Songs in the Time of Corona: one-hour on Fridays

We share songs inspired by the coronavirus pandemic, from existing songs about staying at home to new songs about the lock down, from parodies to 20-second handwash song. These are FREE one-hour song sessions in ZOOM. Be sure to register in advance (by clicking on the link within the blogpost) to get the zoom meeting link.

From May 8th onwards, we meet on even-dated Fridays at 4 pm EDT for an hour of fun.

• 9- June 12th, 2020 —- the next one after this date will be notified.
• 8- May 22nd – COVID Blues – more parodies and original songs! Wear something BLUE, the bluer the better.
• 7- May 8th: Make It Count! songs that involve counting, whether number of cases, number of days in the lock down, infection rate, time, etc. Wear something with a number on it.
• 6- May 1st: Italia! Volare! That’s Amore! Rinascero’ rinascerai. Wear colors of Italian flag.
• 5- April 24: Amy Kucharik – Alone Together; parodies
• 4- April 17: Parodies, including Muting Me, Muting You
• 3- April 10: Tributes (Bill Withers, John Prine, Kenny Rogers) and requests
• 2- April 3, 2020: 20-second handwash songs
• 1- March 27th, 2020: the inaugural session

In my recent “Ode to Joy” virtual workshop, I mentioned that I’d like to start a working group to go through song sheets (song charts) of songs that tell the story of this pandemic. It may start at first with a parody as there are many on Youtube. The ultimate goal is to compile a song book we can actually use when we are no longer locked down, self-quarantined, and socially distanced. I look forward to returning to the day when we can all get together in physical space to jam together.

We have been meeting each Friday at 4 pm EDT = 9 pm BST = 10 pm UTC for an hour of sharing new parodies, 20-second hand wash songs, original songs, and existing songs that apply to how we feel or what we’re going through during this lock down. We’ve also paid tribute to those artists that left this world during this period, including songs of John Prine, who died of complications from Covid-19.

The first session of a series of ZOOM session happened on Friday 27th March 2020 at Noon EDT = 16:00 GMT.

World leaders are “under pressure.” Everyone is “stayin’ alive” in this “mad world.” Oh! What a “wild world“!

Right now, I am “all shook up” and “all by myself” after reading announcements of stay-at-home, shelter-at-home, and lock downs.

With such self-quarantines, it won’t be surprising to get people crying “Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody.”

The virus is “here, there and everywhere.” You can’t see it, smell it, touch it, hear it, or taste it. The lack of symptoms doesn’t mean you don’t have it. You can be a super spreader without any idea. Covid-19 is a respiratory disease — “something in the air.” And it’s the “air that I breathe.”

You can’t just “shake it off” unless you go “homeward bound.” Governments are asking their citizens abroad to return home.

People are asking, do you have to be “cruel to be kind?” Confine ourselves to our homes? Social distancing means “don’t stand so close to me.”

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Meanwhile, coronavirus parodies abound, including one by Neil Diamond.

I could only find one parody by a ukulele player.

Oh no, it’s corona to the Kink’s “Lola.”

Now won’t it be fun to find the song sheet for the viral hand wash dance video from Vietnam?

To participate in these one-hour song sessions, please first register in advance. You will then be taken to a new Webpage containing the meeting ID and LINK. You can either click on the meeting LINK or copy/paste the meeting ID into your ZOOM app or new ZOOM browser.

We welcome you to arrive early (half-hour to 20 minutes early) to do a sound and visual check, chit chat with others, and do the line-up. We start promptly at 4 pm EDT with warm-up exercises, a poll, and the line-up.

We record these sessions to learn and remember. These unlisted videos on Youtube cannot be found or searched, and not meant for distribution. After the song session, all registered participants will receive an e-mail with the option of requesting for these videos. It helps to hear yourself if you have performed to hear how you sounded. If you do not wish to appear, please switch off your video.

For the best experience in ZOOM, please close other applications and windows. Hard-wired Internet (into your router) is better than WIFI. Use the biggest and most power computer device: a desktop computer is better than a laptop which is better than an iPad which is better than an iPhone. If you’re not in an entirely quiet location, best to use headset (earphones) and microphone.

To allow others to see you, please ensure light falls on your face and not on your computer or device screen. If you plan to perform, do ensure your ZOOM audio setting is set to ORIGINAL SOUND, otherwise, ZOOM treats any other noise (including your instrument) as interference and playing and singing means your ukulele strums are clipped.