Comments on: Ukulele full of hate

Ukulele full of hate

LobsterMitten — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:54:55 -0800

Catchy bitter ukulele break-up song by Duncan Pflaster. Video with song. Simple and excellent. Found via Cat and Girl.

By: 235w103

235w103 — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:02:16 -0800

Oh...it's a Mountain Goats song, actually. I think? Pretty sure?

By: monju_bosatsu

monju_bosatsu — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:03:44 -0800

Performed by Duncan Pflaster. The song is actually a cover of the Mountain Goats song by the same name.

By: jeffamaphone

jeffamaphone — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:05:42 -0800

Other good stuff on the site too. In other news, I love cat and girl.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:05:46 -0800

Oops - sorry. thank you for the correction. Big ups to the Mountain Goats - I like their song a lot. Also from the first verses I was expecting it to be about the US's foreign policy, not a breakup - so, double funny to me.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:11:12 -0800

Linkage for the Mountain Goats, just for good measure: Muontain Goats fan site Mountain Goats official site Mountain Goats Wikipedia entry

By: flod

flod — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:15:32 -0800

Being familiar with the original version, it's strange to hear the audience laughing. The lyrics are melodramatic and over the top, sure, but I've always thought of it as a very sad song. Something about how Darnielle's voice never quite winks at us, to acknowledge that it's a joke.

By: eunoia

eunoia — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:30:37 -0800

John Darnielle does it better. That being said, ukuleles are awesome.

By: sleepy pete

sleepy pete — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:37:30 -0800

I think what's even more interesting is hearing everyone in an audience sing, "And I hope you die. I hope we both die." as loud as they can along with Darnielle. I guess I never thought of it as a sad song since the alpha couple cycle seems to be more in the vein of A. M. Homes works, but it is interesting that it's the delivery of the original that makes you feel that way. Anyway, thanks for posting this LobsterMitten. I liked this version quite a bit.

By: pokermonk

pokermonk — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:44:41 -0800

Also in the vein of strangely funny very sad Mountain Goats songs... The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton (previously referenced in a metafilter post here).

By: subtle-t

subtle-t — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:54:00 -0800

I think this is my favorite Smiths cover, it's "there is a light that never goes out" played on the ukelele.

By: LarryC

LarryC — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:54:58 -0800

You favorite song ~~sucks~~ is pretty cool. Thanks for sharing.

By: davejay

davejay — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:57:45 -0800

Hey, they're both playing Flukes. That's what I play, too. I knew the uke was starting to make a geek comeback, but I had no idea things had gotten along so far. I guess I'd better record a video and album, and cash in while I still can. Sadly, I can't hear either video on this computer. I'll check when I get home. Note to self: yes, davejay, you DO look this geeky playing your ukulele. Sigh.

By: Staggering Jack

Staggering Jack — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:04:02 -0800

This reminds me the greatest ukulele band ever - Ed's Redeeming Qualities (which I was surprised to find had a myspace page). Thanks for the link.

By: qwip

qwip — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:15:12 -0800

Just one data point for: that wasn't very good or excellent. I like ukulele as much as the next guy, but this wasn't especially interesting music.

By: cortex

cortex — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:44:28 -0800

Cute song. And never can enough good things be said about Cat and Girl; Dorothy is awesome.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:50:33 -0800

qwip: ok, maybe not musically interesting. Just pleasing; to my taste.

By: OverlappingElvis

OverlappingElvis — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:52:48 -0800

He even sounds like the guy from Mountain Goats. Well, kinda.

By: qwip

qwip — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:57:13 -0800

LobsterMitten: Yep, not saying others won't find it good or nice, but the consensus was very positive and that got me to click the link and then, meh. Just thought I'd add the data point for anyone else who reads the comments first. Glad you and others are able to enjoy it. Wish there was something there I could find enjoyable too!

By: apollonia6

apollonia6 — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 18:36:31 -0800

I personally prefer the Kiki and Herb version of this song.

By: Roger Dodger

Roger Dodger — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 21:01:29 -0800

More ukulele!

By: Roger Dodger

Roger Dodger — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 21:03:23 -0800

Check out the episode archive 23 (32?) entitled Uke Masters. Lots of Jake and Steve Evans. Awesome.

By: moss

moss — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 22:28:25 -0800

Something about how Darnielle's voice never quite winks at us, to acknowledge that it's a joke. I don't know... he never really breaks his character in the song, but I do sort of get the feeling he knows exactly how funny it is. And, God, it is. More ukulele! Well, if you demand it: the best worst version of Like a Prayer ever recorded, by Junkie Brewster.

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 00:17:21 -0800

Funny. I ran into the Fluke people in LA a few months ago and loved playing their stuff. Inspired me to suggest an ad slogan for them: If it's good, it's a Fluke! Though I bet they've heard that a bunch already.

By: kolophon

kolophon — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 02:44:08 -0800

Check out the episode archive 23 (32?) entitled Uke Masters. Lots of Jake and Steve Evans. Awesome. posted by Roger Dodger at 5:03 AM on March 31

while my guitar gently wheeps is awesome!

By: barnacles

barnacles — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 03:27:35 -0800

In case anyone else is curious about those Mountain Goats and their version, I found links to their performance of it here: http://www.3hive.com/2004/03/the_mountain_go.php

By: RokkitNite

RokkitNite — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 04:49:28 -0800

I found the audience laughter a bit disconcerting, too. I mean, I always thought of it as a blackly humorous song, but too near-knuckle to be laugh out loud funny.

By: featherboa

featherboa — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 13:11:52 -0800

I think the way Darnielle sings, particularly live, is so full of emotion - you can see his neck muscles straining - that it's hard to actually laugh at the lyrics, usually. But of course there's something just funny about the ukulele. But then Stephin Merrit gets away with just occasional giggles at his lyrics, which are not really that much funnier than the Mountain Goats', and he plays nothing but ukulele live (Swinging London).