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Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California Ukulele Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on the ukulele and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsAm, G, Dm, F, C, Bm, D, F#, E
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Ukulele Am chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-0-0Ukulele Am chord diagram
  • Ukulele G chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-2Ukulele G chord diagram
  • Ukulele Dm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-1-0Ukulele Dm chord diagram
  • Ukulele F chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-1-0Ukulele F chord diagram
  • Ukulele C chord diagram Fingering: 0-0-0-3Ukulele C chord diagram
  • Ukulele Bm chord diagram Fingering: 4-2-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Ukulele Bm chord diagram
  • Ukulele D chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-2-0Ukulele D chord diagram
  • Ukulele F# | G♭ chord diagram Fingering: 3-1-2-1 Barre at fret 1.Ukulele F# | G♭ chord diagram
  • Ukulele E chord diagram Fingering: 4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 4.Ukulele E chord diagram

[Opening]
[Am] [G] [Dm] [Am] [Am] [G] [Dm] [Am]
[Am]Getting born in the [G]state of Mississippi,
Her [Dm]Poppa was a copper and her [Am]Momma was a hippie
[Am]In Alabama [G]she would swing a hammer,
[Dm]Price you gotta pay when you [Am]break the panorama
[Am]She never [G]knew that there was [Dm]anything [Am]more than poor,
[Am]What in the [G]world does your [Dm]company [Am]take me for?

[section 2]
[Am]Black bandana, [G]sweet Louisiana, [Dm]robbing on a bank in the [Am]state of Indiana,
[Am]She’s a runner, [G]rebel and a stunner, [Dm]on her merry way sayin’, [Am]”baby whatcha gonna”
[Am]Lookin’ down the [G]barrel of a [Dm]hot metal [Am].45, [Am]Just another [G]way to [Dm]survive

[chorus]
[F]California, [C]Rest In [Dm]Peace, [G]simultaneous [F] [C]release, [Dm]
[G] [F]California, [C]show your [Dm]teeth, she’s [G]my [F]priestess, [C]I’m your [Dm]priest, yeah, yeah

[section 3]
[Am] [G] [Dm] [Am] [Am] [G] [Dm] [Am]
[Am]She’s a lover, [G]baby and a fighter, [Dm]shoulda seen it coming when it [Am]got a little brighter,
[Am]With a name like [G]”Dani California”, [Dm]day was gonna come when [Am]I was gonna mourn ya,
[Am]A little [G]loaded, she was [Dm]stealing [Am]another breath, [Am]I love my [G]baby to [Dm]death

[chorus]
[F]California, [C]Rest In [Dm]Peace, [G]simultaneous [F] [C]release, [Dm]
[G] [F]California, [C]show your [Dm]teeth, she’s [G]my [F]priestess, [C]I’m your [Dm]priest, yeah, yeah

[section 4]
[Bm]Who knew the [G]other [D]side of [F#]you? [Bm]Who knew what [G]others [D]died to [F#]prove?
[Bm]Too true to [G]say [D]goodbye to [F#]you, [Bm]too true, too sad, sad, sad

[Closing]
[Am]Push the fader, [G]gifted animator, [Dm]one for the now and [Am]eleven for the later,
[Am]Never made it [G]up to Minnesota, [Dm]North Dakota man was a [Am]gunning for the quota
[Am]Down in the [G]Badlands she was [Dm]saving the [Am]best for last,
[Am]It only [G]hurts when I [Dm]laugh; gone [E]too fast

[chorus]
[F]California, [C]Rest In [Dm]Peace, [G]simultaneous [F] [C]release, [Dm]
[G] [F]California, [C]show your [Dm]teeth, she’s [G]my [F]priestess, [C]I’m your [Dm]priest, yeah, yeah
[F]California, [C]Rest In [Dm]Peace, [G]simultaneous [F] [C]release, [Dm]
[G] [F]California, [C]show your [Dm]teeth, she’s [G]my [F]priestess, [C]I’m your [Dm]priest, yeah, yeah

[outro]
[F] [C] [Dm] [G] [F] [C] [Dm] [G] [F] [C] [Dm] [G] [F] [C] [Dm] [G] [Dm]
[F] [C] [Dm] [G] [F] [C] [Dm] [G] [F] [C] [Dm] [G]
[F] [C] [Dm]

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on the ukulele.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master ukulele today with the 100 most repeated chord transitions from 14,015 analyzed.
ArtistRed Hot Chili Peppers
AlbumStadium Arcadium
GenresAlternative, Indie, Rock
Year2006
KeyAm

How to play Dani California on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California on ukulele requires 9 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.

Dani California uses these transitions most often: C → Dm (24), F → C (24), and G → Dm (21). 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 Am - G chord transition.

1. Am → G chord transition

Ukulele Am chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-0-0Ukulele Am chord diagram
Ukulele G chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-2Ukulele G chord diagram

To move from Am to G;

  1. Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on C string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on E string fret 3.
Am to G

2. G → Dm chord transition

Ukulele G chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-2Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele Dm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-1-0Ukulele Dm chord diagram

To move from G to Dm;

  1. Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on C string fret 2.
G to Dm

3. Dm → Am chord transition

Ukulele Dm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-1-0Ukulele Dm chord diagram
Ukulele Am chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-0-0Ukulele Am chord diagram

To move from Dm to Am;

  1. While playing Dm, first lift your index finger and ring finger.
  2. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
Dm to Am

4. Dm → F chord transition

Ukulele Dm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-1-0Ukulele Dm chord diagram
Ukulele F chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-1-0Ukulele F chord diagram

To move from Dm to F;

  1. While playing Dm, lift your ring finger from C string fret 2.
  2. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
Dm to F

5. F → C chord transition

To move from F to C;

  1. While playing F, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Place ring finger on A string fret 3.

6. C → Dm chord transition

To move from C to Dm;

  1. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on C string fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.

7. G → F chord transition

To move from G to F;

  1. While playing G, lift your ring finger from E string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.

8. Dm → Bm chord transition

To move from Dm to Bm;

  1. While playing Dm, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on C string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from C string fret 2 to G string fret 4.

9. Bm → G chord transition

To move from Bm to G;

  1. Keep index finger on C string fret 2.
  2. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.
  3. Place middle finger on A string fret 2.

10. G → D chord transition

To move from G to D;

  1. Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to C string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 3 to fret 2.

11. D → F# chord transition

To move from D to F#;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 3.

12. F# → Bm chord transition

To move from F# to Bm;

  1. While playing F#, lift your middle finger from E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your index finger on C string from fret 1 to fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on G string from fret 3 to fret 4.

13. Bm → Am chord transition

To move from Bm to Am;

  1. While playing Bm, first lift your index finger and ring finger.
  2. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.

14. Dm → E chord transition

To move from Dm to E;

  1. While playing Dm, lift your ring finger from C string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 4.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to A string fret 2.

15. E → F chord transition

To move from E to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.

Dani California chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Dani California.

  • Dani California includes 165 chord transitions, 15 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Dani California contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Dani California connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Dm, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (18%), G (16%), and Am (14%).
    • Dm → G: 16%
    • Dm → Am: 14%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → D: 24%
    • G → F: 9%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains extracted from real songs. See which songs use each chain, learn the finger transitions, and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.