Top 10 Ukelele Tunes

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Laurel in Des Plaines IL
Date: 13 Jan 09 - 05:30 PM

Here's a longshot: Does anyone have the words & chords for "Look in the Mirror and See Just Who I Love"? I'd love to play this on ukulele!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Will Fly
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 10:33 AM

"Oh Mr. Wu - what shall I do?" (Chinese Laundry Blues - George Formby).

Having heard the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain recently, I'd vote for "Je t'aime".

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Ron Davies
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 08:17 AM

Heard a boatload of ukulele tunes, mostly George Fornby, on the Sidmouth prom--perfect place to hear 'em, too. Played by Emily Warren, of Exeter, about 22, I'd guess. A real virtuoso. She teaches ukulele and violin. And any of the ones she played would be in the top ten as far as I'm concerned. One in particular about a Mr. Wu's `Chinese Laundry, I think.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 08:05 AM

It's gotta be "Elephant Town"

http://elephant-town.com

What Uke original has spawned more covers?

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 06 Jul 08 - 08:58 PM

Thanks for the link, Ray. I had no idea the ukelele could sound so ethereal.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,BanjoRaY
Date: 06 Jul 08 - 07:44 PM

If you really want to learn what's possible on a Uke, check this out.
I only recently discovered Jake Shimabakuro..... this guy plays ukulele better than most guys play any instrument.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,elvis mcnoodle
Date: 06 Jul 08 - 09:57 AM

speed of the sound of loneliness alabama 3 style

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Padre
Date: 15 May 08 - 12:02 AM

How about 'Lady of Spain' on the uke - I'd be willing to drive 100 miles @ 3.75/gal to hear that.

Padre

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: open mike
Date: 14 May 08 - 09:39 PM

the ukulele is making a come back.
there are festivals and workshops all over the place.
http://www.ukuleleworld.com/home.php
www.ukuleles.com
http://beatlesite.info/
www.ukes.com
www.meleukulele.com
http://www.ezfolk.com/forums/forum18/333.html
http://www.get-tuned.com/ukulele_tuner.php

o.k.now, get strumming...
let's talk d***y in Hawaiian...

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 14 May 08 - 07:40 PM

Get your young virtuoso a CD by Jake Shimabukuro or check him out on utube. Or maybe you would prefer he become the next Cliff Edwards or George Formby.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 14 May 08 - 02:14 PM

New York Girls - Steeleye Span, with Peter Sellers on ukelele. To be found on Commoners Crown.

New York Girls


Charlotte R

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Lori
Date: 14 May 08 - 01:52 PM

Brand New Key - Melanie. Three chords, it's fun to play and sing with. Chordie is a good reference site for Tabs. Also, I use YouTube if I'm not real familiar with a song. I swear you can find any song there. Happy Strumming!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Artful Codger
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 09:30 PM

"I Couldn't Afford a Concertina (So I Got This Instead)"

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 12:10 PM

Guest,
Joe Brown's chords are here: www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke/tabs/050922-3.html - 8k

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Dave Roberts
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 01:18 PM

Has anyone mentioned 'You Are My Sunshine' yet?

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 07:22 AM

Can anyone give me the Ukulele cords that Joe Brown played in the Concert for George my email is [e-mail]
I would sincerly appreciate it.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 03:04 PM

Thanks Ernest, an ACE collection. Just need to find some tunes for the ones I haven't heard before.
Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Ernest
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 02:01 PM

Geoff, her is a page that mightmight contain something:


http://www.nancycassidymusic.com/jubilee.html

Best

Ernest

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,TJO
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 11:03 AM

Well, I was glad to see some recognition of Braddah IZ (Israel
Kamakawiwo'ole). Lots of his stuff is Hawai'ian language and a litle tough to get, but much of his ukulele style is very accessible, even for beginners. "Hele on to Kauai" is a great example--simple chords, great rhythm, some Hawai'ian place names to challenge the tongue. It's really a basic country home song translated to the island of Kauai.
Petty Booka's version of "Pineapple Princess" is great and easy. I think it's actually from an early Annette and Frankie Beach movie.
I could go on, but I've got to catch a plane. Almost anything by The Ka'au Crater Boys -- Tropical Hawai'ian Day, or Island Style -- are great choices.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 10:54 AM

I would like some suggestions which would be of interest to my 7 year old ducklings. We bought them a pair of ukes, one red one blue, birthday before last, but I've not got round to learning to play for myself so as I can then teach it to them.
I would like suggestions which don't contain the word Ukelele and preferably child friendly words.
Any GOOD suggestions?
Quack!
Geoff the Duck.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 09:50 PM

tiptoe through the tulips
ukulele lady
somewhere over the rainbow
black roses

Al

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 07:09 PM

CAROLINA IN THE MORNING
DOCK OF THE BAY

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 03:47 PM

Right Scrump. It's one of the most accessible of instruments kinda' like the Irish tin whistle.
Leads you on to other things. But is great in its own right.

Frank

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Leadfingers
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 10:10 AM

It would be nice to have a uke to play , especially as I own one !!!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 09:38 AM

I agree with M. Ted and would furthur suggest that the uke sounds really good with a light tenor or alto voice because of the positioning of its register.

Good point Frank, but maybe those with deeper voices could go for a baritone uke? There's a uke to suit everyone!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 12:56 PM

I agree with M. Ted and would furthur suggest that the uke sounds really good with a light tenor or alto voice because of the positioning of its register. This probably explains the popularity of Cliff Edwards and Tiny Tim. The lightness of its tone and the way its played makes it more gentle than say the tenor banjo or a Django-style guitar. The approach suggests a less frenetic and more peaceful, wistful and wafting-on-the-breeze playing which is expressed in Hawaiian music. it can swing like Ukulele Ike but remains lyrical and not as percussive as other accompanying stringed instruments.

Some of the tunes that I think it expresses best are:

"I'll See You In My Dreams"
"Dream a Little Dream of Me"
(Most any lyrical Hawaiian Hapa Haole tune)
"Blue Skies"
"Ain't She Sweet"
"Song of the Islands"
"Now Is the Hour"
"Fascinatin' Rhythm" (ya' gotta hear Cliff Edwards do this)
"At Sundown"
"Ukulele Lady"
"Honolulu Baby" (ya' gotta hear Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel do this one)
"Has Anybody Seen My Gal"
"Moon of Manikoora"
"That's My Weakness Now"
"Ain't We Got Fun"
(Walter Donaldson tunes fit)
"I Want to Be Happy"
"When Day is Done"
"My Baby Just Cares for Me" (another Walter Donaldson)
"Margie"
"You're Getting To Be a Habit with Me"
"If I Had You"
"When You Wish Upon A Star" (Cliff Edwards sang this as Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio.

The sweetness and naivete of the uke music became obscured by the popularity of the razz-a-ma-tazz of the tenor banjo and the sophistication of the guitar by the songwriters of the Thirties. Most of the Twentys songs fit well. Lyrical is the deal here in my opinion.

The George Formsby approach is different because of the banjo-uke which sounds more like a tenor banjo. Obviously, he is in a category by himself.


Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: bet
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 11:06 AM

Robyn,
Did you ever bring back the memories of childhood. Christmas of my 3rd grade my dad gave me a uke. Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey was the 1st tune he taught me. Boy did I think I was good when I played it. It's been so many years I don't know if it was good or just a kids thought. He later bought me a baritone uke and I love it.
bet

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Scrump
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 06:07 AM

A few more I overlooked yesterday:

- He Played His Ukulele As The Ship Went Down
- Ukulele Heaven
- Ukulele Blues
- I Showed Her My Little Ukulele

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 09:41 PM

A few of the many I like:

Hotel California
Alabama Jubilee
Somebody Stole My Girl
Little Grass Shack in Hawaii
Ring Around Rose
Foggy Mt. Breakdown
Sweet Georgia Brown
I'll See You In My Dreams

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Songster Bob
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 04:48 PM

"When Old Bill Bailey Plays His Ukulele" is one of my favorites, but I also sing and play two of my uncle's songs on uke.

One is "Paul McNeeley's Ukulele Song (Wish I Could Play the Ukulele)" and the other is "Jose From Tijuana" (I guess that's what you'd call it).

"Here Comes the Sun" certainly sounds like it started life on a uke, you know. Finger-picked uke, that is.

Bob

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: M.Ted
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 03:22 PM

"I'll See You In My Dreams" is a ukulele classic,also "Paper Moon", and, of course, "Singin' in the Rain"(all done by the top selling uke player of all time, Cliff"Ukulele Ike" Edwards--best learn a few of the Hawaiian "Hape Haoli" tunes, as well, such as "Hukilau" and "Little Brown Gal", "On the Beach at Waikiki"--and, of course, Iz' version of "Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World"--

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Alec
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 12:52 PM

"I Will" works particularly well

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 12:50 PM

Tonight You Belong To Me from The Jerk.
The dvd of The Jerk includes a ukulele lesson on playing this song.

When Sixty-Four or Obladee both seem like they'd suit a uke.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Alec
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 11:43 AM

Joe Brown's rendition of "I'll See You In My Dreams" at The Concert For George is my all time favourite Uke performance.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Bainbo at work (though obviously not very ha
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 11:39 AM

Born To Be Wild; Teenage Kicks; The Good The Bad and the Ugly; Miss Dynamitee; Should I Stay Or Should I Go; The Trout (Schubert); and anything else by The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain .

(If I remember rightly, they also do a version of Shaft, altered so that it's about Cecil Sharp.)

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,eek a uke !!!
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 11:38 AM

dont forget Joe Brown's tribute uke performance at the George Harrison memorial concert..

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Alec
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 11:24 AM

George Harrison's last ever public appearence was at a George Formby Convention.
"Free As A Bird" culminates in a backwards tape of Lennon saying "Turned out nice again."
Both of the above statements are true.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 11:20 AM

Yes, George Formby was undoubtedly a big influence on the Beatles.

To take just one example: their song Good Day Sunshine was clearly inspired by his catchphrase "It's turned out nice again".

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Alec
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 10:03 AM

Mr McCartney & ,to a lesser extent,Mr Lennon were also afficionados.
Julia Lennon (mother of) was also reputedly a talented Ukelele & Banjo player.
What goes around comes around.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: dj bass
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 09:59 AM

Well! The things I learn on here!

dj

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Alec
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 09:12 AM

Sixty-odd Beatles songs tabulated for Uke at http://beatles.info
Sadly "While My Ukulele gently weeps" is not amongst them,though I have seen it at other sites.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 09:01 AM

dj bass, maybe that's not as odd as it may seem. George Harrison was a keen ukulele player and a fan of George Formby :-)

Thanks for the link.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: dj bass
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 08:50 AM

While my guitar gently weeps - believe it or not. Youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9mEKMz2Pvo

dj

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 07:54 AM

How about these three:

1. I'm A Ukulele Man
2. With Me Little Ukulele In Me Hand
3. My Ukulele

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Ernest
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 02:26 AM

"Nashville Blues" by the Delmore Brothers (from alligatorbogaloo mentioned above) - try it with kazoo in a rack!
Best
Ernest

P.S.: ha! Nr. 10!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 03:31 PM

Leaning on a lamppost.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Cool Beans
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 03:29 PM

"Yes Sir, That's My Baby." Played in the movie "A Thousand Clowns."

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 03:12 PM

If you learn 5 Foot 2, as Little Robyn suggested, you can use the same chords for Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone - 2 for 1.

My favourites to play on the uke are John Prine's Let's Talk Dirty In Hawaaian and My Ukulele Helps Me Beat The Blues by John Rutherford of the Highwater Jug Band. Listen to it here: http://www.myspace.com/highwaterjugband

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Fidjit
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 03:10 PM

Ukelele Lady

Turned out nice again, ain't it?

Chas

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Alec
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 02:02 PM

You might be interested in checking out www.alligatorboogaloo.com

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,Waddon Pete
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 01:44 PM

Hello,

How about "Ain't she sweet" (see her walking down the street)?

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: Little Robyn
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 01:42 PM

Five foot two, eyes of blue,
But oh, what those five foot could do,
Has anybody seen my gal..........

But that's a bit advanced for a beginner. Start with 2 or 3 chord songs until kid is more confident.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: GUEST,eek a uke !!!!
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 01:34 PM

"Stairway to Heaven"

Subject: Top 10 Ukelele Tunes
From: voyager
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 01:23 PM

So after my family's first trip to the Hawaiian Islands I got the musical teenage wunderkid a cheapt Ukelele to mess around with.
Having been at numerous events where the Ukelele appears I thought I'd poll the Mudcat Circuit for which Ukelele Tunes are your favorites -

I'll start with
'Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey'
      (jam tune at my summer Beer-Bash camporee)

THREAD ON!
voyager