Where The Tricky Wicky Wacky Woo

If you’re familiar with my title, then you would know that the song is “Ukulele Lady”.  The song is from 1925, when the Ukulele was experiencing a surge in popularity in the US mainland after being introduced 10 years before.

I have been toying with the idea of learning to play the ukulele over the last few years.  When I saw Bette Midler in concert back in 2005, she had about 20 ladies and a few gents on stage playing (and not playing, but looking like they were trying to) ukuleles, singing “Ukulele Lady”.  I simply thought to myself that THAT was something I could do, and it wouldn’t have to be for any other reason, than for pure enjoyment.  It plagued me to the point that a soprano uke was purchased.  But actually picking it up and DOING it eluded me.  Until recently.

For the last few months, I’ve been slowly (and I do mean SLOWLY) learning how to play the Uke.  This is one of those times that I’m very grateful that my husband is very musical.  Not only do I have someone to show me how to play it properly, but it means that we can justify buying an instrument that is a little more comfortable for us to play.

How can a uke be uncomfortable?  Easy.  They’re small, and a little deep.  Small is bad for Husband, and deep is bad for me.  So we decided to do some research and found a “Concert” sized travel uke.  The travel part just means that it’s about 1/2 the depth of the regular ukes, which makes it MUCH easier for me to get my arm around.

Once I get my hand into it a little more, I’d love to get up to one of the big Ukulele festivals they have up in the Blue Mountains, even the big one up in Cairns.

I can’t do much more than strum 3 or 4 chords at the moment, and certainly no songs are forthcoming just yet.  I have no plans to become a Ukulele superstar or anything.  It is fun to strum, and it allows me to be musical.