Paul Simon - American Tune 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 F chord diagram
Ukulele Dm chord diagram
Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele E chord diagram
Ukulele Am chord diagram
Ukulele E7 chord diagram
Ukulele D chord diagram
[Opening]
[C]Many’s [C]the [F]time [C]I’ve [Dm]been [C]mis[G]tak[E]en,
And [Am]many [E7]times con[Am]fused.
[C]Yes, and I’ve [F]of[C]ten [Dm]felt [C]for[G]sa[E]ken,
[Am]And cer[E7]tainly mis[Am]used.
[section 2]
Oh, but [F]I’m al[G]right, I’m [F]al[C]right,
I’m just [F]weary [G]to [E]my [E7]bones.
[F]Still, you [G]don’t expect to be [C]bright and [D]bon[G]vivant,
So far [F]a[C]way [G]from [E]home,
[Dm]So [C]far a[G]way from [C]home
[section 3]
[C]I don’t know [F]a soul [C]whose [Dm]not [C]been [G]bat[E]tered,
I don’t have a [Am]friend who [E7]feels at [Am]ease,
[C]I don’t know a [F]dream [C]whose [Dm]not [C]been [G]shat[E]tered,
Or [Am]driven [E7]to its [Am]knees.
[section 4]
Oh, but It’s [F]al[G]right, It’s [F]al[C]right,
For we [F]lived [G]so [E]well so [E7]long.
[F]Still [G]when I think of the [C]road [G]we’re [D]traveling [G]on,
I [F]wonder [C]what’s [G]gone [E]wrong.
I [Dm]can’t help but [C]wonder [G]what’s gone [C]wrong
[section 5]
And I [C]dream I was dying,
I dreamed that my [G]soul rose unex[Am]pectedly,
And [G]looking back [F]down at [C]me smiled reas[G]suringly.
And I [C]dreamed I was flying,
And high up above [G]my eyes could [Am]clearly see
The Statue of [G]Liberty, [F]sailing a[C]way to [G]sea,
And I dreamed I was [C]flying.
[section 6]
We come on the [F]ship [C]they [Dm]call [C]the May[G]flow[E]er,
We come on the [Am]ship that [E7]sailed the [Am]moon.
[C]We come in the [F]a[C]ge’s [Dm]most [C]unc[G]certain [Am]hours,
And sing an [E7]American [Am]Tune.
[Closing]
Oh, and it’s [F]al[G]right, it’s [F]al[C]right,
You can [F]be for[G]ev[E]er [E7]blessed.
[F]Still to[G]morrow’s gonna be a[C]noth[G]er [D]working [G]day,
And I’m [F]trying to [C]get [G]some [E]rest,
[Dm]That’s all I’m [C]trying, to [G]get some [C]rest.
How to play American Tune on Ukulele (Step-by-step)
Paul Simon - American Tune on ukulele requires 8 chords and 15 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.
American Tune uses these transitions most often: C → G (18), F → C (14), and G → E (11). 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 - F chord transition.
1. C → F chord transition
To move from C to F;
- While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
- Place index finger on E string fret 1.
- Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
2. C → Dm chord transition
To move from C to Dm;
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Place index finger on E string fret 1.
- Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
3. 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.
4. G → E chord transition
To move from G to E;
- 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 G string fret 4.
- Keep middle finger on A string fret 2.
5. E → Am chord transition
To move from E to Am;
- While playing E, lift your index finger from G string fret 4.
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
6. Am → E7 chord transition
To move from Am to E7;
- Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Place index finger on G string fret 1.
- Place ring finger on A string fret 2.
7. Am → C chord transition
To move from Am to C;
- While playing Am, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on A string fret 3.
8. Am → F chord transition
To move from Am to F;
- Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
- Place index finger on E string fret 1.
9. F → G chord transition
To move from F to G;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 3.
10. E → E7 chord transition
To move from E to E7;
- Slide your index finger on G string from fret 4 to fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to C string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on A string fret 2.
11. E7 → F chord transition
To move from E7 to F;
- While playing E7, lift your ring finger from A string fret 2.
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
12. C → D chord transition
To move from C to D;
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Place index finger on G string fret 2.
- Place middle finger on C string fret 2.
13. D → G chord transition
To move from D to G;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.
14. E → Dm chord transition
To move from E to Dm;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on C string fret 2.
15. 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.
American Tune chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in American Tune.
- American Tune includes 135 chord transitions, 15 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
- American Tune contains 7 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
- These transition patterns show how American Tune 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 → D: 24%