Pennsylvania Polka for Shirley Ann who lives there and Sandy Dowd who rides her bike listening to it. I had a guest artist. I think she was drinking before she came to the studio. LOL She practiced, but hit some klinkers. I left them in because it made me and my Roland sound better. LOL I found out it is much more difficult than you think to play with yourself, but a lot of fun! LOL A polka for Oktoberfest Time. Hope you enjoy! I did. LOL… Read the rest
Satin Doll. Just a slow dance from September to October. We always played this for dancing. Another of my favorites. So much good music in this world. It is just a simple rendition since the whole band wasn’t here with me! “Satin Doll” is a jazz standard written by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Written in 1953 and its chord progression is well known for its unusual use of chords and opening with a ii-V-I turnaround.… Read the rest
Marianne is a request by my friend Shirley Ann. I make the videos for my friends to enjoy. They are not perfect, but hopefully they are fun and will get you singing and clapping your hands. “Mary Ann,” composed by calypsonian Roaring Lion (born name: Rafael de Leon) was popular with steelbands and revelers during a spontaneous Carnival celebration on V-J Day in Trinidad in 1945, at the end of World War II. The song’s lyrics alluded to Mary Ann’s occupation:… Read the rest
Clementine is a request from one of my neighbors. A little different than what I usually do, had problems with the video and audio – so it got pasted together. LOL I hope you enjoy and sing along anyways. “Oh My Darling, Clementine” is an American western folk ballad in trochaic meter usually credited to Percy Montrose (1884), although it is sometimes credited to Barker Bradford. The song is believed to have been based on another song called “Down by the River Liv’d a Maiden” by H. S. Thompson (1863). It is commonly performed in the key of F Major. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.… Read the rest
Swinging on a Star Cover by Pat Walter. Playing through some of my music books and came across this. I always liked it when I was younger. Decided I like it when I’m older. The USB drive did a couple strange things, but I just kept playing! Pretended I was on a job! A fun song to play, sing and create a video with. Thanks to Pixabay for the cute free graphics. “Swinging on a Star” is an American pop standard with music composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke. It was introduced by Bing Crosby in the 1944 film Going My Way, winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song that year.… Read the rest
I’d Do Anything cover by Pat Walter. Written in 1960 by Lionel Bart for the Musical Oliver. I have always liked this song. I think of it more as a good friends song if you leave out the romantic kissing part. LOL It’s a quiet Sunday afternoon and I thought I would get to know Mr. Weltmeister a little better. Learning to play more smoothly. Not perfect, but a nice song. For some reason I want to sing when I play the Weiltmeister. LOL Nothing fancy like the Roland, but still nice accordion music.… Read the rest
Mr. Lonely cover by Pat Walter. It’s a lonely, Covid Saturday night – what’s better than playing a lonely song? Nothing crazy, just nice mellow voices from the Roland. Words and Music by Bobby Vinton and Gene Allan in 1962 – the year I graduated from high school. Another oldie, but goodie.… Read the rest
Time in a Bottle cover by Pat Walter. Time in a Bottle cover by Pat Walter. I just did Time in a Bottle with my Roland FR 4X. I think it was one of the best videos I have done. There are those acoustic accordion players that much prefer the reeds and bellows to the virtual accordion. Someone said they would like to hear the song on an acoustic accordion. I had been practicing is with my little Weltmeister, but decided to drag out my 29 pound Elkavox. I can hardly lift it, but it has a nice sound. So here it is again – do it until you get it right. I’m not as smooth on the acoustic as my beloved Roland. LOL Not much else to do during the Covid Stay at Home Time anyways. “Time in a Bottle” is a hit single by singer-songwriter Jim Croce. Croce wrote the lyrics after his wife Ingrid told him she was pregnant, in December 1970. Thanks to Pixabay for the wonderful free graphics.… Read the rest
Time in a Bottle cover by Pat Walter. I have been playing this for a few weeks. Always thought it was a beautiful song. I just couldn’t fine the sounds I wanted on the Roland and spent time today programming a new user set of, what I think are, beautiful orchestral sounds. The audio was straight from the USB drive on the Roland FR 4X. I didn’t show a full video of me playing the whole time. I felt the music and visual experience was more important than looking at me. I think this is the most beautiful video I have done. Thank You to Pixabay for the free graphics. I reall enjoyed making this video. I hope you enjoy it too.… Read the rest
So many old songs, so little time. For some reason “Glow Little Glow-worm” popped into my head the other day. Go figure – who knows why. So I looked up the music. I can remember I actually had the sheet music for it in my younger years. “Das Glühwürmchen”, known in English as “The Glow-Worm”, is a song from Paul Lincke’s 1902 operetta Lysistrata, with German lyrics by Heinz Bolten-Backers. It was originally translated into English by Lilla Cayley Robinson, in the early 20th century, and was used in the 1907 Broadway musical The Girl Behind The Counter.… Read the rest
Arkansas Traveler was a favorite when I was a kid. My lesson on December 11, 1952 was Arkansas Traveler. I have been looking at my old accordion music to play on my new little Weltmeister acoustic accordion. I found several I play over and over when is was young. Where we ever young? LOL I thought I would have more fun with it with the Roland FR 4X and all of its neat sounds. I had fun – I hope it might bring a smile to your face. “The Arkansas Traveler” was the state song of Arkansas from 1949 to 1963; it has been the state historical song since 1987. The music was composed in the 19th century by Colonel Sanford C.… Read the rest
Sleepwalk cover by Pat Walter. “Sleep Walk” is an instrumental tune written, recorded, and released in 1959 by brothers Santo & Johnny Farina, with their uncle Mike Dee playing the drums. Prominently featuring steel guitar. A Facebook friend suggest that the Roland might do an interesting job with this. It took time to program it, but I think it sounds pretty neat. Not quite like the original. I hope you enjoy it.… Read the rest