There is a collection of songs associated with the ukulele that people tend to remember and play when they find out you play this instrument, even though they were never intended for it specifically. Here are a few that come up in conversation when someone discovers you do this!
Ain’t She Sweet lends itself perfectly to ukulele playing, with numerous versions on YouTube including Ukulele Mike’s note for note recreation of it.
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney was widely seen as an elegant gentleman devoted to his wife and children; yet this song shows he also had a rock-n-roll side; it has become an essential piece for ukulele players worldwide.
Oasis’ Noel Gallagher made this powerful, emotive track by Oasis famous in the 90s; but even today its impactful melody line and lyrics still move audiences! It serves as an incredible example of how an acoustic guitar or ukulele can sound with just few chords and melodies – plus the song has lyrics that may move even the strongest among us!
Noel Gallagher’s classic song from his legendary career. Noel’s vocals complement its melodies perfectly – you won’t find another tune with such powerful energy that resonates so strongly! Listeners of music should experience this track at least once! A must-listen for all fans!
McCartney was known to respond to Meat Loaf’s “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” with this song, though his take was far more mature. Instead of exploring backseat eroticism alone, this tune explored teenage angst as well. Although this four-and-a-half minute number wasn’t an integral part of his live shows due to its four-and-a-half minute run time, its beauty remains undeniable and remains one of his finest recordings as an indication that he could still get his randy when needed.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter whose music and entrepreneurship has had an outsized impact on popular culture. Her talent and popularity has earned her Grammy Awards, Billboard charts and media coverage; Kayne West even interrupted her acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards! Her popularity and talent has propelled her into headlines on numerous occasions; most notably when Kayne West interrupted it!
At 12, Swift began writing songs and performing them at local venues. Her performances at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe caught the eye of Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Records who signed her to his label Big Machine Records; following which, Swift spent years prior to her debut album Fearless (2006) writing songs while touring with a country band.
The album was an immense success, producing five singles which all reached number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and earning them five nods on that chart. Furthermore, they received the Grammy Award for Best Country Album; additionally their song “White Horse” was nominated for another Grammy in its own category of Best Country Song.
Swift continued her success after Fearless with tours and production albums; she even appeared in the film Valentine’s Day as well as a Broadway adaptation of Cats! Swift won CMA entertainer of the year twice!
In 2021, Taylor released Fearless (Taylor’s Version), an updated re-recording of her sophomore album Fearless that included six brand new tracks. Although widely successful and well received by fans alike, its release did spark some debate; Taylor later issued an apology to all her listeners over this incident.
Swift surprised fans in 2020 with the release of her eighth studio album, Folklore. Hailed for its introspection and restraint, Folklore earned Grammy nods as Album of the Year; its sister record Evermore debuted atop both Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts upon its release; as did its lead single Willow featuring collaborations with artists including Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver.
Vance Joy
Beginners looking to start playing ukulele may benefit from choosing upbeat popular songs with straightforward chord structures as their starting point. This Beatles classic, made even easier on ukulele than its original acoustic guitar version, is an excellent starting point. Noel Gallagher’s ballad may contain more chords than typical three-chord pop tunes but remains popular among players of this instrument. Uke has also become the go-to instrument for reggae songs such as Bob Marley’s classic which made its debut debut cover by Twenty One Pilots back in 2012: it remains an evergreen tune with its evergreen popularity among ukulele players everywhere.
Melbourne-born Vance Joy made waves in 2013 with his debut EP God Loves You When You’re Dancing and its lead single, ‘Riptide’, topping Australia’s Hottest 100 and going on to hit charts worldwide (including in the UK). If you already possess some basic chord knowledge, ‘Riptide’ should be straightforward to master on ukulele; just drop a capo at fret 1 along with two bars of Am and two of G for its intro verses and chorus segments!
George Harrison
Since its debut in the 1990s, ukuleles have seen tremendous popularity. Thanks to YouTube tutorials for learning songs like the popular tune “Hey Jude”, people of all levels of skill can pick up this instrument quickly. “Hey Jude” can bring smiles at gatherings with family and friends – playing it can bring back fond memories!
Max Schneider
Since its introduction in the 1990s, ukuleles have enjoyed widespread popularity due to their cheerful sound and unintimidating size. If you’re looking to learn or perfect existing ukulele skills online is home to numerous tutorials; but certain songs stand out; these tutorials feature upbeat popular music with simple chord structures for beginners as great places to begin learning them – which you’ll find listed on this list of 10 famous ukulele songs to learn.
Max Schneider is a musician and producer from Germany who has created numerous ukulele videos on YouTube that have been watched more than 10 million times, appearing on various television shows and being worked on as full-length album of original music for release later. His YouTube channel boasts more than 100 videos showcasing rock and reggae styles of music.