6 Best Ukulele Cover Songs

Well, to be frank, i dislike this idea of 'Best EVER' it is a lot like top ten lists, they are personal opinions only and should not be touted as something definitive.
really, who is this person to tell us what is the best? is he a uke player even? what criteria is he basing it on? only one of those would be on my top six list, though to be honest i could not get a list as small as six, i need at least twenty five.
 
I think # 1 is spot on, that cover alone is responsible for so many people picking up the ukulele. The rest could be debated in my mind. Thay are all good but my list might be a little different. I do love that little kid playing.
 
My list would be different, but Jake Weeps would definitely be on there if only because it was an absolute revelation to me.

My favourites list changes with the wind, but at this moment it might consist of the following:

Jake - WMGGW
Iz - Rainbow/Wonderful World
Joe Brown - See You in My Dreams
Seeso - Rubber Ducky
BaronK69 - I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

It could just as easily have had vids from Deach, Julia Nunes, Krabbers, Ken Middleton... loads of others. Like I say, it changes all the time. So much fine stuff out there.
 
My list would be different, but Jake Weeps would definitely be on there if only because it was an absolute revelation to me.

My favourites list changes with the wind, but at this moment it might consist of the following:

Jake - WMGGW
Iz - Rainbow/Wonderful World
Joe Brown - See You in My Dreams
Seeso - Rubber Ducky
BaronK69 - I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

It could just as easily have had vids from Deach, Julia Nunes, Krabbers, Ken Middleton... loads of others. Like I say, it changes all the time. So much fine stuff out there.

I definitely agree with the first three. I might throw in George's "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" for good measure as well.
 
If "6 Best Ukulele Cover Songs" means "6 songs I 'd be happy to never hear on the uke or associated with the uke ever again", then I'd have to agree.

AMEN to that, was not impressed with the author's choices.
 
Ftfa:

if like most people you think of the ukulele as a small guitar you would be entirely correct, whilst at the same time wrong. It is in fact a distinct instrument to the guitar - having said that, here are the six best ukulele cover songs ever. In our opinion.
While my guitar gently weeps - george harrison

jake shimabukuro

hawaiian ukulele legend jake shimabukuro (who you’ve probably never heard of) covers everyone’s fourth favorite beatle george harrison, with his signature version of while my guitar gently weeps - or rather while my ukulele gently weeps. Unlike in some of the other ‘artists’s’ videos on this list, jake wisely opts not to sing along instead leaving his ukulele skills to do the talking. If you ever wondered (like we all have) what a solo on ukulele looks like, or are looking for something to brighten up your day, and inspire you - this video of a hawaiian dude playing the ukulele is what you’ve been waiting for.


Smells like teen spirit - nirvana

the ukulele orchestra of great britain

when you think of great britain, you probably think of a few things - bad food, bad weather, football, the empire, and if you’re in the know keeley hazel. Now though, whenever you think of great britain you will always be aware that there is a ukulele orchestra of great britain! And here they are covering that all-time nirvana classic smells like teen spirit. I wonder what kurt cobian would think of his music was being covered by a orchestra? I seem to recall he gave guns n’ roses a hard time for having an orchestra back them up during november rain. A ukulele orchestra is still an orchestra. Just saying.


Sweet child o’ mine - guns n’ roses

pocketfox

speaking of gun n’ roses, here is conclusive video evidence that there is nothing cooler than two scottish rock fans playing the ukulele whilst singing along to a venerable rock anthem. If, by any slight chance there are any ladies reading this, please be warned that we cannot be held responsible for any lingering effects felt by watching a video of such magnitude - you may will become instantly attracted to these guys - the combination of lank greasy hair, second-hand armchair, pink toilet roll (on the left of the screen), ukulele and vocal “harmonizing” is a deadly combination for getting the ladies. Luckily for you, i found a link to their myspace.


I’m yours - jason mraz

uke3453

this is perhaps the most famous of all ukulele cover songs online today, and i felt that this list would have been an empty charade without this video in it. Many internet posters have referred to this video as the “ukulele kid” video, even though it is quite evident and has been proven that the person playing the ukulele in the video is a 37 year gentleman who goes by the name of sid and lives in croydon.

Sid is opting for the rarely-seen ‘mumbling/humming waiting for the chorus’ technique in this video as he sings along to his fine staccato ukulele playing. Those people who doubt whether or not sid is a real grown man - think of it is like this - what four year old boy needs to learn how to play i’m yours on the ukulele in order to make the ladies swoon?


I kissed a girl - kate perry

mcarreon89

you know you’ve made it as a successful female artist when a) you’ve slept with russel brand, b) you’ve had one of your songs covered by random people playing the ukulele online, and c) you’ve had a platinum-selling album. Finally able to call herself a successful female artist then is kate perry! For so long she trawled through her career garnering no respect from her peers for not fulfilling all three of the successful female artist criteria until one pair of youtube users eventually stood up to the plate and covered her hit song i kissed a girl.

This cover actually makes the list not for any virtuoso ukulele playing (this song is played with only three chords am c f) but rather for the excellent voice of “kat” - the singer in the video.


Low - flo rida ft. T.pain

ndtitanlady

proving that the ukulele spans all genres of music, here is a cover version of flo rida’s low performed by a slightly masculine-looking youtube user. Though this is an excellent cover with great ukulele playing and terrific vocals, it is doubtful whether this version of low would go down so well in the clubs on south beach as it lacks the ‘featuring’ vocal skills of iphone app specialist t.pain. Still i would be willing to say that this the definitive ukulele version of low - if not the only version.


What was your favorite ukulele cover, leave a comment below and let us know!

meh, feh, FEA .
 
I think my six best.favourite uke songs really do change regularly . Right now number one is Baron69's" Ängeln i rummet" Its hauntingly special. And you could put any of the afore-mentioned songs in the six and they'd not be out of place ....or any of Alan's counter thread list.

I'm pretty sure that Krabbers's "I wanna bump uglies wit choo" will be in my list by Friday. And that number by Katzenjammer about cake recipes is also memorable. Tasted quite good too!Ukebuckets no Doz and Booze - clever and fun .....I'm glad my list changes all the time!
Stew
 
The best covers are always covers of songs that I used to think were awful. If someone can take a song I don't like and make me like it, THAT's talent.

Sebi's "Ukulele in the USA" (cover of Miley's "Party in the USA") is in my top six for sure.
 
I wouldn't really get into this thread aha, by that I mean I can't really put a number on whose video was best. It's a little too biased aha. But I will admit that Jake's While my Guitar Gently weeps ukulele rendition is definetly up there somewhere. Iz's somewhere over the rainbow is also somewhere.. over.. the.. rainbow. It's up there. Let's just leave it at that.
 
I'd definitely want to include Brittni's cover of "Europa" in my list.
 
I was like, "please no Weeps, please no Weeps.......shoot, it's the first one..." Not that I don't want it on the list, it's just so predictable, hahaha

other than that, I'm disappointed by the choices.....dislyyyykkk very much
 
Disclaimer: Just my opinion, and worth nothing, but:

It all depends how you view the exercise.

Trying to dictate a definitive 6 best is stupid. It won't fly. Expecting a survey to come up with a definitive 6 best, even by vote-counting, is also doomed to failure.

All you can get is a snapshot of what each person has in mind when they post their response, and each person will have different views and different criteria by which they judge.

There's no point really in dismissing other people's choices. There are quite a few posts here declaring that the poster disagrees with the choices offered. Posting our own suggestions is probably more interesting.

Some of the choices have become cliches, but that doesn't change the impact they have had on the popularity of the 'ukulele. Weeps and Rainbow have been done to death, but I bet some of the eye-rollers here loved those tracks the first million or so times they heard them. :D

(Waits for deluge of "Not me. I never liked them" posts...)

[/ :2cents:]
 
Definitely not for me! These are boring topics on what ukulele playing is IMO. Where I live I have to struggle to get beyond the ukulele hahaha phase, and I don't think some of these covers are doing me any favours. Bands like the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain i find quite annoying sometimes, it's just: hey look, they're covering it on an ukulele!.

There's good stuff too though.
 
... forgot to add 2 things:

The female in the Ukulele Orchestra of GB has a beautiful voice, and Becks is good beer!
 
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