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Going On a Surf Trip? Pack A Uke (Best Ukulele Surf Songs)
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Mickey Dora would think I’m a dork.
I say this because I recently read an old interview with Dora, the cranky Malibu surf legend, in which he mocked what he called “surf posers,” claiming they all headed to the beach with their giddy smiles and ukuleles.
Well, I guess I happen to be one of those posers. Because I've fallen head over heels for the uke.
I'm not sure what started my uke craving, though it may have began when I saw Paul McCartney play "Something" on a ukulele during the "Concert for George" tribute to George Harrison. Or maybe it was when I heard Harrison's version of "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," a great standard he recorded with ukulele on his last album.
Regardless, I had to have a uke. And, I quickly found it's a great little instrument to take to the beach. I mean, really -- if you take a uke to Old Man's in San Onofre, it just seems . . . right. And it's a lot easier to pack on a surf trip than a guitar or, say, a drum set.
Dork? Maybe. But, you know what? Who cares about Dora. The guy was a convicted crook who, according to friend and former surfer Terry “Tubesteak” Tracey, once stole an Academy Award from the host of a party he attended. Heck, maybe I’ll go to Malibu and dedicate “Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” to him.
Meanwhile, here are my favorite songs to play on the uke that have a great surf vibe:
"Banana Pancakes," Jack Johnson. Talk about vibe. Johnson just has a knack for these mellow, feel-good songs that are a perfect fit for the surfer lifestyle. Which, of course, is not surprising, given his prior career as a pro surfer. You could play numerous Johnson songs on uke, but this is my favorite.
"Margaritaville," Jimmy Buffet. From another surfer, this is the ultimate escapist song, written while he was in Key West.
"Something," George Harrison. I know he wasn't a surfer, but we're talking vibe here. When you play this on the beach, it's just so sweeeeeeet.
"Carribean Amphibian," Kermit the Frog. Yeah, he's a Muppet. But a Muppet with chops. This is a great song with a beautiful tropical feel. And a blast on the uke.
"Such a Night," Dr. John. I first heard this when I saw the movie "The Last Waltz," about The Band. Perfect for a moonlit beach as the waves tickle the shore, causing the rocks to applaud gently. (Damn, that was poetic!")
"Daydream," Lovin' Spoonful. I say that any song with whistling in it can be a ukulele song. And what better place to daydream than the beach? John Sebastain said this song started out as his atrempt to write a song like "Baby Love" by the Supremes.
"Ooh La La," Faces. Easy to play but, I find, a little tough to sing. Oddly enough it was sung by future Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood.
"The Tide is High," Blondie. This was sort of a break from the typical Blondie record. Originally written and recorded by John Holt, a Jamaican, in the 60s, Blondie used a trio of percussionists to capture the Jamaican sound.
"(Sittin On) The Dock of The Bay," Otis Redding. Ah, yes -- San Francisco. What a wonderful place. Redding recorded this three days before he died tragically in a plane crash.
"God Only Knows," Beach Boys. Well, of course. I couldn't not include the Beach Boys, right? They have a few good uke songs, but again -- tough to sing.
Incidentally, I once interviewed Jumpin' Jim Beloff -- the guy pictured here -- who is the source on ukuleles. He told me he was at home, minding his own business one day, when George Harrison called out of the blue, saying he wanted to drop by to see his ukulele collection.
Can you imagine?
Harrison spent a couple of hours there, playing Beatles songs on Beloff's ukuleles.
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