Feb 2022 fuc folk darkhumor ukulele nationalukeleday chronicillness
TLDR: I had a kidney transplant in 2020, here's my take what that's like.
Last night I as thinking about the Week1 challenge and thought it would be funny to write a song about needing a kidney transplant. When I got up this morning a few lines came to me so I ran with it.
I wanted to use the ukulele for National Ukulele Day so I ran with that, this came together quickly and was supposed to just be vocals and ukulele but then I felt it could use shaker and then I made an attempt at some little lead part which are more like noodling.
I wrote and recorded this in a little over an hour so I left the flaws in it, Charlie Cat makes an entrance at some point.
Verse: dm am dm C
Chorus: F C
Verse:
I've looked around
With no luck
If I can't find it
I'm surely fucked
I've looked high
And low
Running out of
Places to go
Chorus:
I have two kidneys
They're a lazy pair
You only need one
Can I have your spare
I have two kidneys
But I'm in despair
They do nothing
May as well
Not even be there
Verse:
I know
It's a big ask
Surgery's
A pain in the ass
It's not
Even a cure
In some time
I may look for more
Chorus:
I have two kidneys
They're a lazy pair
You only need one
Can I have your spare
I have two kidneys
But I'm in despair
They do nothing
May as well
Not even be there
@yewnorker Feb 2022
This is great! Hits close to home too. PKD runs in the family. My mom was on home dialysis. I'd stop down and do it for her. Offered her a kidney. She said save it for your sister. Even though you are post-op I can still sense the vulnerability in your voice. I'm glad you're ok now.
@elesimo Feb 2022
What a great song, and what a fantastic take on a hard situation AND the weekly challenge! I love your voice against the uke and the shaker, it worked really well.
@janeg Feb 2022
A true songwriter. Take something that bad and,if you live, it becomes a song! Lovely to hear you sing agian.
@boycetown Feb 2022
Poignant and profane - the two essential elements of modern songwriting. Love the way you can just throw it out there. It definitely has me thinking. I mean exactly how much weight could I lose by donating a kidney?
@bjunker Feb 2022
This is great! I love the groove with the uke and the shaker, and the dark nonchalance of the lyrics.
Got slammed by the day job this week so I'm still working on song # 1. Soon though!
@davidtaro Feb 2022
Catherine, I was listening to your featured artist slot on the SOS podcast last weekend, so had a bit of context, but your attitude towards all this is thoroughly inspirational. Just the right balance of pathos and very dark humour. Great uke / shaker combo, and love your vocal as ever. I didn't notice Charlie the Cat, though, need to relisten....
@jerrypettit Feb 2022
Ah, you do not disappoint.
Now I feel bad at how much I mistreat my own kidneys. Time to cut back on the Manhattans... ;-)
Very, very nice song--looking forward to more!
@nahlej381 Feb 2022
Classic wacha! Shaker sets it off. Hope all is well with you, good to hear you again!
@writeandwrong Feb 2022
Awww, I love that you did this song; humor to a situation that you can't control. I'm glad you were able to get a second one and hope that it continued to work for you. When I was 5 months pregnant with my 2nd daughter, I had pyelonephritis in both kidneys to the point of loss of function, but fortuntaly meds kicked in prior to complete failure. I don't remember any of it. I passed out in the ER and I don't remember anything for three weeks. I'm so very, very fortunate and I hope that's the closest to that I ever have to be... Hugs to you! I'm so sorry for your struggles. Sending your lots of positive energy! And thank you for your kind words regarding my cat situation, and thanks again for the challenge :)
@dzdandcunfsd Feb 2022
That shaker/uke combo is great! I would of loved that groove even if these weren't some awesome lyrics and vocal! As Kate said it is very badass.
I had a friend in dire need of a transplant quite a few of us tested to see if we would be a match, the joke was well there might be two or three undamaged kidneys in this group of miscreants :) He luckily has a half-sister, who was a great match and she wasn't a heavy drinker or user. I just ran into him about two months ago, he's still doing great with his sisters kidney. He was also told it probably wouldn't be a permanant solution, this was almost 20 years ago.
@coolparadiso Feb 2022
Ah Catherine, great you can keep humour on this topic. Your voice is drifting back to my favourite style and tone, good solid uke. Well played in all respects
@vivalarayna Feb 2022
A of all - so glad you were able to find a donor and are doing well after surgery. B of all - as a fellow chronic illness person, I deeply appreciate the dark humor and handling of this subject. Well done.
@cicpisces Feb 2022
Nice tone to your vocal. Fun tune. Tell a good story And keep it interesting. Nice work.
@crisp1 Feb 2022
You manage to make playing the uke sound like a kind of magic even as you spin your darkly humorous story. Very cool, Catherine.
@nadine Feb 2022
Very bold of you to turn this complicated and serious topic into a song. Like your super dark sense of humour and hope that you'll live long and happy.
@helenseviltwin Feb 2022
Nice fun take on a serious topic.
@ltunes Feb 2022
Very cool riff! Love the rhythm moving the song forward. Lyrics are inspired.. made me think of a dear friend who has a spare now. Great job tackling a tough topic.
@n24 Feb 2022
This is a sweet song, I love the chorus line ‘can I have your spare?’ Also great choice with the uke, I like the rhythm and lead uke combo!
@richaaaay Feb 2022
Serious topic Catherine. Glad you found a donor and got a transplant. That puts a happy spin on this tale...
@gm7 Feb 2022
Wow...bad ass song as @katestantonsings said.
All the best!
@bachelorb Feb 2022
I just played this for my wife. Between you two, you have two kidneys that are not lazy.
I really liked the uke rhythm. Very upbeat for the subject matter.
My wife just said maybe you and her could do a follow up and call it "6 kidneys" :)
@katestantonsings Feb 2022
Catherine, I hope I am not oversharing, but I have a congenital kidney disease (only 1 and it doesn't fully function) and this made my eyes water and laugh! My sister has promised me a kidney when the day comes--it's loomed over me since around age 14 when symptoms got bad. So, you're pretty bad ass to me right now.
Creative. Fun. Keep it up!!!
@cindyrella Feb 2022
This is great stuff! Just the right amount of dark and your uke was a perfect choice!