Ukulele as a tool of protest movements

ichadwick · Jan 7, 2013

When I was growing up, the acoustic guitar was the prime musical instrument at protests - fighting for civil rights, against war, against poverty, for workers' rights and other causes.

Will the ukulele replace the guitar as the prime tool for musical protest? When I saw this story, I thought it could:

www.addictinginfo.org/2012/05/20/wisconsin-2/

Not only a good story about protesting a social injustice, but a fun song, too:

foxisaac · Jan 7, 2013

Fantastic Idea, however after bangin one out on that didgeridoo, you're GONNA BE BARREN

PhilUSAFRet · Jan 7, 2013

Protest the anti gun people or they'll be coming for our ukes next....:music:

drbekken · Jan 7, 2013

Here's one:
http://youtu.be/ZsXk1bI9hpY
Lots of great songs if you search for 'ukulele' + 'protest' on youtube.

hoosierhiver · Jan 7, 2013

It would be easier to run with a ukulele if necessary.

Harold O. · Jan 7, 2013

Regardless of instrument, why is it the people we see protesting/chanting usually have the hippie look?

The video above was done by Second City and hardly counts as a "true" protest video. Fun though it is.

mattydee · Jan 7, 2013

I also did a Wisconsin protest uke vid, (As it happens, my first uke video ever, you can tell because I'm so stiff in it), which went viral during the big protests at the Capitol to Recall Walker a couple of yers ago. I originally made the video for Mim's remix contest, so I remixed Cee-Lo's F@€! You as a Woody Guthrie stule protest song. Friends got it out on facebook and two days later i had 20,000 hits. Then I was asked to sing and play at a couple of protest events and recall fundraisers.

Anyway, I won't embed because of severe language and politics. You can find it on my Youtube channel (link in signature...)

There were LOTS of drums at the Capitol,and a guitar or two. I only remember one other uke. Amanda Palmer brought her uke to the Occupy Wall Street protest, I recall.

Paul December · Jan 7, 2013

I brought my uke to the Chicago teachers' strike, but you could barely hear it...
...but I do now consider it "baptised".

garyg · Jan 7, 2013

Great post, can you provide the link - the one on the video doesn't work. TIA, g2

CountryMouse · Jan 7, 2013

ichadwick said:
When I was growing up, the acoustic guitar was the prime musical instrument at protests - fighting for civil rights, against war, against poverty, for workers' rights and other causes.

Will the ukulele replace the guitar as the prime tool for musical protest? When I saw this story, I thought it could:

www.addictinginfo.org/2012/05/20/wisconsin-2/

Not only a good story about protesting a social injustice, but a fun song, too:

Wow, nice take on the Baez sisters' protest poster:

http://osocio.org/message/girls_say_yes_to_boys_who_say_no_-_joan_baez_1968/

CountryMouse

Garydavkra · Jan 7, 2013

Why not the ukulele? I recently read an article about how the native people of Hawaii are claiming their sovereignty and will no longer honor any signed documents with the U.S.. Apparently the state legislature backs it up. Whether it's true or not, I don't know but, the Lakota native Americans are doing the same thing with their nation.

bnolsen · Jan 7, 2013

Garydavkra said:
Why not the ukulele? I recently read an article about how the native people of Hawaii are claiming their sovereignty and will no longer honor any signed documents with the U.S.. Apparently the state legislature backs it up. Whether it's true or not, I don't know but, the Lakota native Americans are doing the same thing with their nation.

The US kind of needs that military base though...

and yeah, I would much prefer to have a uke and a couple of ocarinas with me while on the run. Wolverines! well...an ocarina will blow your position so have to rethink that.

ichadwick · Jan 7, 2013

Bill1 said:
Sure, what are you going to do if the other side is doing the protests?

Generally protests are anti-government/anti-establishment. Party doesn't matter: it's people protesting against the acts of the authorities. You don't get a lot of people playing folk songs and carrying posters thanking the government for higher taxes, bigger pensions for themselves, more influence by lobbyists, or increased spending on the military.

ichadwick · Jan 7, 2013

Harold O. said:
Regardless of instrument, why is it the people we see protesting/chanting usually have the hippie look?

You think they look like hippies? We musta grown up in different eras. I was there in the 60s. These women look like moms, not hippies. To me, anyway.

mm stan · Jan 7, 2013

The US people have so little protests compared to other countries...where the people have a voice and stand up for injustice and themselves..much calamity, but they do get heard...

Such pretty gals though, food for thought....my chances with them are NIL.. they got a good point though... LOL

RyanMFT · Jan 7, 2013

Was she also protesting tuning her ukulele?

23skidoo · Jan 7, 2013

I've always thought it was interesting that most protest music is really just rallying the troops and preaching to the choir. No matter what the cause, most of the 'protest' art created to support any given movement is generally in a form that only appeals to the kind of people who already agree with the political or social stance being advanced. I know this is a pretty broad statement, but I don't think the folkies in the 60's changed too many minds outside of their own demographic - most of the straight folks back then just called them long hair dopers and kept listening to Perry Como or Porter Wagoner.

Maybe the ukulele could buck this trend...... we need to get Lady Gaga and Carrie Underwood to do an ukulele duet supporting the Occupy Wall Street folks. Now that would be interesting.....

UkuleleThreads · Jan 7, 2013

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/114707575/viva-la-ukulele-t-shirt

NinetySimonSomething · Jan 7, 2013

Already on it on my facebook acc. ^^, so yeah, let it be sung wonderfuls !
Metta

CountryMouse · Jan 7, 2013

23skidoo said:
...

Maybe the ukulele could buck this trend...... we need to get Lady Gaga and Carrie Underwood to do an ukulele duet supporting the Occupy Wall Street folks. Now that would be interesting.....

Amanda Palmer has been/is doing just that...with her ukulele.

CountryMouse

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