Three Chord Thursday: nonlexical vocables

Have you ever sung a song that used nonsensical words that didn’t add anything to the lyrics but provided fuel for sound? In this session of Three Chord Thursday on September 10, 2020, we share songs that make extensive use of such meaningless vocables. Part 2 is scheduled for November 12, 2020 – selected songs in green font.

As usual, please register in advance to get the Zoom meeting link and ID to join this session, unless you have already previously registered and received the link with ID and password. You’ll get an e-mail before the session of the line-up and any other important information. From August 2020, all sessions will be recorded, edited, and replayed on Brookline television. If you don’t want to appear, you can always switch OFF your video.

Listen to 20 songs that contain non-lexical vocables to get an idea.

We welcome anyone anywhere in the world, in other words, everyone everywhere in the world to join us either as an active participant (with your webcam ON) or an inactive one (webcam OFF) if you prefer to “lurk” or “ghost”. The most active participants are the ones who volunteer to perform a song on his or her microphone, with everyone else muted for the occasion.

The bolded song titles link to song sheets that can easily be transposed. You are also welcome to propose or create your own song sheets. Request to perform by filling out this short Google Form and you’ll be notified in advance of the date. On average, we can fit up to 10 songs in our one-hour song session. Pink (9/10/2020). Green (11/12/2020).

Scroll to bottom of page for line-up (set list) for the day.

1. Back on the Chain Gang – The Pretenders – Emily S (FL) – [10]
2. Bad Romance – Lady Gaga (P. 28 of Ukulele Wednesday) – Tina J. (WA) [5]
3. Banana Boat Song, The – Harry Belafonte (1 page PDF) – Maureen D. (MA)
4. Be-Bop-A-Lula – Gene Vincent – Pat B. (CT) in A
5. Boxer, The – Simon and Garfunkel
6. Breakfast in America – (1-page PDF)
7. Breakup Song, The – Greg Kihn Band
8. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison – Mike S (FL) – [5]
9. Can’t Get You Out of My Head – Kylie Minogue (1-page PDF)
10. Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep – Middle of the Road
11. Come Together – The Beatles (1969) – Bruce C. (MI) in F/Dm (1 page PDF)
12. Come Up And See Me – Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
13. Da Doo Ron Ron – The Crystals (1-page PDF) – Kathryn P. (MA)
14. Diddie Wa Diddie – Blind Blake (1929) – Paul M. (HI) – (2-page PDF) in F [3]
15. Do Wah Diddy Diddy – Manfred Mann – Dr John (UK) (2-page PDF in D) [4]
16. Heart of Glass – Blondie – Laura S. (MA) – in C
17. In the Summertime – Mungo Jerry
18. Jeepers Creepers – Nancy A. (MA), Laura P. (MA) -(1-page PDF) [3]
19. Life is Live – Opus
20. Lion Sleeps Tonight, The – The Tokens (1-page PDF) – Bruce B. (IT)
21. Na, Na, Hey, Hey, Kiss Him Good-bye – Steam
22. Next Door to An Angel – Sue B. (UK) (3-page PDF) [14]
23. Ode to My Family – The Cranberries
24. Ob La Di Ob Bla Da – The Beatles – Trudy (MA) – (2-page PDF in G) (2-page PDF in C) [5]
25. Oh La La – The Faces
26. One Fine Day – Pat B. (CT) – (1-page PDF) [4]
27. Piano Man, The – Billy Joel
28. Psycho Killer – Talking Heads (alternative UOGB) – Mike S (NJ)
29. Radio Gaga – Queen
30. Sh Boom – Alex F. (MA) – (11/12/2020) (2-page PDF) [11]
31. Sin You Sinners – Virginia K. (NY) (1-page PDF)
32. We Go Together – Anne (UK), Adrienne (TX) – (11/12/2020) (1-page PDF) [7]
33. What’s Up – 4 Non-Blondes
34. Who Put the Bomp – Barry Mann (in C)- Andi R. (PA) (2-page PDF)
35. Yeh Yeh – Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames
36. Yesterday Once More – The Carpenters – Anne, Adrienne (TX) (2-page PDF in C)
    (3 page PDF with chord diagrams above)
37. You’re the One That I Want – John Travolta & Olivia Newton John
38. Zip A Dee Doo Dah – James Baskett – Trudy (MA)

Part 1: September 10, 2020

1. Yesterday Once More – The Carpenters – Anne, Adrienne (TX) (2-page PDF in C)
   (3 page PDF with chord diagrams above)
2. Zip A Dee Doo Dah – James Baskett – Trudy (MA)
3. Who Put the Bomp – Barry Mann (in C)- Andi R. (PA) (2-page PDF)
4. Come Together – The Beatles (1969) – Bruce C. (MI) in F/Dm (1 page PDF)
5. Lion Sleeps Tonight, The – The Tokens (1-page PDF) – Bruce B. (IT)
6. Da Doo Ron Ron – The Crystals (1-page PDF) – Kathryn P. (MA)
7. Be-Bop-A-Lula – Gene Vincent – Pat B. (CT) in A
8. Psycho Killer – Talking Heads (alternative UOGB) – Mike S (NJ)
9. Boxer, The – Simon and Garfunkel – Mike S. (FL), Virginia K. (NY) (1 page PDF)
10. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison – Emily S (FL)

Part 2: November 12, 2020 updated @ 11/12/2020 1:30 pm EST

1. Diddie Wa Diddie – Paul M. (HI) (2-page PDF) in F [3]
2. Jeepers Creepers – Nancy A. (MA), Laura P. (MA) (1-page PDF) [3]
3. One Fine Day – Pat B. (CT) (1-page PDF) [4]
4. Ob La Di Ob Bla Da – Trudy (MA) (2-page PDF in G) [5]
5. Do Wah Diddy Diddy – Dr John (UK) (2-page PDF in D) [5]
6. Bad Romance – (P. 28 of Ukulele Wednesday) – Tina J. (WA) [5]
7. Brown Eyed Girl – Mike S (FL) [5]
8. We Go Together – Anne (UK), Adrienne (TX) (1-page PDF) [7]
9. Back on the Chain Gang Emily S (FL) [10]
10. Sh Boom – Alex F. (MA) (2-page PDF) [11]
11. Next Door to An Angel – Sue B. (UK) (3-page PDF) [14]

Part 3 TBA in 2021

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