- published: 14 May 2016
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The ukulele ( /ˌjuːkəˈleɪliː/ EW-kə-LAY-lee; from Hawaiian: ʻukulele [ˈʔukuˈlɛlɛ]), sometimes abbreviated to uke; is a member of the guitar family of instruments; it generally employs four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings.
The ukulele originated in the 19th century as an Hawaiian interpretation of the machete, a small guitar-like instrument related to the cavaquinho, braguinha and the rajao, taken to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants. It gained great popularity elsewhere in the United States during the early 20th century, and from there spread internationally.
The tone and volume of the instrument varies with size and construction. Ukuleles commonly come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone.
Ukuleles are commonly associated with music from Hawaii where the name roughly translates as "jumping flea", perhaps due to the resemblance of the player's finger movements to a "jumping flea". Legend attributes it to the nickname of Englishman Edward William Purvis, one of King Kalākaua's officers, due to his small size, fidgety manner, and playing expertise. According to Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last Hawaiian monarch, the name means “the gift that came here”, from the Hawaiian words uku (gift or reward) and lele (to come).
In my brain it's understood
You killed my soul like I knew you would
You hit me with your velvet touch
My sacrifice was all too much
Why did you have to walk away
On sacred ground yesterday
Fill my pride, you don't wanna know
Still inside, every time you go
You kill me
You took the breath right out of me
And now I find that I can't see
The shallow water is my grave
Now what I lost is what I crave
Fill my pride, you don't wanna know
Still inside, every time you go
You kill me
Now I can feel the ghost within
Don't put the curse on me again
Don't leave me in this golden cage
Until I live the final page
Fill my pride, you don't wanna know
Still inside, every time you go
You kill me
Fill my pride, you don't wanna know
Still inside, every time you go