just want you here tonight

Em                  Cm

Holding on to me so tight

G               E7
What more can I do

Am7                 Am7/D
Baby all I want for Christmas is

G  Em  C  D
you     Ooh baby

B7
All the lights are shining

   Em
So brightly everywhere

B7
And the sound of children's

Em
Laughter fills the air

Cm
And everyone is singing

G            E7
I hear those sleigh bells ringing

Am7
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need

          C
Won't you please bring my baby to me...

   G

Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for

C
I just want to see my baby

Cm
Standing right outside my door

G                         B7
Oh I just want you for my own

Em                       Cm
More than you could ever know

G                 E7
Make my wish come true

     Am7            Am7/D    
Baby all I want for Christmas is...

G  Em  C  D
You

G              Em           C      D
All I want for Christmas is you... baby (repeat)

Dumb Ways To Die

Here's some good ukulele chords for Dumb Ways To Die. A very successful viral campaign to promote safety around trains in Melbourne. The video is cute too :-)


C is (0003) Csus4 is just adding the first fret on the third string (0013).

                    C                              Csus4
Verse strum: DOWN DOWN up-down-up-down-up

Chorus strum: up-down-up SLAP

C Csus4, C Csus4

      C Csus4    C Csus4
Set fire to your hair
            C            Csus4   C Csus4
Poke a stick at a grizzly bear
      C Csus4           C       Csus4
Eat medicine that’s out of date
               C        Csus4    C        Csus4
Use your private parts as piranha bait

CHORUS

C       Em         Am   C
Dumb ways to die
     F                 D7        G    G7
So many dumb ways to die
C        Em        Am  C
Dumb ways to di-i-i-ie
F                      G          C
So many dumb ways to die

Get your toast out with a fork
Do your own electrical work
Teach yourself how to fly
Eat a two week old unrefrigerated pie

CHORUS

Invite a psycho-killer inside
Scratch a drug dealer’s brand new ride
Take your helmet off in outer space
Use a clothes dryer as a hiding place

CHORUS

Keep a rattlesnake as a pet
Sell both your kidneys on the internet
Eat a tube of superglue
STOP “I wonder what’s this red button do?”

CHORUS  - PAUSE BEFORE SINGING LAST LINE

SINGLE STRUM ON EACH CHORD

Am         G      C                   Em       F          G
Dress up like a moose during hunting season
Am         G         C            Em          F
Disturb a nest of wasps for no good reason

STRUM NORMALLY

G                                Am                      
Stand on the edge of a train station platform
Em                                              Am
Drive around the boom gates at a level crossing
G                               Am                              G
Run across the tracks between the platforms
F                                               G
They may not rhyme but they’re quite possibly

C       Em         Am   C
Dumbest ways to die
C       Em         Am   C
Dumbest ways to die
C        Em            Am       C
Dumbest ways to di-i-i-ie
F                    
So many dumb
     G                             C
So many dumb ways to diiiiiieeee

You've got a friend in me

Not Christmassy, but Christmas is all about the kids and they may call on you to play something, and they all know this one from Toy Story.

Chords are all here: http://www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke/tabs/070128.html
There's also a nice tutorial with even simpler chords here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDK384r4Nvk Mike even leaves out the tricky middle eight.

This version is complete and based on these chords: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwF68-I3qos

"You've Got A Friend In Me" by Randy Newman

C C7 F F#dim C G7
C B Bb B C B Bb C

[C]You've got a [Gaug]friend in [C]me [C7add9]
[F]You've got a [F#dim]friend in [C]me [C7]
[F]When the [C]road looks [E7]rough [Am]ahead
And you're [F]miles and [C]miles
From your [E7]nice warm [Am]bed
[F]Just re[C]member what your [E7]old pal [Am]said
Boy, [D7]you've got a [G7]friend in [C]me

[C]You've got a [Gaug]friend in [C]me[C7add9]
[F]You've got a [F#dim]friend in [C]me
[F]You've got [C]troubles, well [E7]I've got 'em [Am]too
[F]There isn't [C]anything [E7]I wouldn't [Am]do for you
[F]We stick to[C]gether and we [E7]see it [Am]through
[D7]you've got a [G7]friend in [C]me [C7]

[F]Some other folks might be
A [B7]little bit smarter than I am
[C]Bigger and [F#dim]stronger [C]too
Maybe
[B7]But none of [E6]them will [Fdim]ever [B7]love you the [Em]way I [A7]do
It's [Dm7]me and [G7]you, boy

[C]And as the [Gaug]years go [C]by[C7add9]
Our [F]friendship will [F#dim]never [C]die
[F]You're gonna [F#dim]see
It's our [C]des[E7]ti[A7]ny
[D7]you've got a [G7]friend in [C]me [A7]
[D7]you've got a [G7]friend in [C]me

G7 C