Say it's only a paper moon

February 24, 2006 10:47 AM

Ukulele Ike. We know his quavering, tentative, high tenor voice from his voice work as Jiminy Cricket, but Cliff Edwards -- aka Ukulele Ike -- was much more than that. Wikipedia offers a brief introduction to the man, his life, his works, and his lonely death. But, to my tastes, the best introduction to this once hugely popular singer is the man's own voice (mp3 links).
posted by Astro Zombie (5 comments total)

I'll use this thread as an excuse to link to an amazing ukulele version of While my Guitar Gently Weeps.
posted by MrMoonPie at 11:05 AM on February 24, 2006

No discussion of ukeleles can be complete without referencing George "The Ukelele King" Formby. His combination of slapstick humour and syncopated ukelele riffing won the heart of Joe Stalin, who awarded him the USSR State Prize in 1944.
posted by meehawl at 12:15 PM on February 24, 2006

I play the ukulele, picked it up a few years ago on a fluke (actually, I purchased a fluke) and fell in love. It's nice to hear stuff like this, because it gives me something to shoot for, performance-wise.

In the meantime, my kids seem to enjoy the songs I write and sing, although at 6 months old they're hardly discriminating. :)
posted by davejay at 4:18 PM on February 24, 2006

Thanks for this; I lost my Ukulele Ike CD awhile ago, and I haven't heard him in awhile.
posted by interrobang at 5:22 PM on February 24, 2006

Ha...! Random, I'm just stumbled across a copy of this on vinyl the other day. And yes, of course I purchased it.
posted by rabble at 7:25 PM on February 24, 2006