What's your "test" song?

A fingerstyle arrangement of 'Autumn leaves' . Got to fondle a few different ukes at our local uke club last monday, and played it on them all.
 
Good question mine is not nineteen forever by the Courtenters (I'm not a conventional player)
 
For strumming it's Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate, for picking it's an arrangement of Creep by Radiohead I am working on
 
+1 on Ain't She Sweet plus SWOTR, Hallelujah for picking.
 
I strum various progressions like:

C, Cdim, Dm7, G7 - then a couple of vamps in the keys of C and F,

quickly go through the chording of TipToe (circle of 5ths?),

sing Mapuana, then high-tail it through (F, F7, Bb, Bbm, F, C7, F, A, D7, G7, C, E7, Am, D7, G7, C, (3535, 4646, 5757), 0453.

keep uke'in',
 
With an unfamiliar ukulele, I always start by strumming C, G7, F, and G7. Common strum. Oh yeah.

If that sounds sweet, I try whichever solo arrangement I last learned, lately that's been the classic love song (thanks Dougf!) All of Me.

If both of those sound sweet, my UAS usually starts to flare up. Then I gently put down the ukulele and slowly... walk... away.
 
Since I'm limited by very low skill and what amounts to a real insignificant level of experience with any instrument (let alone the 'ukulele), I've found that when I am in a position to test drive another, I go with:

Strum: Ziggy Stardust
Pick: Theme from Star Trek & Futurama
 
I'm not much of a picker yet, so most of the time, it's "Over the Rainbow."
 
Blackbird

It goes way up the fretboard, demonstrates sustain (or lack thereof), and checks out the "action".
 
+2 on Ain't She Sweet for strumming,plus Bach's 'Air On The G String'
for picking!
 
This a very intriguing thread!

Here's my go-to songs...
Strumming: "Stand By Me" in the style of John Lennon's cover
Fingerpicking: the intro of Radiohead's "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi"

- Sean V.
 
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