Why Don't You Do Right (Get Me Some Money, Too!): Ukulele

Peggy Lee's signature cut from the 1940s carries undeniable swagger and attitude, and the ukulele arrangement captures that sass without needing a full band. The piece works beautifully for building solo performance confidence because the accompaniment stays out of the way while the melody commands attention. It's a legitimate standard that audiences recognize, which makes students feel like real musicians performing real repertoire rather than exercises.

Confident. Direct. Like walking into a room knowing exactly what you want and making it clear without apology. The melody has playful rhythmic angles that keep listeners engaged, and the conversational lyrics create intimacy even when delivered with full attitude. This arrangement strips away ornamentation to let personality shine through.

Intermediate ukulele players ready to approach standards with style and conviction. Vocalists who want to expand beyond folk or contemporary genres into jazz repertoire. Small ensembles and solo performers looking for accessible but sophisticated material that reads as professionally polished.

• Shape the melody with the conversational rhythm of spoken language. This isn't a ballad; it's someone making a direct request. Let the phrasing breathe naturally rather than metronomically.
• Land on the accented beats with intention, especially in the signature phrase that gives the song its personality. Clarity here makes the attitude land.
• Match your dynamic level to the intimacy of the ukulele. The instrument pulls listeners in rather than projecting outward, so cultivate presence through engagement rather than volume.
• Explore the rhythmic pocket the ukulele establishes. Let the accompaniment set the groove, then sing slightly in relation to it rather than mechanically with it.

Feature this in a standards or American songbook concert where it anchors a more contemporary set. The ukulele arrangement makes it accessible for intimate venues, coffee house performances, or cabaret-style programming. It also works as a confidence-builder in group classes where students benefit from learning how phrasing and attitude communicate meaning beyond pitch and rhythm.

• Singing with conversational phrasing and lyrical awareness
• Rhythmic flexibility within a groove-based accompaniment
• Interpreting jazz standards with stylistic authenticity
• Solo performance presence in an intimate setting
• Coordination of melody with ukulele accompaniment