‘FINLANDIA’ (A Song of Peace) for our time!
July 3, 2022
On the eve of our Independence Day, I am drawn to a song that is close to my heart: ‘Finlandia’.
Mike and I shared it with our congregation countless times, and always for the 4th of July. Preferring the Mary Travers version, that is what we offered, with Mike accompanying me on the piano.
So, when Mike decided to arrange this beautiful melody for the ukulele, I was particularly pleased! He worked to create an arrangement that was beautiful, yet achievable~ and I loved his chordal voicings! (Every time I pick up a uke, no matter how long or short my session, it always includes ‘Finlandia’.)
However… the key did present a challenge for me vocally, as my voice had migrated from the soprano to alto range! Hmmm…what to do?
Eager to share it at our next ukulele workshop, Mike came up with a perfect solution: He played his chord melody instrumental in its entirety, then modulated to a lower key for me, fingerpicking the chords as I sang the lyrics.
I believe this beautiful melody, coupled with these heartfelt lyrics, is a poignant reminder that though we are proud citizens of a country blessed with beauty “from sea to shining sea”, we are also citizens of the world. And in this world, every country is peopled with citizens proud of all they hold dear.
“This is my song, O God of all the nations;
A song of peace for lands so far away.
This is my home, a country where my heart is.
Here grew my hopes and dreams for all mankind.
But other hearts in other lands are beating
With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.
My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean
And sunlight shines on clover leaf and pine.
But other lands have sunlight too and clover
And skies are ev’rywhere as blue as mine.
O hear my prayer, O God of all the nations.
A song of peace for their lands and for mine.”
So, dear friends, as we celebrate our freedoms, let us remember those in other lands who dream of being able to celebrate theirs as well!
Peace! For all!
Collene
Here is Mike’s YouTube posting, complete with tutorial.
Available as a single or one of the pieces in his whopping 52-song Chord Melody One book. http://www.ukulelemikelynch.com/order.htm
UKULELE HAWAIIAN CRUISE OPPORTUNITY
Dear friends,
As many of you know, Mike was a music teacher before he became known globally as ‘Ukulele Mike’. So, he was pleased to be asked to give ukulele lessons aboard The Princess not once, but twice (2013 and 2015)! (I was privileged to be his ‘Vanna’.) We were joined by some of Mike’s followers from all over (including Japan); incredible trips with incredible people! These were 2 of the most rewarding trips we’ve ever taken; the ukulele community is a fun, happy one and we had a blast together!
Jean James, who arranged our cruises, is organizing what will probably be her “last hurrah” for the ukulele community. As fulfilling and wonderful as our cruises were, my ‘ship sailed’ when Mike left for the big ukulele club in the sky, so I won’t be aboard this time.
But ‘Auntie Jean’ has booked this one with a wonderful teacher, Jenny Peters, who also has quite an online following. She plans on sharing all her passion and expertise with those fortunate enough to join them-and if you book before the end of October, you can take advantage of tremendous savings!
I understand that some of our bunch from our previous cruises have signed on, and I hope you will be pleased to know that Jenny is planning on using some of Mike’s songs-with my blessing!
Please forward this to anyone else who would appreciate the opportunity. I have to say that the Princess knows how to do it right; you’ll be treated royally-and for a great price!
So, what are you waiting for?!
All aboard!
Collene
Dear Fellow Strummer,
Are you ready to transform your ukulele playing skills while embarking on an unforgettable cruise adventure? 🚢🎶
I’ve partnered with Princess Cruises to get you as much as 50% off* for a 16-day Hawaiian Cruise from San Francisco, in September 2024 – but you’ll need to book your cabin with a small deposit, by October 30, 2023 if you want the 50% discount.
I’ll be teaching you in person as part of a select group, and we’ll be learning a course I have built just for you. We’ll play over 65 songs, during 20 hours of instruction and practice with friends. But the main goal is to have fun and experience Hawaiian culture.
Get the details on the cruise itinerary, the course, and how to book here.
Click the link above to learn more and secure your spot before it’s too late for the 50% discount.
Your ukulele journey awaits – let’s make music and memories together!
Warmest regards,
Jenny
ukulele.io
P.S. Here’s what others have said about ukulele cruises:
“The ukulele course added a unique dimension to my cruise experience. I now strum with confidence, and the onboard jam sessions were incredible.”
– Claude, IA
“I’ll forever cherish the ukulele workshop on our cruise to Hawaii. Learning to play brought me closer to the islands, its people, and my fellow passengers. Mahalo!”
– Gina, WA
UNDERNEATH THE LEAVES OF THE BANYAN TREE
(Play The Uke, Play The Uke, Play The Ookoolele, Ookoolele)
Dear friends,
The devastation that the fires on Maui left behind was shocking; that virtually a whole town could burn to the ground was unimaginable. And yet… pictures everywhere showed it all.
When I heard the news that Lahaina was almost totally gone, the first thing I searched for on the internet was how the banyan tree had fared. Was it still standing? For it has been the heart of Lahaina since it was planted 150 years ago, growing to fill an entire city block and serving as a gathering place and shelter from the scorching sun for natives and tourists alike. As first-time visitors in 1982, Mike and I were awestruck by the immensity of the banyan tree and its place in Lahaina’s history.
We last visited the islands in 2015 while teaching on our second ‘Hawaiian Ukulele Cruise’ aboard The Princess. Mike never went anywhere without his uke. Anywhere. So, while taking shelter from the sun under the banyan on our afternoon in Lahaina, Mike pulled out his uke and played the song he had composed the previous year, ‘Underneath the Leaves of the Banyan Tree’.
He included his song in the cruise book he’d put together for our classes and they were having a great time with it. I remember him joking with our group about the pronunciation…was it a uke or an ook? If it’s a uke, why isn’t it pronounced Yookoolele? And if it’s an Ookoolele, why isn’t it called an ook? We had great fun, chuckling through the song. Yes, we were a corny bunch.
Those were halcyon days…but now, what is to become of Lahaina and its beloved tree? The town will never be the same, its historic buildings obliterated… but people are determined to rebuild. And they/we are holding our breaths to see if the banyan, Lahaina’s heart, will recover. The hope is that life in the roots will generate new growth; apparently, it’s possible to sprout leaves even from burned branches. But arborists just don’t know with certainty. Time heals wounds; perhaps time will be kind to our banyan tree.
What can we do to help? The need is great and many of us have limited funds. But if we each do even a little something, we can make a difference.
I am reposting Mike’s YouTube of his lighthearted tribute to the banyan tree here and dedicating it to the people of Maui.
As you can see, Mike offered the words and chords at the end of the video. He never included it in his collections (by that time he was totally into instrumentals) but I have a pdf that I can email.
If you order a copy, I pledge to donate all proceeds from those sales to *The Maui Strong Fund.
The code to enter into the item box is: B-1.
The cost: $1 (leave the $ sign off; only use a decimal i.e. 1.00)
Also, if you order a copy of his arrangement of ‘Mele Kalikimaka’ (The Hawaiian Christmas Song) from his ‘Ukulele Mike’s Favorites for Beginners’ book I will donate those proceeds as well.
The code: sa 3.16
The cost: .99
Here’s a link to our website order page. http://www.ukulelemikelynch.com/order.htm
*You can read about The Maui Strong Fund here.
“The Maui Strong Fund is providing financial resources that can be deployed quickly, with a focus on rapid response and recovery for the devastating wildfires on Maui.”
(One of the reasons for including this link to the fund is you may wish to donate directly to it.)
https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/strengthening/maui-strong-fund
I’ll post revenues monthly and reassess at the end of 2023. If there’s a good response, I’ll continue into 2024-or find another avenue to fundraise; it will take a long time and a tremendous amount of revenue to make a difference; but make a difference, we will!
I wish you all good health, much joy…
And Happy Strumming!
Collene
WORLD UKULELE DAY ~ February 2, 2023 🎻🌴
Hello friends! It’s been a long time since posting, but I couldn’t let another year go by without publicly celebrating World Ukulele Day, which Mike initiated in 2011!
This is the 12th year since it’s inception, (Wow!) and 5 years since Mike left us here to carry on without him…But he’s still here for all of us who want to tap into his enthusiasm for all things ukulele! With that in mind, here is his ‘declaration’ of the first World Ukulele Day! It’s only fitting that it should come from him.
Mike had some great suggestions for celebrating. This year I am first going to serenade the women in my prayer group via Zoom. Then I’ll head to Mom’s, with the uke I inherited from Grandma, to play and sing some of the classics together like we did at all our family parties. And I think I’ll top it off with learning one of the many chord melody arrangements Mike created. Which one, though…hmmm…maybe get a head start on Christmas with one I haven’t tried yet.
So, how are you celebrating World Ukulele Day? Will you do it in the cocoon of your home or with other ‘ukers’? Will it be with a soprano, tenor or baritone? (Or all 3?) 😁However you choose to celebrate, it is bound to bring a smile to your face and anyone within hearing range, for we all know that the uke is the world’s friendliest instrument! 😄
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Collene
Note: I’m posting this on Feb. 1st to reach all of our friends in different time zones. Isn’t it wonderful to be connected, no matter where we live?!
Season’s blessings!
Dear friends,
We at the Lynch household are busy making Cornish pasties, which was our tradition (per his request) to celebrate Mike’s birthday and Father’s Day…we continue to do so to honor his memory.
It seems fitting to have this tonight and tomorrow because we need something special to fill the void of our usual traditions of caroling parties and goodies galore that friends bring. Mike’s grandmother taught his mother how to make them; when I entered the family, she taught me…and now our daughters make them with me. They are simple in ingredients: meat, potatoes and onions, chopped and layered with butter and salt, enveloped in pie dough. The house fills with the aroma, making our stomachs growl in anticipation…as mine is now!
Church services are on Zoom and so is visiting. There is solidarity knowing we are all experiencing pretty much the same scenario…paring down our activities to what matter most and getting creative with what we have. And we have been blessed with much!
And so, no matter how you celebrate, I hope you Celebrate! Next year we will hopefully be able to enjoy our traditions without fetters…and I know we will savor them the more for having to do without them now.
Blessings to you and your loved ones…good health and much joy in abundance! My gift to you is really from both Mike and me…one of his labors of love.
Mele Kalikimaka!
Collene
We Gather Together
November 26, 2020
By Collene Lynch
Hello friends!
We in the U.S. gather together today to thank God for our blessings. Our gatherings look different this year, as there are many empty places at our tables. Perhaps if we picture our loved ones sitting with us, eating, laughing, exchanging stories, praying and singing with us, they will seem a little closer. I imagine some of us might say we are saving their places for next year…and that brings a smile as I write this.
Growing up, our family seemed normal size, as we were one of a multitude in our neighborhood with large families…even though there were 10 siblings and 4 foster sisters, there was always room for others at our table. You can imagine how challenging it is for one of us to host the whole family when there are 65+…One year my brother decided to erect a tent, complete with heaters and rugs so we could all sit in the same ‘room’. It was wonderful! (And yes, we still brought guests!)
When I reflect on the last 8 months, I realize that the pandemic has changed us in unexpected ways. Although we have been discouraged, angry, resentful, afraid…we have also been resilient, hopeful, determined, gracious, thoughtful and very, very creative!
And when I have taken my eyes off the ground, looked up and kept my eyes open, I have seen amazing things! Some are so small, you have to look carefully to notice them…a smile behind a mask, an offer to help carry a bag, neighbors waving from their cars as they pass us walking. And there are some acts of kindness that can never be repaid.
Here is my litany of gratitude: For Mike, my one and only love; Erin and Dianne, our caring, loving, giving daughters; my larger, boisterous, hilarious family; Mom and Dad, examples of inclusiveness and welcome; our neighbors who walk with us, happy hour with us and who care for each other; our garden, which many of you have seen in the background of Mike’s videos; my many circles of friends, from church, to quilting, choir, and garden club; the gift of song; ice cream; my artsy-fartsy side; for music-sweet music; for goodness exhibited all around us and for ‘guardian angels’ who have come to our aide at the most crucial of times…yes, there is more, always more…and…
I’ve saved a gratitude for you, the ukulele community: In thanksgiving for your generous support, your lovely comments about Mike and what he has meant to you, for your graciousness if I flub up an order or the website isn’t working as well as it should. I appreciate you!
I like to flip through Mike’s arrangements and just play through them randomly (although some of you know that Finlandia is my go-to-all-time favorite). Last night I was looking for a video to share with you that would fit this day and came upon ‘We Gather Together’, from the Chord Melody Two book, so I will share that. It is a great one to start delving into chord melody because it keeps to the first 3 frets.
And so as we gather together today, aching for the smiles, hugs, jokes, stories and great food we normally share with our loved ones, I am remembering why we are separate. It is an act of love. And love wins in the end!
I wish you good health and much joy this holiday season!
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Collene
PS: I invite you to share with us one thing for which you are grateful! (If it’s a litany…all the better!)
PPS: I would have posted earlier, but the letter I wrote last night didn’t save…If you see it out their in LaLa Land…please tell it to come back!
Both Sides Now
A Love Story
Hello friends!
On August 22, 1970, Mike and I each married our best friend. This year marks our 50th wedding anniversary. It was literally a lifetime ago, and yet…I remember very clearly our courtship and the first time we said “I Love You”, prompted by the song, ‘Both Sides Now’…
We were standing in the entry foyer to my family home; it was separated from the rest of the house by a door…which we kept shut so we could say our ‘good nights’ in private. (I have 9 younger siblings, so this was essential!) As music was how met, and being enamored of Judy Collins, it was natural that we started dancing to “Both Sides Now’, accompanied only by our hushed voices. In retrospect I can see we anticipated the words in the last verse:
“Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say, I love you” right out loud”
That’s when we stopped dancing. That’s when we stopped singing. That’s when we said “I Love You”-right out loud! In that moment, a lifetime together truly began.
You might find this funny, quaint, even odd…but for us, music was our language and if you knew Mike, you knew him to be corny (puns were his specialty) and sentimental. And I was right in there with him!
Because we were in music ministry together at 3+ churches, there were 6 priests at our wedding. Yup, it took 6 of them to marry us!
In his words to us that day, Fr. Pat Carroll, S.J. told us to go out and “make beautiful music together.” And so we did!
“Moons and Junes and ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
When every fairy tale comes real
I’ve looked at love that way” -Joni Mitchell
I love you Michael B!
You can find it in his Chord Melody Five collection or order it as a single on our website, where you’ll also find our new catalog.
Mahalo!
http://www.UkuleleMikeLynch.com/store.htm
I couldn’t find this when posting last night. As you can see, Mike had a mustache “way back when”…and daisies were definitely “in” in 1970!
Beware Someone Impersonating Ukulele Mike
Friends, please note that there is a copycat Facebook page you must avoid. We have notified Facebook and hope it is taken down soon.
Copycat page (fake): h ttps://www.facebook.com/UKULELE-MIKE-141760012516596
Real Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ukulelemike.lynch
Webmaster/IT
Dear Ukulele Friends,
New Catalog
Today we are announcing our first complete Catalog of Ukulele Mike’s Sheet Music! This first version is available in PDF format and is downloadable. The first part of the Catalog is a Table of Contents organized by type of sheet music. Click the title of the eBook to go directly to the place in the catalog below the Table of Contents. Below the title of the eBook is a link to where Ukulele Mike announced the eBook on YouTube or this website so that you can have more information about the eBook.
Below the Table of Contents is the detailed Catalog. The catalog is also organized by type of sheet music. Each eBook is followed by a list of the songs in the eBook which are available individually for purchase in addition to the eBook itself. Each eBook and it’s list of songs is followed by its item number and price.
How to Order
Please continue to order at http://www.UkuleleMikeLynch.com/order.htm. When ordering please list the Item ID(s) and price(s) so we are sure to fulfill your order correctly.
Product Delivery
All pdf sheet music will be emailed to you. Orders for the DVD and DVD Packages will be post mailed to you. Please include the shipping fee with your order as shown in the catalog. Product Delivery is not automated yet (but soon). When you finish your order PayPal will email it to us. Depending on our workload and schedule it could take several days before we read it. However we do our best to process your order as soon as possible. We will then email the items you ordered to you. So please give us a few days before inquiring about your order. Thanks!
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Collene Lynch
The Man and the Mountain
May 17, 2020
Hello friends!
May 18th, marks the 40th anniversary of Mt. St. Helen’s massive eruption. Forty years…yet I remember it vividly! We stood outside in the street that Sunday, watching the plume mushroom as if an atomic bomb had exploded, in awe at the sheer magnitude nature wrought! It wasn’t as if we weren’t warned, but it seemed to us a long time coming…There were a multitude of volcanic seismic events-for years-building up to the fateful day. It was a relief to have it finally blow it’s top!
Mike was obsessed with the impending eruption, from the first alerts from geologists, and keenly followed every story, especially of Harry Truman. Harry was keeper of the Mt. St. Helens Lodge and obstinately refused to budge from his “guard post”, no matter the threats of impending doom should he stay. He said that he would rather die than leave…and it was the mountain that buried him in it’s bosom.
Mike worked feverishly on the song all night and sang it for us the very next morning. It was typical of his compositional MO if he was impassioned with an idea for a song. You Ukulele Mike Lynch followers were the beneficiaries of his passion for arranging. It was the same for anything he composed, whether for the ukulele, Native American flute, violin or his many liturgical compositions for congregational singing.
He rolled it out to his classes that week and his students sang it for the closing concert just a few weeks later. It became a favorite; students looked forward to bringing it out every spring…and many, returning to visit, reminisced with their old music teacher about Harry and his mountain.
Although this blog is All Things Ukulele, I hope you will allow me the latitude to re-post this song, posted by Mike on the 30 year anniversary…It weaves a story worthy of retelling-especially around a campfire! click to listen and view The Man and the Mountain.
Mahalo Nui Loa!
Collene
UKULELE MIKE LYNCH - All things UKULELE 