Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown Ukulele Chords
Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Ukulele C chord diagram
Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele F chord diagram
Ukulele Am chord diagram
Ukulele G# | A♭ chord diagram
[Opening]
[C]Born into Nixon I [G]was raised [F]in hell.
[C]A welfare child where [G]the [F]teamsters dwelled.
[C]The last one born and [G]the first one [F]to run.
[C]My town was blind from [G][F]refinery sun.
[chorus]
[Am]My generation [F]is zero,
[Am]I never made it as [F]a working [G]class hero.
[chorus]
[C] [G]21st [F]century breakdown, I [C]once was lost.
But [G] [F]never was found, I [C]think I’m losing.
[G]What’s left [F]of my mind to the [C] [G]20th [F]century deadline.
[section 2]
[C]I was made [G]of poison [F]and blood
[C]Combination [G]is what I [F]understood
[C]From Mexico to [G]the [F]Berlin Wall
[C]Homeland security [G]could kill [F]us all
[chorus]
[Am]My generation [F]is zero,
[Am]I never made it as [F]a working [G]class hero.
[chorus]
[C] [G]21st [F]century breakdown, I [C]once was lost.
But [G] [F]never was found, I [C]think I’m losing.
[G]What’s left [F]of my mind to the [C] [G]20th [F]century deadline.
[section 3]
[G]We are the cries of the class of [C]’13.
[G]Born in the year of [C]humility.
[G]We are the desperate in the [C]decline.
[G]Raised by the bastards of [C]1969.
[section 4]
[C]My name is ‘No one’, your [F] [G]long [C]lost son.
[C]Born on the 4th of [G]July.
[C]Raised in the barnyards, of [F] [G]heroes [C]and cons.
[C]Left me for dead or [G]alive.
[section 5]
[C]There is a war that’s in[F]side[G]m[C]y head.
That [C]questions the results and [G]lies.
I’m [C]breaking my back, till I’m [F] [G]better [C]off dead.
We are [C]not payed, enough to [G]survive.
[section 6]
[C]I am an engine [F] [G] [C] [G#] [G#]
My [C]debt to the [G]status quo.
The [C]scars on my hands and a [F] [G]means to [C]an end.
It’s [C]all that I have [G]to show.
[section 7]
I’m [C]taking a loan on my [F][G]sani[C]ty.
For the [C]redemption of [G]my soul.
Well [C]I am exempt from this [F]tr[G]age[C]dy.
And the [C]21st [G]century fall.
[section 8]
I [F]praise [G]liberty [C][F]the freedom [G]to [C]obey.
It’s a [F]song that [G]strangles [C]me.
Well [F]don’t [C]cross [G]the line.
[Closing]
Oh, [C]dream, [G] [Am]American dream.
I [G]can’t even [F]sleep from [G]rainstorms [C]till dawn.
Oh, [C]bleed, [G] [Am]America bleed.
[G]Believe what [F]you read from [G]heroes and cons.
How to play 21st Century Breakdown on Ukulele (Step-by-step)
Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown on ukulele requires 5 chords and 6 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.
21st Century Breakdown uses these transitions most often: C → G (30), G → C (26), and G → F (19). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with C - G chord transition.
1. C → G chord transition
To move from C to G;
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
- Place index finger on C string fret 2.
- Place middle finger on A string fret 2.
2. G → F chord transition
To move from G to F;
- While playing G, lift your ring finger from E string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
3. F → C chord transition
To move from F to C;
- While playing F, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
- Place ring finger on A string fret 3.
4. F → Am chord transition
To move from F to Am;
- While playing F, lift your index finger from E string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
5. C → G# chord transition
To move from C to G#;
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
- Place index finger on G string fret 1.
- Place middle finger on C string fret 3.
- Place pinky on E string fret 4.
6. G → Am chord transition
To move from G to Am;
- While playing G, first lift your index finger and ring finger.
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
21st Century Breakdown chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in 21st Century Breakdown.
- 21st Century Breakdown includes 130 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
- 21st Century Breakdown contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
- These transition patterns show how 21st Century Breakdown connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After C, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
- C → G: 35%
- C → F: 16%
After G, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).- G → C: 25%
- G → Am: 13%