Learn a Syncopated Solo Ukulele Arrangement of the Cuban Classic, “El Manisero (The Peanut Vendor)”
BY CHRISTOPHER DAVIS-SHANNON | FROM THE SUMMER 2026 ISSUE OF UKULELE
“El Manisero,” or “The Peanut Vendor,” was written by Cuban composer and pianist Moisés Simons in 1927 in the style of a traditional street vendor’s cry. The song quickly became a major hit as a vocal tune, beginning with the first recording by singer and pianist Rita Montaner. It reached the U.S. in the early 1930s with an iconic take by Louis Armstrong and His Cotton Club Orchestra, helping ignite the rumba craze in America. In the 1940s, the song enjoyed another surge in popularity through instrumental versions, including those by big-band leader Stan Kenton and Cuban mambo king Pérez Prado. This solo ukulele arrangement is based on the latter.
The Prado version starts with a solo trumpet that comes in on beat 2 of the first measure. (Count in with four beats plus one extra so the melody begins in the right spot—otherwise everything will feel off.) This song is largely based on an ostinato, or repeated musical phrase; bars 5–6 introduce the figure that underscores the rest of the arrangement. While the Prado recording does not feature a chordal instrument—only bass, trumpet, percussion, and a guitar playing single notes—this arrangement adds a chord on beat 1 to fill in the space. Be sure to strum it unaccented, as it is not part of the melody.
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On beat 2 of bar 5, use your thumb to strum the C chord slowly, accentuating the top note, C, which is the first note of the melody. Round out the measure with open G and A strings before switching to the only other chord in the song, G7, at the top of bar 6. Just like in the previous measure, this chord should be played without emphasis, as beat 2 carries the melody note. Take some time to work on these two measures, as they recur throughout the arrangement.
The rest of the tune builds melodies on top of this repeated pattern. For instance, bar 7 is identical to bar 5, but with two chord tones, E and G, on beats 2 and 3. More syncopated variations—placing notes off the main beats—begin in bar 17. Note that the phrase lands on the and of beat 4, creating an anticipation of the G7 chord. Syncopation continues in bar 23, with the line starting on the and of 1 and again anticipating 4. The longest phrase begins in measure 31, with the ostinato continuing beneath a new melody that enters on the and of beat 1 of the G7 measure—halfway through the repeated pattern.
As you learn this piece, pay close attention to how the repeated pattern keeps returning and how the melody interacts with it. The syncopation and groove are what make this tune special, showing how much can be done with only two chords.
