Tim Hatcher -- "My Bluebird's Singing the Blues" -- ukulele

If you are familiar with Rose Marie, from THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW in the 1960s, you may not know that she became a star at the age of five, singing on the radio as Baby Rose Marie. This song is one she performed in 1933 standing atop a piano in Paramount Pictures' musical comedy INTERNATIONAL HOUSE. Fellow performers in the film include W.C. Fields, Gracie Allen, George Burns, Bela Lugosi, Cab Calloway, and Rudy Vallee. Incidentally, Baby Rose Marie's appearance in the movie takes place on a new invention called "television".

Composer Ralph Rainger (1901-1942) worked on many film scores, and was responsible for well-known songs such as "Moanin' Low" and "Love in Bloom". His principal collaborator was composer lyricist Leo Robin (1900-1984). Together they became one of the leading film songwriting duos of the 1930s and early 1940s, writing over 50 hits, including the Oscar-winning "Thanks for the Memory". Robin's other contributions to American song include "Beyond the Blue Horizon" and "Prisoner of Love". Robin & Rainger worked together until Rainger's untimely death in a plane crash in 1942 near Palm Springs.

RECOMMENDED VIEWING --

Baby Rose Marie in INTERNATIONAL HOUSE:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5i1weaWeOm8

1999 interview with Rose Marie:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gI5QZRYcnIE

Janet Klein and her Parlor Boys:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=f_1PnHbRKS0

Delightful vaudevillian Jack Pepper:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=W89JZVfUNTE

Category:

Music

Tags:

• ukulele
• rose
• marie
• blues
• robin
• rainger
• movie
• jazz
• janet
• klein
• vaudeville

[idasynco]

Looks so fun...I am thinking about trading my guitar in for a uke! I love this tune, you perform it so well. Favs!

[timboytx]

Thanks, Karen! With a background in guitar, you'd be up and running on the uke in minutes.

[timboytx]

Sounds like a great plan, Esteevo . Thanks for watching!

[heeter71]

Wonderful! I can't tell, do you strum using mostly your index finger or your thumb? Just looking for a couple of pointers from a master! :-)

[timboytx]

Thank you very much, heeter71! I use both the thumb and the finger. Generally, on this song I am using the thumb for the downstrokes and the finger for the up strokes. I like the subtle difference in sound, caused by which string is hit first. My thumb tends to hit the strings with the fleshy underside, while the index finger tends to use the nail. Also, I sometimes let the heel of my right hand touch the strings between the strokes for a dampening effect.

You have a fantastic channel!

[LoneStarStateOfMine]

Dear Tim,

First of all, thank you for the heads up on the new additions!

I showed all of them to my Mom -- and she was, quite literally astounded. I certainly was on THIS one because my Mom sang this to me when I was a little child.

Thanks for the links, too!

Please keep these coming! They are, quite literally, a joy. I think about all those days we spent slaving over animation cels in college - we could have been singing together, too! Ha!

Love you,

Laura

[timboytx]

Thanks for sharing this with your mom, Laura. I love to astound people and should do it more often. :)

[3investigators]

Very sweet Tim:))

[rockethanm]

Do you know where to find the cords for the ukulele and the lyrics! See first of all my mom wants me to play it for her because, well my mom sang it to my brother. but he died =(! and because I have an audition to become a pro player.

Thanks!

[tdub1941]

Darling tune! 5 STARS!

Thanks for the send!

RagJazzMonkey Tom

[idasynco]

HA, another instrument to embellish the world with...just what I need!! The wolves would have something to howl about for sure! teehee

[69goodfella]

Fun!

I'm going to learn these songs, and play them to the kids I don't have yet! Good vibes. Thanks.....

Esteevo

[fuzzbear6240]

Tim, Just wonderful! Now if I can just tune in the Six Day Bicycle Race...... ;-)

Thank you for sharing your wonderful talent.

Regards, J.

[heeter71]

Thanks! :-)