This idea came from, of all places, the strings of a ukelele. I personally could not stand the uke fad that swept indie music a few years ago and swore I would never get one. But they are a perfect size for a toddler to play on, and when I came across an old Harmony at a tag sale for $35, I could not pass it up. Smart move. Turns out it is a baritone ukelele, made in the USA, 1950's, all mahogany. Once I put new strings on it, the sound was really appealing. Plus, being a baritone, the chords are the same as guitar, so I was off and running immediately. So much for the toddler's toy, she will have to make due with the shitty made in Korea mandolin gathering dust in the corner.
But I digress. This song arose from a couple of plucked chords on that little uke. Initially, the 'fi diddle do, la da day' stuff was filler, but strangely enough it morphed into the anchor point of the song, moving it forward and tying it all together. The subject of the lyrics is a snapshot of our life, and a reflection on how quickly it goes by, but how we manage to gain a little wisdom along the way.
Two things about this song structurally: under three minutes, and no chorus. Both of these attributes are such a rarity for me that to see them pop up in the same song is very bizarre. But I feel like everything I wanted to say was captured just right. Adding anything else would have lessened it.
(click through for lyrics)
La Da Day
music/lyrics: Richard Popovic
There’s a little song that I used to know
It went fi diddly dee di fi diddly do a la da dee day
I don’t know much but I do know this
That song was playing when we first kissed a la da dee day
Your pretty smile and eyes so blue
Made my heart skip a beat or two a la da dee day
It was freezing cold but we kissed for hours
As we fell in love beneath the stars a la da dee la da do la da day
The days flew by and the years sped past
Who ever thought it would go so fast a la da dee day
It’s been ten years since we were wed
With golden flowers above our heads a la da dee day
Now we got two babies underfeet
It don’t leave much time for talking sweet a la da dee day
So let me take this chance to say
I love you more and more each day la da dee la da do la da
day
(intense whistle solo)
There’s a silver lining to getting gray
You learn some things along the way a la da dee day
Like when the music starts to play
How the years just melt away a la da dee la da do la da day
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