Uke Box
UKE BOX features video performances of original songs, written and arranged by Tasmanian songwriter Eleanor Tucker. Each arrangement showcases orchestral instruments as well as encouraging ukulele players of all levels to have a go and play-along.
Chord and tab charts are displayed on screen, and each song is followed by an up-close demonstration of ukulele technique. Duplicate videos displaying song lyrics are available as well as support materials for free download, including lead sheets and notes for teachers.
“Each song has been written with the ukulele in mind. I have tried to keep these parts as simple and accessible as possible (mainly 1 & 2 finger chords/ some pentatonic melodies) while simultaneously providing enough variety to retain interest, and extend playing technique.”
Eleanor Tucker 2021
Select a song and strum-along!
Eleanor Tucker
Songwriter, arranger, and vocalist
Gina Rose
Vocalist
Finlay Underwood
Vocalist
Mangus (Mark Schmalfuss)
Ukulele
“This piece began as simply a way of teaching children the relative pitches of the ukulele notes (GCEA) by singing, “Ukulele, ukulele, you can play, I can play, ukulele” (noting the difference in bar 3 to bars 1,2 and 4)
The words for the final song came to me while at Roaring Beach on the Tasman Peninsula. I was watching a pair of sea eagles soaring above me and thinking how amazing it would be to just be able to lift up your arms and glide.”
Eleanor Tucker 2021
Scores of three arrangements of “Some Days I Wish I Could Fly” for classroom instruments are provided below. Sets with score and parts will be available for purchase through TSO HOUSE in 2022.
Watch “Some Days I Wish I Could Fly” ukulele chords and demonstration
Watch ”Some Days I Wish I Could Fly” with lyrics displayed
”Some Days I Wish I Could Fly” Lead Sheet PDF
”Some Days I Wish I Could Fly” Lyric Sheet PDF
”Some Days I Wish I Could Fly” Notes for Teachers PDF
”Some Days I Wish I Could Fly” Scores of 3 classroom arrangements PDF
“I wrote this song to specifically cater for absolute beginners to get used to chord changes, using the 1-finger C and F chords.
The song lyrics remind us that music can also be ‘play’ and encourages players to have a go at relaxed improvising,”
Eleanor Tucker 2021
A score excerpt of “Sometimes”, arranged for classroom instruments, is provided below. Score and parts will be available for purchase through TSO HOUSE in 2022.
Watch “Sometimes” with ukulele chords and demonstration
Watch “Sometimes” with lyrics
“Sometimes” Lead Sheet PDF
“Sometimes” Lyric Sheet PDF
“Sometimes” Notes for Teachers PDF
”Sometimes” Score excerpt from classroom arrangement PDF
“I have noticed there is always one student in a class or one person in the room who has, at some time, been obsessed with trains. Steam trains in particular seem to hold a strong fascination.
The flute, piccolo and voice ‘sing’ together as a train whistle, while the brass instruments signal the sound of a horn.”
Eleanor Tucker 2021
Watch “Steam Train” with ukulele chords and demonstration
Watch “Steam Train” with lyrics
“Steam Train” Lead Sheet PDF
“Steam Train” Lyric Sheet PDF
“Steam Train” Notes for Teachers PDF
“Lots of people love dogs and want to keep them as pets, but there are many things to consider when taking on a pooch as an additional family member.
The rhythmic pattern in this piece focuses on playing the ukulele on the quaver off-beat. The contrabassoon was chosen for its rich, deep pitch which I think adds a dog-like charm to the piece. The piccolo represents the dog whistle.”
Eleanor Tucker 2021
A score excerpt of “The Dog Song”, arranged for classroom instruments, is provided below. Score and parts will be available for purchase through TSO HOUSE in 2022.
Watch “The Dog Song” with ukulele chords and demonstration
Watch “The Dog Song” with lyrics
“The Dog Song” Lead Sheet PDF
“The Dog Song” Lyric Sheet PDF
“The Dog Song” Notes for Teachers PDF
“The Dog Song” Score excerpt from classroom arrangement PDF
“All over the world there are different traditions and beliefs around what children should do with their baby teeth. Many of them relate to a magical wish coming true or the bringing of good luck. One morning, when my son was very young, he caught me almost in tears; sleep-deprived and overwhelmed with household chores. He patted me on the back and said, “Don’t worry Mum; when you get older, your teeth will fall out and then the tooth fairy can help you!”. It was this incident that inspired the last line of the song.”
Eleanor Tucker 2021
A score excerpt of “Throw Your Tooth on the Roof”, arranged for classroom instruments, is provided below. Score and parts will be available for purchase through TSO HOUSE in 2022.
Watch “Throw Your Tooth on the Roof” with ukulele chords and demonstration
Watch “Throw Your Tooth on the Roof” with lyrics
“Throw Your Tooth on the Roof” Lead Sheet PDF
“Throw Your Tooth on the Roof” Lyric Sheet PDF
“Throw Your Tooth on the Roof” Notes for Teachers PDF
“Throw Your Tooth on the Roof” Score excerpt from classroom arrangement PDF
“Draw the instruments of the orchestra while listening to each instrument being individually played”, said the lesson plan. I thought I would give it a try with my Prep-2 class. We discovered that drawing a tuba is much harder than drawing a dog.
The tune is based on a mambo feel, with the clavé and the bongos implying a traditional Cuban rhythm section. However, this song is delivered at a much slower tempo than how mambos are usually played. I hope that it will inspire listeners to explore the richness of Cuban music which has been hugely influential on my own music.”
Eleanor Tucker 2021
Watch “Have You Ever Tried to Draw a Tuba?” with ukulele chords and demonstration
Watch “Have You Ever Tried to Draw a Tuba?” with lyrics
“Have You Ever Tried to Draw a Tuba?” Lead Sheet PDF
“Have You Ever Tried to Draw a Tuba?” Lyric Sheet PDF
“Have You Ever Tried to Draw a Tuba?” Notes for Teachers PDF
kunanyi is the palawa kani name for the mountain that overlooks the city of Hobart, otherwise known as Mount Wellington.
palawa kani is the language of the Tasmanian Aborigines.
“This tune came to while I was imagining sitting on Sphinx Rock up on kunanyi (Mt Wellington), thinking about how the clouds sometimes sit around the Organ Pipes. I love the way they hover then swirl to reveal glimpses of the dolomite cliffs, and then blanket over the scenery once more. Also, how the misty droplets (pizzicato on the violins) from the clouds cling to the spikey plant life on the mountain, bringing extra vibrancy to the greens, the reds, and the greys of the flora. The tubular bell at the beginning and at the end are played as to herald its sacred majesty, while the harp gently and safely carries us up through the treetops with its predictable repetition.
Eleanor Tucker 2021
An arrangement of Clouds Over kunanyi for classroom instruments will be available for purchase through TSO HOUSE in 2022.
Watch Clouds Over kunanyi with ukulele tabs and demonstration
Clouds Over kunanyi Ukulele Sheet PDF
Clouds Over kunanyi Notes for Teachers PDF
“No collection of ukulele songs would be complete without an archetypal island song, and my favourite Island is Flinders Island, where the kunzea (a special, sweet-scented bush of the myrtle family) grows. One day after swimming, I was lying on the beach listening to nothing but the waves, feeling incredibly fortunate and thinking to myself, “life doesn’t get any better than this!”
The rhythmic pattern I have chosen for this piece (DDU, UDU) is the same as is used in Sometimes. It is commonly used in a lot of Hawaiian-style ukulele playing and can be adjusted to also play some calypso music.”
Eleanor Tucker 2021
Watch “I Dream of an Island” with ukulele chords and demonstration
Watch “I Dream of an Island” with lyrics
“I Dream of an Island” Lead Sheet PDF
“I Dream of an Island” Lyric Sheet PDF
“I Dream of an Island” Notes for Teachers PDF
