Easy cover songs

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 6:15 pm

Some easy tunes at my beginning.

Star of County Down.
Gift of a Thistle (love theme in Brave Heart)
Minstrel Boy
Foggy Dew.
Rakes of Mallow (Theme of John Waynes Irish movie the Quiet Man)

I'd also recommend for the older folks to run through a few of your favorite songs you learned years ago and already know by heart. It becomes a simple thing, once you find the right starting notes and Key (G or D for a d whistle; C or F for a C whistle).

For example, in another thread, folks found Rocky Raccoon and Black Bird from the Beatles album, fit nicely. As did the House of the Rising Sun. Also a number of lullabys like All Through the Night work well for beginner, simple and slow and well known.

The trick is to find a tune you already know forwards and backwards. Maybe it was that first slow dance with girl of your dreams, or the tune you and your mates claimed as your theme song, or song your uncle revelled in when he had one too many. If it's one you've heard 100 times; it will be easy to find on your whistle. Not all songs work, some are just too much rythmn and not enough melody, but other will florish, filled with melodic content as well as the wealth of heart you've already invested in them.

Monster · Post by **Monster** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 7:15 pm

I'll go along with the jest of this thread and reiterate, that if you can hum a tune you can probably play it. I found myself playing "Come Sweet Death " by Bach a couple days ago (I learnt it as a weee child on the tuba)

Even though there was plenty of half holing going on I was still able to figure it out because 1. I know how it goes and 2. It's slow and melodious

Ok, as for tunes that people might actually have heard of I too like "Somewhere Over the R.B", and "Yankee Doodle Dandy" seems to work out easily

Jeff

selkie · Post by **selkie** » Sat Aug 16, 2003 5:14 pm

Did you find any sheet music or Midi files for Northern Country Blues in the end as I would love a cop of it?

I can't find it in music form on the web.

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 6:48 am

You can find music for some of this stuff at The Kitchen Musician's Site.

http://members.aol.com/kitchiegal/kmmusic4.html

Steve

kabili · Post by **kabili** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 1:42 pm

to add to the list - how about the melody to "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You"? I found that fairly easy to pick out by ear, and i can't pick out anything by ear...

Lizzie · Post by **Lizzie** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 7:18 am

Besides some already mentioned, here are a few i found easy to pick out:(and I am no musical genius!)

Streets of Laredo.
All Through the Night,
Wild Mountain Thyme
Ode to Joy
Auld Lang Syne
Loch Lomond

WyoBadger · Post by **WyoBadger** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 5:45 pm

slowair wrote:
And there is always Danny Boy.

Mike

I only play Danny Boy on the slide whistle and the nose flute.

How about Sally Gardens or Molly Halpin? Both easy to play, easy to ornament, go great with other tunes, and sound quite pretty enough to play alone.

Tom

knorris908 · Post by **knorris908** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 4:10 am

Additionally,

Two out of Three Ain't Bad - Meatloaf

Picard "Resikkan flute" Solo - Star Trek TNG Soundtrack (What actually got me playing the whistle in addition to my flutes in the first place!) Sounds PERFECT on the Copeland hi D, and very nice on the Oak, believe it or not... (An Oak is what the song was originally recorded with.)
The specific episodes were "The Inner Light", then later, more extensively in "Lessons". Yeah, so I'm a nerd... So what? "Dammit Jim! I'm a doctor, not a whistle blower! By the way; Hes' dead Jim."

Go here to hear some of it
http://users.pandora.be/geert.bonte/tre ... sduet2.ram

http://users.pandora.be/geert.bonte/tre ... acques.ram

Also:

The Sound Of Silence - Simon and Garfunkle

The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkle

The Legend Of Billy The Kid - Billy Joel

The Final Countdown - Europe

The Smile Has Left Your Eyes - Asia (A pain to play, but worth it!)

On The Turning Away - Pink Floyd (It gets you. Right there...)

Memories - Streisand

Stairway to Heaven - Led Zep.

And Finally, Country Road - John (NOT Bob!) Denver

And if you're REALLY feeling frisky, ONE STEP BEYOND! By Madness (Too right!)

Kenneth

madguy · Post by **madguy** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 4:16 am

And yet another good Simon and Garfunkel one..."Kathy's Song".

~Larry

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 2:24 pm

Any instrumental rock, but especially Ennio Morricone (of spaghetti western fame) because he uses any wind instrument (real or fake) he can lay his hands on, and even throws in some human whistle. Great guitar work, too. From there, it's just a short jump to the Fureys ("Lonesome Boatman"). I second the vote of confidence for Simon & Garfunkel, too.

Easily_Deluded_Fool · Post by **Easily_Deluded_Fool** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 2:58 pm

One note samba

dtravers · Post by **dtravers** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 3:25 pm

Yeah I fall into the "geek" category myself.

I do historical recreation as a hobby. One day, we had a piper piping us out to a battlefield. Armoured shapes moved through the morning mist. It was like something straight out of "Braveheart" or the like.

The piper was just ending a great march that we had used to get ourselves wound up when he went straight away into the opening theme from "Star Wars". It cracked us up. Around 1000 people just killing themselves laughing is great to hear first thing in the morning.

So, of course, I had to learn it on the whistle.

Add the Star Wars theme on there. It's easy and good for a laugh.

-Derek-

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 3:50 pm

Alright now you got me going ..

How about a little:
James Taylor:

Sweet Baby James,
Fire and Rain,
Country Road,
Blossom.
Carolina in my Mind.
You can close your eyes,

Crosby, Stills, and Nash's:

Tin Soldier,
Southern Cross,
Marakesh Express,
Wooden Ships,
Daylight Again,
Treetop Flyer.

Simon and Garfunkle's:

Song for the Asking,
Condor Pass
America
Homeward Bound
Dangling Conversations.

Or ...

Traffic's: John Barleycorn
Cat Stevens': Moon Shadow,
Jim Croce: Time in a bottle
Don MacLeans: American Pie

Okay enough nastalgic ramblings through my lyric past, hoping to spark a memory or two of how you used to ...

knorris908 · Post by **knorris908** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 3:56 pm

dtravers wrote: Add the Star Wars theme on there. It's easy and good for a laugh.

-Derek-

I can't believe that I missed that! Good call Derek.

Add to this:

ALL STAR TREK/Alexander Courage Music

Main Theme - Battlestar Galactica (U.S.A. SciFi)

Main Theme - Dr. Who (B.B.C. SciFi) (From William Hartnell, on!)

Main Theme - The Tomorrow People (CLASSIC B.B.C.)
(P.S. Liz was HOT! My first "love", I think.)

Main Theme - NeverWhere (B.B.C. SciFi)

Main Theme - Blakes 7 (B.B.C. SciFi)

Main Theme - Thunderbirds (In SUPER-Marrionation! - U.S.A.)

Main Theme - Marine Boy (OLD Anime' For those of us from the 60's and earlier) :roll: (Japan. The same people who made "Speed Racer")

Main Theme - UNDERDOG (OLD American Cartoon for children of all ages!)

Anyone remember "The World of Commander McBragg"?

Star Wars - The Imperial March!! The Imperial March!!! (Watch out! - Stormtroopers must be on the move!)
"You are not a Jedi YET, young Skywalker!"

Kenneth

This is fun! Keep it going guys!

Kar · Post by **Kar** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 12:59 pm

Some "lay" songs I play on the whistle:

Cecelia - Simon & Garfunkel. Also, Bridge Over Troubled Water and Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream.

Down by the Riverside - traditional
Balm in Gilead - old gospel song
How Can I Keep From Singing (Enya sings it but it's on old song)
Mercedez Benz - yes, the Janis Joplin one, it works GREAT!
I Will - the Beatles
Spring from the Four Seasons (opening theme)
Star Wars opening theme

And, useful at parties, Happy Birthday!

Monster, I LOVE that Back "Come Soothing Death" song but the sheet music I have for it is in a key I haven't mastered yet....still working on it.