Topic: "Nagasaki" for Ukulele

[Scott Jacobs]

Howdy,? Y'all!

For my first post on this forum I thought I'd post my own arrangement? of "Nagasaki" for GCEA ukulele tuning.

I think its a great exercise to try to arrange some of your guitar repertoire for other instruments like ukulele as you ultimately end up learning some usefull chord inversions that can be applied to the first four strings of the guitar. For example if you use GCEA uke tuning then you can apply these same chords on the guitar by moving them up a fourth as if the guitar has a capo on the fifth fret.

The first set of numbers refer to fret position on strings four, three, two, and one respectively. The second set of numbers in parentheses refer to suggested fingerings. For suggested fingerings I recommend that you use the ones provided by "The Wizard of Strings" himself in Mel Bay's "Ukulele Method For Chord and Melody Playing" by Roy Smeck. This book is still in print and can be found at most music stores for under $10.00. (Note: The Smeck book is for ADF#B tuning but this is the same interval relationship as GCEA. Welcome to the wonderful world of ukulele.)

F = 2010 (2010)
F#0 = 2323 (1324)
Gm7 = 0211 (0211)
C7 = 0001 (0001)
Dm7 = 2213 (2214)
Bb6 = 0211 (0211)
F0 = 1212 (1324)
C = 0003 (0003)
Bb = 3211 (3211)
Bbm = 3111 (3111)
F7 = 2313 (2314)
E7 = 4445 (2224)

A?A?BA? Format

1st A section:
[F F#0][Gm7 C7][F F#0][Gm7 C7]
[F Dm7][Bb6 F0][C C7][F C7]

2nd A section:
[F F#0][Gm7 C7][F F#0][Gm7 C7]
[F Dm7][Bb6 F0][C C7][F F]

B section:
[Bb][Bbm][F ][F7 ]
[Bb][Bbm][F E7][Gm7 C7]

Repeat 1st A section:
[F F#0][Gm7 C7][F F#0][Gm7 C7]
[F Dm7][Bb6 F0][C C7][F C7]


Once you become comfortable with the chord grips at the nut then try moving it up two frets. This will require some slight alterations in fingerings. But once you've got the hang of it you'll have some great alternative movable first four string chord inversions for "rhythm changes" on the guitar. The Smeck fingerings are really elegant and allow the chords to fall beautifully under the fingers for playing this tune up to tempo.

Uke can do it!

[waxwing]

Welcome to Weenie Campbell, Scott, I am really glad to see you here. Tho' I have not been affected by Uke Madness yet, having just started the mando, you will find many who have succumbed, thanks to the infectiousness of Del, Lightnin' Wells, and Sandy, the Ukulady.

Great post.

All for now.
John C.

[NotRevGDavis]

Thanks Scott, sometimes I get so wrapped up practicing guitar I forget how much fun the Uke can be.
Welcome to the Weenie it'll give you a break from workin' at the AGF.

[Mike Billo]

Howdy Scott; I came to the Guitar, first through Electric Bass, then Uke (which I still play almost daily), then the Guitar seemd a natural extension of the Uke, so I picked it up and realized that Electric Bass and Uke gave me all sorts of transferable skills to get started on the Guitar with.

  For anybody not yet familiar with the greatness of Roy Smeck, go to
http://www.ukuleledisco.com/ click on the 2004/2005 page, scroll down to season three and there are some old "soundies" of Roy.

  Great stuff!!!

[mr mando]

Hey Scotty, it's Bb and Bbm in the B part. Other than that, I'm really proud of you.

[Scott Jacobs]

Thanks for the welcome, everyone!

Here's the lyrics that I sing:

Hot ginger and dynamite, they drink nothing but that, folks every night.
Back in Nagasaki where the fellows chew tobaccy and the women wicky wacky woo.

They got a way they entertain that would hurry hurry a hurricane.
Back in Nagasaki where the fellows chew tobaccy and the women wicky wacky woo.

In Fujiyama you get a mama then your troubles increase
In some pagoda she orders soda and then the earth shakes milk shakes ten cents a piece.

Now they huggee and kissee, boy its nice.  By jingo, its worth the price.
Back in Nagasaki where the fellows chew tobaccy and the women wicky wacky woo.



Now they set you down upon the floor, no wonder that you?re yas-yas is sore.
Back in Nagasaki where the fellows chew tobaccy and the women wicky wacky woo.

Buddy, you want some good advice?  Keep your lid on when you?re cookin? rice.
Back in Nagasaki where the fellows chew tobaccy and the women wicky wacky woo.

Oh, sweet kimono.  I popped a boner.  I kept it up at high speed.
I got sciatics and rheumatics.  And halitosis that?s guaranteed!

Monkey and the Baboon playing in the grass.  Monkey stuck his finger in the Baboon?s yas-yas.
Back in Nagasaki where the fellows chew tobaccy and the women wicky wacky woo.