Published by Swiss James on 29 Jun 2009 at 12:00 pm
Billie Jean- Ukulele version
Ack- I’ve been talking about doing this for a while, and now I’m not sure whether doing this now is bad timing or not.
Anyway- here’s a Ukulele cover version of Billie Jean by the late, great Michael Jackson.
The reason I’m laughing like a crazy person over the first verse of the song (and smiling like I’m high throughout) is that Emma was behind the camera pulling funny faces and dancing. It ain’t no disrespect!
For anyone who can’t get that video (still no youtube in China!) here’s an MP3.
Billie Jean- (ukulele version)
First comment!
Awwwww,…tudou cannot provide service to my country! Grrrr!
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
I see it worked! But if that’s youtube above it… my vpn won’t even pick up on it. Back to Todou?
Oops… sorry Jen. Didn’t see that about tudou in Korea.
My hands are tied – can’t use flickr because it’s over 90 seconds long, can’t use youtube cos it’s blocked, and it seems Tudou is China only.
Maybe I’ll try facebook..
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=199238285390&ref=nf
It works fine in England.
Well, that was so worth the wait! Love it!
Can’t get over your English accent when you sing. “…she claims I am the won…”
Apart from the Cheshire Cat grin, it was very moving and a great tribute.
I hope this is the start of the ‘Ukulele Monday Series’. It will never be as big as Shoe Tuesday, but I think it could catch on.
Ha, ha … interesting! I like it!
Ha ha ha! That’s great!
If I squint just right, you look like a giant playing a normal-sized guitar…
Next Ukulele Monday: Swiss James shreddin’ that solo on the uke!
KimC- well you know what they say, it’s hard not to smile when you play a Ukulele (if they don’t say this now, they should start).
Killban- good to know
Hang- thanks!
(guy)- enough with the Ukulele Monday talk! I only know about 6 songs!
Well then I think we know that you have to spend all of your time practicing now.
First request: Paranoid Android
You’re playing and singing in two different keys! Wow, amazing, that’s really hard to do on purpose, as I’m sure you’re doing.
Waah you’ve changed keys during the chorus! Amazing!
And the 2nd verse is in another key!
keys???? I can’t see any keys????
It took a while, but I remember who you remind me of – Ewan McGregor grins when he sings in Moulin Rouge.
Now on with Shoe Tuesday – please…. It is almost noon and not a peek-hole toe in sight…
maxie- it’s all part of my grand master plan
T- I’ve already done Radiohead- but I do have another one in the pipes- with a guest vocalist no less!
Dingle- he’s just trying to baffle you with science, there is actually no such thing as keys!
KimC- I’ll have a look around for you.
Yeah, where are the shoes?
I already did the hard work for you, what with the title, and photo’s n’ stuff.
We’re waaaaaaaaaiting….
When does the Swiss James fan club comes out on Facebook? Dingle, don’t factor out and forget to pre-approve those long term supports! ;-)
Swiss – you are teasing us now…. Sounds like a Ukulele Monday is in the offing…
‘T- I’ve already done Radiohead- but I do have another one in the pipes- with a guest vocalist no less!’
BTW – Anyone know how to get rid of the US flag next to my name? I am British, not American!
That’s racist dude, maybe time to go back to your ass-raping colonizing motherland huh
Young, Talented and Bald
Underground ukulele player Swiss James seems to have everything it takes to be a star – the skills, the looks, the women – yet he doesn’t have a record contract. Why?
“The music industry is fundamentally prejudiced against bald people,” Swiss says. “It’s so obvious and blatant, but they can’t talk about it. It’s the giraffe in the bedroom, the panda in the playhouse, the zebra crossing in the road. Many lesser ukulele players than me have been given lucrative contracts, but I have been passed over again and again.”
Now Swiss hopes to reverse the anti-bald bias with his new non-profit initiative, A Chance To Shine, giving bald people a platform to express themselves without fear of being pigeon-holed as the slapheads they obviously are.
“It’s really a new beginning for me,” believes Swiss. “I need never wear a wig on stage again.”
[To be honest, I wrote this weeks ago and was just waiting for your next Uke vid to send it. Billie Jean Uke is the most beautiful thing ever in the history of stuff.]
“Young, Talented and Bald”, you missed “scratchy”
God this is so bizarre, I need to find a proxy that makes Tudou think I’m in China so I can watch this. Actually it is loading but very slow …… maybe you can just do a live rendition for me when I get back on Sunday. Might help get rid of the jet lag.
WoAi- or watch it on the facebook link I thoughtfully provided maybe?
David- that’s quality, I LOL’d at “A chance to shine”!
KimC- sadly the flags are based on your IP address not how you spell the word “color”
TheWilliamG- We gave back all of our colonies now, except the South Sandwich Islands. I’ll be dead and cold in the ground before I let that one out of her Majesty’s grasp.
James – No I finally got it via Tudou. A fine job. I can’t decide whether your version of the song is better or the original. But I have to say I prefer the MJ video to yours. Oh and you are grinning just a little too much considering the rest of the world is mourning. Well apart from Joe Jackson who seems to be counting how much money he’s gonna make out of his son’s death.
Youku is your friend. Should I make you famous?
(and featured on Chinasmack? “Michael Jackson v2!! With strange western guitar!!!)
Colin- I’m not really sure why people can’t get it on Tudou, so can’t see any reason why it would work better on Youku.
I’ve signed up to some service called Freedur but still can’t upload videos to Youtube. Cursed internet.
Nice Video And I also want to learn guitar because i love music and instruments is the heart of music ……
Lovin this version your finest ukele perfomance yet! Just wondering if you had tried vimeo for video. Works much better than youtube.
Swiss – a perfect tribute to the King of Pop! Is it compulsary to look like George Formby when playing the ukele?
Peter – I always find watching other people’s stuff on Vimeo to be really painfully slow, maybe better than nothing though!
Wiggy- not compulsory, just hard to avoid!
are you taking requests now Sizzle? Only I’m desperate to hear a ukelele/scratchy voice combo of “Something Inside So Strong” by Labi Siffre.