Comments on: Plunka-plunka-plunk, plunka-plunka-plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk.

Plunka-plunka-plunk, plunka-plunka-plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk.

WCityMike — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:45:39 -0800

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain performs the theme to "Shaft" (SYTL). Really, is any description needed?

Also, since we're very loosely on the topic of odd British versions of popular songs, the rave remix of the "A-Team" theme that was in the Spaced episode "Epiphanies" (the Sean of the Dead guys). Just because, hey, this post wasn't random enough already. My work here ... is done.

By: the_bone

the_bone — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:48:44 -0800

So white, and yet so very awesome.

By: RussHy

RussHy — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:52:03 -0800

Those guys know how to rock! Thanks.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:54:37 -0800

So very amusing. Love that. Thanks for the smile WCityMike.

By: ericb

ericb — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:55:35 -0800

Ukulele "Shaft" previously on Mefi -- 1, 2.

By: AwkwardPause

AwkwardPause — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:02:28 -0800

That last dude has a pretty big ukulele.

By: DU

DU — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:06:02 -0800

How did the audience manage to clap a) together and b) on the beat?

By: chillmost

chillmost — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:14:04 -0800

Their version of The Good the Bad the Ugly is really cool.

By: maudlin

maudlin — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:19:20 -0800

That was really fun, but this was shockingly good, up until about 1:40, when they ruined a great song with a bunch of inferior pap layered on top of it. (Born fucking Free? Really?)

By: barnacles

barnacles — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:19:56 -0800

And while we're at it, their version of Wuthering Heights (by Kate Bush) is pretty sweet, too.

By: twoleftfeet

twoleftfeet — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:23:24 -0800

I love their Smells Like Teen Spirit (but only because I'm a fan of ukulele grunge).

By: tomcooke

tomcooke — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:24:15 -0800

I love this bit from Father Ted.

By: shakespeherian

shakespeherian — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:25:34 -0800

Their version of The Good the Bad the Ugly is really cool. Yes.

By: twoleftfeet

twoleftfeet — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:30:16 -0800

They do have one of those website thingies.

By: Alvy Ampersand

Alvy Ampersand — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:50:37 -0800

This totally made an otherwise bleagh day really, really good, WCityMike. Thanks!

By: Sys Rq

Sys Rq — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:05:22 -0800

That last dude has a pretty big ukulele. The bass is kind of a cop-out, yeah. Should have at least sprung for a guitarrón or something. Oh, and that obligatory reaction shot of the sole black person in attendance: Classy.

By: astroworm

astroworm — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:27:17 -0800

It's like watching your kid, who happens to be a ukulele, graduate from college... they've come so far!

By: sdodd

sdodd — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:59:14 -0800

DU, I died a little inside when they all started clapping on the downbeats. I fully realize we white people are practically handicapped in this respect, but c'mon, this is a funky song. If you can't find the 2 and 4, sit on your hands. It's not a Sousa march, people!

By: sdodd

sdodd — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 18:01:36 -0800

I've got it! The folks who do sign language interpreting at live events could be pressed into service. They'd stand on stage with their arms over their heads and broadly mime clapping on the 2 and 4.

By: etaoin

etaoin — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 18:07:33 -0800

Why is it we white folks--most but not all of us!--cannot clap on the right beat? I've even tried forcing a crowd to shift by clapping loudly on the right beat (I used to be a drummer) with minor success but I'm embarrassed for my race most days.

By: flod

flod — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 18:20:25 -0800

I dug this, but no 'ukulele cover band will ever really replace Gus and Fin in my heart.

By: saturnine

saturnine — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 18:21:03 -0800

We have a Ukulele Orchestra? Since WHEN? Also this is awesome. I didn't expect singing too. "How did the audience manage to clap a) together and b) on the beat?" It's this thing white people do. Especially British people. Why do we do it? Why? Can't we all agree to stop?

By: sdodd

sdodd — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 18:30:09 -0800

Thanks for posting this. It's great. For comparison, here's the original "Theme From Shaft" on YouTube.

By: Authorized User

Authorized User — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 18:37:35 -0800

The Fast Show provided the ultimate combination of Shaft and britishness (in this case, snooker).

By: mandal

mandal — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 18:53:11 -0800

That was ace. My better half saw them recently and had a very fun evening. Aside: The Cambridge Folk Festival can throw up some strange sequences that result in wholesale audience changes. A couple of years back I watched an Irish reel band (whose name I have forgotten), followed by a brilliant set from Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, then an hour or so of Jimmy Cliff being utterly fabulous to close out the evening. I would also add that never in my life have I seen so many people in one place with their own pewter tankards.

By: jbickers

jbickers — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:08:58 -0800

Pony request: ukulele.metafilter.com

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:44:59 -0800

Oh, and that obligatory reaction shot of the sole black person in attendance: Classy. Haha! Yeah, I noticed that too. "Look! See?! There's a Negro here, and he likes this!! SEE??" That said, I think the Ukulele Orchestra of GB is a fine little ensemble, and they did a bangup job with this. It's not their fault that the filmmakers cut straightaway to the only black guy in the crowd, and it's not their fault that white people STILL clap on every beat.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:48:32 -0800

Pony request: ukulele.metafilter.com Hey, jbickers, where you been, man? You've already got it.

By: pivotal

pivotal — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:06:54 -0800

How self-linky is it for me to suggest also rocking out to New Zealand's own Wellington Ukulele Orchestra, starring my big sister, and boasting Brett McKenzie (of Flight of the Conchords) as a founding member? Yes MeFites, you are officially two degrees from Brett.

By: The Card Cheat

The Card Cheat — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:23:51 -0800

The "A" Ukuleles of Halifax.

By: yhbc

yhbc — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:11:22 -0800

Heathcliff! I don't care how many times these things get reposted, I always need to see them again.

By: penduluum

penduluum — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:11:34 -0800

Metafilter: Really, is any description needed? [more inside]

By: davejay

davejay — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:38:19 -0800

Any other now-inspired ukulele players out there in the near-Los Angeles area who want to collaborate on my in-progress cover of Billy Joel's "Pressure", let me know.

By: Kimothy

Kimothy — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:59:08 -0800

Any other now-inspired ukulele players out there in the near-Los Angeles area who want to collaborate on my in-progress cover of Billy Joel's "Pressure", let me know. Oh how I wish I was near Los Angeles.... I expect to be notified immediately when this is finished. Billy Joel=Absolutely Awesome Ukulele=Incredibly Awesome Putting the two together? Absolutely Incredible! (You thought I was going to say "Awesome" again didn't you?)

By: davejay

davejay — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 23:13:44 -0800

It would have been awesome if you had. :P

By: salishsea

salishsea — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 02:25:56 -0800

If you listen really hard you can hear the black guy clapping on the right beats. One lonely little smack in a sea of Caucasian thunder.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 04:35:25 -0800

salishea: I would favorite that comment ten thousand, nay, one hundred thousand times, were I only able.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 04:37:35 -0800

Thing is, though, the white people were also clapping on the right beats, that is, the 2 and the 4. ZI¥¥It's just that one and three (the white beats) that we need to exorcize from white people's souls.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 04:41:01 -0800

And in case you were wondering, yes, I spell "it's" with a ZI¥¥. Got a problem with that?

By: twine42

twine42 — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 04:42:38 -0800

There's nothing more likely to give me shivers down the spine than a really good mashup of songs I love. Except possibly this...

By: scruss

scruss — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:22:53 -0800

hey, c'mon, could've been worse than 1 & 3. In Scotland, it's usually 1½ & 3¼ ...

By: toastchee

toastchee — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:08:49 -0800

stuffwhitepeoplelikefilter A bona-fide black man gives his approval at :40

By: rmd1023

rmd1023 — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 09:52:42 -0800

this is pretty awesome stuff right here. man, i love the internet some mornings.

By: synaesthetichaze

synaesthetichaze — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:24:04 -0800

Holy crap, that Toumani Diabate at the end of the video! Argh... wish I could have seen some sweet kora stylin's. The Ukulele Orchestra also does a surprisingly pleasant version of Satellite of Love.

By: spamguy

spamguy — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:35:35 -0800

What kind of a thought process leads up to the conclusion, 'I think I'll take up the bass ukulele'?

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:04:23 -0800

What kind? Why, one of perfect clarity and serenity, my friend. A thought process from a mind at one with the universe, at one with the mystic vibration of the cosmos. Cutting through the layers of illusion, and attaining the exalted state of bass ukulele receptivity.

By: miss lynnster

miss lynnster — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:27:56 -0800

Ok, their version of You Don't Bring Me Flowers seriously kicks some butt.