The Beatles and ukuleles: while the two terms appear unrelated, there has recently been an explosion in reinterpreting their iconic songs on the instrument. This resurgence has resulted in world-record performance attempts, CDs, and now the Beatles Complete on Ukulele Marathon, which will occur December 6th, 2009 at the Brooklyn Bowl in New York. These events and albums allow ukulele enthusiasts to express their love of the Beatles in a unique way. But the Beatles-ukulele connection is hardly a stretch.

It is said that John Lennon's mother, Julia, taught her son to play the banjo and ukulele; of course he later switched to guitar. George Harrison professed a deep love for the instrument and grew up listening to the uke stylings of English comedian George Formby. His interest only grew when he spent a great deal of time in Hawaii throughout the 1970s until his death in 2001. In 1995 he played the instrument during the Beatles Anthology documentary, and tacked on a Formby tribute at the end of the Beatles virtual reunion single "Free as a Bird." On his final album, Brainwashed, Harrison played a charming uke rendition of "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea." Paul McCartney also enjoyed the music, often stating that when visiting Harrison, they would jam on ukulele. At 2002's Concert for George, McCartney paid tribute to his friend by performing "Something" on a ukulele Harrison once gave him. And on several world tours, McCartney has continued this tradition.

Ever since McCartney has revived interest in the ukulele, a variety of projects have emerged. 2009's Fest for Beatles Fans in Chicago mounted a Guinness Book of World Records attempt: to set the record for the greatest number of people playing a Beatles song on the ukulele at the same time. Participants enthusiastically strummed "Love Me Do" for over five minutes, led by (among others) GiGi Wong Monaco of Sitar Emporium. Another performer at the Fest was Cars co-founder and keyboardist Greg Hawkes, who has become one the most well-respected ukulele artists today. His album, The Beatles Uke, contains his distinctive interpretations of the band's classics—it makes the listener rethink uke stereotypes.

Article Author: Kit O'Toole

Kit O'Toole is a lifelong music enthusiast who maintains a music blog, Listen to the Band. In addition, she is the internet columnist and a contributing editor for Beatlefan magazine. She also holds an Ed.D. in Instructional Technology.

Visit Kit O'Toole's author page — Kit O'Toole's Blog