Desmond Dekker - Israelites Ukulele Chords
Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Ukulele A chord diagram
Ukulele A7 chord diagram
Ukulele D chord diagram
Ukulele E7 chord diagram
Ukulele F chord diagram
Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele C chord diagram
[chorus]
Slow [A]Get up in the morning slaving for bread sir
So that every [A7]mouth can be fed
[D]Poor [E7]me [A]Israelites [F] [G]
[chorus]
[A]Get up in the morning slaving for bread sir
So that every [A7]mouth can be fed
[D]Poor [E7]me [A]Israelites [C] [G]
[Opening]
[A]My wife and my kids they pack up and a leave me
Darling she said I was [A7]yours to receive
[D]Poor [E7]me [A]Israelites [C]
[section 2]
[A]Shirt dem a tear up trousers are go
I don’t want to end up like [A7]Bonnie and Clyde
[D]Poor [E7]me [A]Israelites [F] [G]
[section 3]
[A]After a storm there must be a calm
[A]Catch me in your palm you [A7]sound your alarm
[D]Poor [E7]me [A]Israelites [F] [G]
[interlude]
[A] [F] [G] [A] [D] [A] [F] [G] [A] [E7]
[Closing]
[D]Poor [E7]me [A]Israelites
(I wonder who I’m working for)
[D]Poor [E7]me [A]Israelites
How to play Israelites on Ukulele (Step-by-step)
Desmond Dekker - Israelites on ukulele requires 7 chords and 10 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.
Israelites uses these transitions most often: D → E7 (7), E7 → A (7), and G → A (6). 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 A - A7 chord transition.
1. A → A7 chord transition
To move from A to A7;
- While playing A, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
- Keep index finger on C string fret 1.
2. A7 → D chord transition
To move from A7 to D;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Place middle finger on C string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 2.
3. D → E7 chord transition
To move from D to E7;
- Slide your index finger on G string from fret 2 to fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on C string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from E string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
4. E7 → A chord transition
To move from E7 to A;
- 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 C string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
5. A → F chord transition
To move from A to F;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
6. 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.
7. G → A chord transition
To move from G to A;
- While playing G, lift your ring finger from E string fret 3.
- Slide your index finger on C string from fret 2 to fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
8. A → C chord transition
To move from A to C;
- While playing A, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
- Place ring finger on A string fret 3.
9. 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.
10. A → D chord transition
To move from A to D;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to C string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 2.
Israelites chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Israelites.
- Israelites includes 49 chord transitions, 10 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
- Israelites contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
- These transition patterns show how Israelites connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After A, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are D (29%), G (13%), and E (12%).
- A → D: 29%
- A → E7: 4%
After D, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).- D → A: 17%
- D → E7: 1%