The Office: An American Workplace Theme
July 27, 2008
The Office: An American Workplace (Tab)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Transatlantic comedy adaptations are usually a catastrophic failure (Coupling and IT Crowd are two that leap immediately to mind) but both versions of The Office are great. I may well be lynched for saying this, but I actually prefer the US version of The Office to the British one. The only thing I don’t like about both Offices is the way Jim/Tim is held up as a kind of hero. He’s much more of a loser than Micheal/David and Dwight/Gareth who actually seem to enjoy their lives and their jobs. And, worst of all, he takes his frustrations out by bullying people. Anyone with half a brain can see that Dwight is the real hero for being himself no matter how out of step with the rest of the world that might be. Anyhoo, on to matters musical.
The theme tune translates fairly well to the uke, but there are some tricky parts. There are some rapid notes on the A string that have to be picked alternately by the index and middle finger (like you’re doing a running man with your fingers). Also, the run at the end goes up to the 17th fret. My uke doesn’t have a 17th fret, so I had to do a bit of fretless playing. Alternatively, you could give it a shorter ending such as this:
So my friends and I just went and got/restrung our ukuleles earlier this week, and yours was the first site we came across. The first day your new post was Beirut’s cover of Hallelujah, and now you post tabs for the theme to The Office. Wow, dude. I don’t know what to say. Your site is wonderful, thank you for being so cool.
jim is the hero because he sheds light on the foolish, blind obiedience of the Dwights and Michaels of the world. The truth is, we all have to do things that are not our best ideal of where we should be or who we could be. Some of us accept that mediocrity as unavoidable (like Pam) some of us fail to recognize the sad state of the paths we’ve chosen, but occasionally, there are the Jims, the Tims, the Ferris Buellers, of this world who accept the farce of societies’ rules and tweak them in little ways to make life amusing and bearable. Lay off Jim, and refuse to celebrate Dwight and Michael they have no joy, no irony. They would never play ukulele, they take themselves too seriously. It’s only paper, afterall.
Dwight seems like a banjolele player to me.
Anyone seen the series 2 episode where Michael and Dwight entertain the children with “Teach Your Children” by CSN&Y on Michael’s guitar on “Take Your Daughter to Work Day”?
Jim: Why does he own a guitar if he doesn’t know how to play it?
Pam: I think he though his ukulele skills would transfer.
Andrew: Thanks very much. Glad you enjoy the site.
Isaac: I seem to remember Andy playing the banjo at one point.
Soren: Well remembered. I’d completely forgotten about. that.
Stacey: I have to completely disagree with everything you said. Michael has no joy? Soren’s quote shows exactly why Jim wouldn’t play the ukulele. He’s scared of doing anything that might result in people making fun of him. He doesn’t make a farce of society’s rules – he was quick enough to stab Michael in the back and go for the job at corporate – he just picks on people.
I think we can all agree that the true hero of the American version is Creed.
Your interpretation of this is incredible. I just enjoy listening to it.
sorry, if Dwight is a true American hero, I’m moving to Canada.
Great tab, but I can’t figure out how you get that “chunking” sound when you strum some of the notes, like in the 5th section, where you hit both 5 and 2. Do you mute the other strings somehow? Sorry ’bout the johnny come lately post, lol
this tab… is now my life.
Glad you like it, Liz.
My Christmas Uke is now playing Mahna Mahna and the Office theme.
Thank you so much.
And Jim plays wonderful pranks, thus saving the latest season from pure soap opera drivel.
fdub: Glad you liked them.
im getting a ukulele in a few days and this is gonna be one of the first songs im gonna learn