U veselého chlapíka
Published by: Ji-Ho-Music
Produced by: Roman Féder, Pavel Kordoš
Musical directing: Funny Fellows
Sound director and cutter: Richard Fičor
Mastering: Sonicca
Photo: Ctibor Bachratý, Gerald J. Dietrich, private archive
Design: Roman Féder and TypoSet
Arrangements: Richard Fičor (5, 6, 7, 10, 14, 15), Roman Féder (1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12), Róbert Neuser (2, 4, 13, 16)
Recorded from October 2000 to May 2001 at S. D. Nivy in Bratislava, live on two tracks, without any additional mixing or playback.
Thank you to all friends and fans, who help us go on and give us the strength and courage to create and amuse.
What are the songs like?
1. U veselého chlapíka
(R. Féder / R. Fičor — R. Féder)
An authored song in a welcoming tone, suitable for welcoming family, friends, or fireman guests. Can be very charming when performed by a family child choir (grandma will surely be happy), or as a parade song. Sung by Pavol Hoďa, tuba solo by Juraj Blaha.
2. King Kong Kitchie, Kitchie
(traditional — R. Féder)
A traditional hymn song, which traces its beginnings shortly after the informal talks held by the Native American chief of the Utah tribe with Hungarian. settlers. The chief came in a surprisingly low-cost vehicle. Sung by Roman Féder, banjo solo played by Róbert Neuser, clarinet solo played by Pavol Hoďa and tuba solo by Juraj Blaha again.
3. Home on the Range
(cowboy song — R. Féder)
A sentimental cowboy song in a three-quarter rhythm has given us space for a new kind of hero. On one hand we have a cowboy coming back to his home ranch. On the other we have a optimistic Slovak winemaker with his positive attitude towards nature. Whom will our listener choose? Sung again by Roman Féder, the bird being Pavol Hoďa, banjo solo played by Róbert Neuser, clarinet solo played by Pavol Hoďa, violin solo played by Roman Féder.
4. Soldiers Joy
(traditional — watch out, English lyrics!)
A cheerful soldier’s song, suitable for dance evenings celebrating the home-coming of soldiers from war. Was usually played by children’s bands, whose numbers always rose during war. As is made obvious in the song, nothing matters, because in the end an army of grasshoppers eats everything. The thumps on the recording are caused by a girl dance simulating the stomping of crop-harming insects. This dance is later developed into clogging. This time vocals are performed by Róbert Neuser, thin whistle solo played by Pavol Hoďa, violin solo played Roman Féder, even with the bow upside down. Richard Fičor has still not played a single solo, maybe in the next song.
5. Close Fit Blues
(C. Williams)
This song is meant to be listened to during housework, especially in the ‘thick’ atmosphere of a married life, shortly after your husband returns without explanation in the morning, after a nightly absence with a song stuck in his throat (restrain from singing songs like ‘I will stick it in’ or ‘She leaped onto the bed and me after her’). The rhythm of this song will help your morale when washing windows or peeling potatoes. There is no vocal part in this song. The trumpet solo was performed by Roman Féder, clarinet solo played by Pavol Hoďa, tuba solo played, as usual, by Juraj Blaha and we even find a resophonic quitar solo by Richard Fičor. Excellent.
6. La vie en Rose
(Luiguy — E. Piaf)
This song remembers Edit and her art and also the upcoming jubilee of the French chansonniere. This arrangement, however, gives us a true account of the first phase of a love life of man and woman. It is a time of whispers, passionate looks, shy touches in a dark cinema, first clumsy kisses and quiet sounds of teeth clicking one on one. Vocals in the song are replaced by scat – an American kind of singing – as a result of not knowing the lyrics. Clarinet solo played by Pavol Hoďa, violin and trumpet solos by Roman Féder and gentlemen Pavol Hoďa a Roman Féder will amuse you with their scat skills.
7. Milá moja premilená moja
(Krafta Zariecky — E. Genersich)
In fact a love song, characteristic for the second stage of a relationship. We are approaching the wedding. The man agrees to this being downbeat by the weight of female weapons and her docile, well-thought-out steps taken. The highest level – the man actually believes he wants to marry. Sung by Roman Féder, resophonic guitar solo emotionally played by Richard Fičor.
8. Len choď drahá
(R. Féder/R. Fičor — R. Féder)
We have reached an interesting period in life. The so-called intermediate period. The man tries out various dodgy ways to rediscover his own freedom in marriage, often with great sacrifices. After lengthy apologies and his return home he is tangled in the webs of his wife and his mother-in-law even more. He is being dragged uncontrollably into the third phase. Sung by Roman Féder, tuba solo played by – obviously - Juraj Blaha.
9. Keby ryby...
(R. Féder / R. Fičor — J. Filip)
We find ourselves in the third, definitely most difficult phase. The man has got unreal fantasies and sees his wife changing shapes. He suddenly awakes from a dream, where he got along better with fish than his own wife. Remember these rules: love is charming and hot, marriage is safety and comfort, divorce – yes please, and quick, before she ruins my life. Sung by your favourite front-man, clarinet solo played by Pavol Hoďa, resophonic guitar solo played by Richard Fičor, tuba solo by, once again, Juraj Blaha.
10. Cushion Foot Stomp
(C. Williams)
A song inspired by the sight of beautiful legs of a young 40-year-old, skilfully moving on the dance floor, where she landed after a difficult foxtrot twist gone wrong. The sudden pause in the song is the so-called stop-time, in which only the singer manages to handle the situation well and does not stop singing. Dear ladies, new shoes can be tricky! Or was it the wine? Singing and scat performed by Roman Féder, tuba solo by Juraj Blaha, clarinet solo played by Pavol Hoďa, trumpet solo by Roman Féder and the drumbľa solo was played by Róbert Neuser in a valcha duet with our guest Patrika Fičora.
11. Kúpim si bicykel
(R. Féder/R. Fičor — R. Féder)
A sporting theme of this song points our attention to a obese clerk, whose body mass keeps on destroying the furniture of his boss’s office. It is an unpleasant situation, which leads the clerk to an idea of sports as a way of loosing weight. In the end the happy sportsman does not loose much weight, but manages to write an essay on the positive effect of bicycles on human beings and nature. Sung by Pavol Hoďa and Roman Féder, clarinet solo played by Pavol Hoďa, trumpet solo by Roman Féder.
12. The Champion
(J. Kirchuff)
A countryside song popular amongst champignon farmers. Usually played by Irish musicians at the annual festivities held around an award ceremony for the biggest mushroom grown by a farmer. He was applauded, cheered and played the above mentioned song. The guests ate champignon food, drunk champignon wines and danced to champignon songs. Thin whistle solo played by Pavol Hoďa, banjo solo recorded by Róbert Neuser.
13. Irish Rain
(due to Dubliners)
The scent of the Irish coast is romantic and reminds us of a fish salad, slightly sweetened by bitter ales. The commonly knows distillate adds energy to your hot blood and resistance towards the climate, so very specific for Ireland. Guinness and whisky mixed together form a drink named Irish rain. The rain only comes after the third glass. The song is in Irish and is about love (amongst others). Sung by Róbert Neuser, other band members were happy to create the musical atmosphere of the song and were amazed at the singers’ skills.
14. Clarinet Marmelade
(L. Shields — H. W. Ragas)
This song serves as evidence of the cheerful moments when musicians are returning from concerts in the early morning hours, straight across a fruit farm. The musicians suddenly felt the need to eat marmalade and without thinking plucked plums and cooked it themselves. A little problem during the cooking process was solved neatly. The marmalade was stirred with a clarinet. Bizarre clarinet solos were played by Pavol Hoďa, trumpet solo played by Roman Féder.
15. Sweet Emelin
(due to the Orpheon Celesta orchestra)
In the 20s the beautiful Emelin lived in Memphis. Men were seducing her, sending flowers, promised the unthinkable and composed songs for her. Including this song, which is written just for her. This story is overshadowed only by the fact that at roughly the same time an secretly distilled whisky appeared on the black market, called Sweet Emelin. So what was this song in fact about? Sung jointly by mister Róbert Neuser and Pavol Hoďa, vocals and a kiss by Roman Féder, resophonic guitar solo by Richard Fičor, tuba solo by Juraj Blaha, clarinet solo played by Pavol Hoďa, banjo and drum solo played by Róbert Neuser, trumpet solo by Roman Féder.
16. Shady Barlow a Knife
(traditional)
Remembering an ancient musical instrument for American settlers, suitable for playing after a hard days work. This is mister Neuser’s fate as well, who performed both songs with the emotion of a true farmer. Mister Róbert Neuser recorded both dulcimer songs himself.