Uke-song, Politically Corrected Lyrics: MY TENOR UKE

Transit riders in silk hats (London)

POST #16
PARODY-LYRICS 

ORIGINAL SONG: "My Tall Silk Hat", traditional camp-song, based on the popular Neapolitan song "Funiculi, Funicula", 1880.

PARODY COMPOSED: Giorgio Coniglio, September 2013.

In the traditional version, of this schoolboy parody, based on the tune of ‘Funiculi, Funicula’, a “big a-fat-a lady” squashes a hat on a subway seat. The current updated lyrics are, I hope, more politically correct and more appealing to adults. The final line, as in the posting of November "Ukuleli, Ukulela" is a Neapolitan Ta-da!, meaning let's go up there. Pronounce the "j"s as "y" to sound like an Italian tenor. 

MY TENOR UKE

(to the tune of "Funiculi, Funicula")

Introduction:
Inspired by trendy p’litical correctness,

I changed a song, an old camp-song,

Reflecting pre-teen Piggy/Twiggy bias,

That got it wrong, so very wrong.
   

Besides, a flavor more Napolitana,

I craved to chance, appeal enhance;

And so I trimmed my 'Lady' down to sexy,

Not anorexy,

And let her dance, a bella dance !

Revised Camp-Song: 

One day, as I was riding up the tramway,

My tenor uke, my tenor uke

I laid it on the seat a-right beside me,

My tenor uke, my tenor uke. 

The tall and shapely Nina sat upon it,

Was that a fluke? My tenor uke !

And launched a liaison volcanic,

(Not too platonic); my tenor uke, my tenor uke ! 

Pavarotti, what do you think of that ?

Master it, six sharps or seven flats;

‘Cause body-type is so much hype;

It’s only brawn or big-a belly –-

So save a seat in cielo

For our sleek friend A. Bocelli.

Outro:

‘Ncoppa jammo ja’, ukulelí, ukulelá.

Pavarotti (left),  Bocelli (right)

Performing Notes

In[F]spired by trendy p’litical correctness,

I [C] changed a [F] song, an [C] old camp-[F]-song,

Re[F]flecting pre-teen Piggy/Twiggy bias,

That [C] got it [F] wrong, so [C] very [F] wrong.
Be[Am]sides, a [E7] flavor [Am] more Na[E7]poli[Am]tana,

I [E7] craved to [Am] chance, ap[E7]peal en[Am]hance;

And [C] so I [G] trimmed my [C] 'Lady' [G] down to [C] sexy,

Not [G] ano[C]rexy,

And [G] let her [C] dance, a [G] bella [C] dance !
.....
.....

[C7] Pavarotti, what do you think of that ?

Master it, six sharps or seven [F] flats;

‘Cause body-[A]-type is so much [Dm] hype;

It’s only [A] brawn or big-a [Dm] belly –

So [Bb] save a seat in [F] cielo

For our [C] sleek friend A. Bo[F]celli.

[Bb] ‘Ncoppa jammo [F] ja’, ukule[C7]lí, ukule[F]lá !

Uke-song, Travel Advisory: "THE CARNIVAL OF CHARLESTON"

POST #14
PARODY LYRICS 

ORIGINAL SONG: "Carnival of Venice"  traditional song

PARODY COMPOSED: Giorgio Coniglio, January 2014.
PHOTOS of the concert "Carnival of Venice" by Uncommon Solutions

Charleston Post and Courier coverage of the inciting event

THE CARNIVAL OF CHARLESTON

a colleague of 'Rick Shaw'.
departing with tourists from a hotel

 (to the tune of "the Carnival of Venice")


Your rickshaw ride in Charleston
Can't explore that magic town;
The driver's only licensed
A - pick-up,  B -  set you down.

Official guides in Charleston
Have to pass exams and train; 
Rapt carriage-tour riders and foot-groups
Can't block ante-bellum lanes.

A pedicab lurks at your hotel,
Marks you for a heinous crime;
A sleazy eager historian
Who is keen to sell his time. 

To stamp out these nasty infractions,
Wired police devised a sting
Attired for entrapment as tourists
Massive fines recordings bring.

Few hours in scenic Charleston ?
Cruise-lined there by Carnival,
Snubbed by snobby South-of-Broad big-shots?
Don't treat 'Rick Shaw' as a pal.

If cruising past Fort Sumter
And re-boarding is a must,
Steer clear of Rick's tempting discussions - 
It might be a tourist bust.

Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor,
as proposed in an early painting

Concert of Venetian music in Charleston,
a patron admires the sets

Performing Notes


Your [A] rickshaw [Asus] ride in [E] Charleston
Can't ex[Bm]plore that [E7] magic [A] town;
The [A] driver's [Asus] only [E] licensed
 A - pick- [Bm]up,  B -  [E7] set you [A] down.

"Carnival of Venice",  March 2014
Chamber Music Charleston Event