Category Archives: Standards

OB-LA-DI, OB-LA-DA

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

OB-LA-DI, OB-LA-DA A sing along for Sunday. A feel good song. Rainy day here, so I was looking for a happy song. Again, not perfect in any way – but fun to sing along with. I hope you enjoy it. The tag line “Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, brah” was an expression used by Nigerian conga player Jimmy Scott-Emuakpor, an acquaintance of McCartney. McCartney wrote “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” in a cod Jamaican ska style and appropriated a phrase popularised by Jimmy Scott, a London-based Nigerian musician, for the song’s title and chorus.… Read the rest

Just Because

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

This is a fun video for my friends. Certainly not perfect. There are excellent accordionists that play beautiful duos all the time, but I am not at that level. Let’s just pretend it is the 3rd hour of the Oktoberfest job and I decided to have several of the free beers offered to me. LOL It is not easy to accompanying yourself when the self is not disciplined to play what is on the page. Just having fun. Johnny Pecon introduced the song “Just Because” to Frank Yankovic’s bar. He had picked up the tune while serving with the Seabees in the Pacific during the war. It was an old country and western number which had been written and recorded by Texas’s Shelton Brothers, Bob and Joe, in 1935.… Read the rest

The White Cliffs of Dover

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

The White Cliffs of Dover is one of my absolute favorites. It is such a beautiful song about faith and hope. With all the crazy stuff going on in our world – Covid-19, hurricanes, massive fires – I thought we can all use some hope. This is my 101st video. I thought I would start my second century of videos with a beautiful song. On to the polkas and hand clappers tomorrow.
“(There’ll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover” is a popular World War II song composed in 1941 by Walter Kent to lyrics by Nat Burton. The song was written about a year after the Royal Air Force and German Luftwaffe aircraft had been fighting over southern England, including the white cliffs of Dover, in the Battle of Britain. Nazi Germany had conquered much of Europe and in 1941 was still bombing Britain.… Read the rest

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore seems appropriate during this Covid thing. I bought a great Jayco Travel Trailer in 2015 and had the joy of traveling around a bit. Liked to go South in the cold weather for a month or two. Since I am 76 and being precautious with Covid, I didn’t use my camper all this year. It is just sitting. At the rate things are going, it doesn’t look like next year will be a good camping year for me either. So I decided to sell my Jayco to someone that could use it. I am happy I sold it, but sad, too. I remember all the great times I had camping. So I sadly make a video to remember Mr. Jayco. Just a simple video with simple music. Goodbye Mr. Jayco.… Read the rest

Satin Doll

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

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

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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

Swinging on a Star

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

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

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

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

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

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 with Acoustic Accordion

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

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

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

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

The Glow-Worm

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

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