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Janis Ian - Jesse Ukulele Chords

ChordsC, Em, Gm, A7, A, Dm, Dm7, F, G, E7, G7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

  • Ukulele C chord diagram Fingering: 0-0-0-3Ukulele C chord diagram
  • Ukulele Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-4-3-2Ukulele Em chord diagram
  • Ukulele Gm chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-1Ukulele Gm chord diagram
  • Ukulele A7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-1-0-0Ukulele A7 chord diagram
  • Ukulele A chord diagram Fingering: 2-1-0-0Ukulele A chord diagram
  • Ukulele Dm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-1-0Ukulele Dm chord diagram
  • Ukulele Dm7 chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-1-3 Barre at fret 2.Ukulele Dm7 chord diagram
  • Ukulele F chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-1-0Ukulele F chord diagram
  • Ukulele G chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-2Ukulele G chord diagram
  • Ukulele E7 chord diagram Fingering: 1-2-0-2Ukulele E7 chord diagram
  • Ukulele G7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-1-2Ukulele G7 chord diagram


[C] [Em] [Gm] [A7]
[C]Jesse come home, there’s a [Em]hole in the bed
Where we [Gm]slept, now it’s growing [A]cold [A7]
Hey [Dm]Jesse, your face in the [Dm7]place where we lay
By the [F]hearth, all a[G]part, it [C]hangs on my [E7]heart


And I’m [A7]leaving the light on the [Dm]stairs
No, I’m not [G]scared, I wait for [C]you [A]
[Dm]Hey Jesse, I’m [G]lonely, come [C]home


[C]Jesse, the floors and the [Em]boards
Recalling your [Gm]step and I remember [A], too [A7]
All the [Dm]pictures are fading and [F]shaded in grey
But I [G]still set a place on the [C]table at [E7]noon


And I’m [A7]leaving the light on the [Dm]stairs
No, I’m not [G]scared, I wait for [C]you [A]
[Dm]Hey Jesse, I’m [G]lonely, come [C]home


[C] [Em] [Gm] [A7]


[C]Jesse, the spread on the [Em]bed
Is like when you [Gm]left, I’ve kept it all for [A]you [A7]
And all the [Dm]blues and the [Dm7]greens have been [F]recently cleaned
And they’re [G]seemingly new, hey [C]Jess’, me and [E7]you


We’ll [A7]swallow the light on the [Dm]stairs
We’ll do up my [G]hair, we’ll sleep [C]unaware [A]
Hey [Dm], Jesse, I’m [G]lonely, come [C]home [A7] [Dm] [G7] [C]

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ArtistJanis Ian
AlbumStars
GenresFolk
Year1973
KeyC

How to play Jesse on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Janis Ian - Jesse on ukulele requires 11 chords and 19 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.

Jesse uses these transitions most often: G → C (9), A7 → Dm (7), and Dm → G (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 C - Em chord transition.

1. C → Em chord transition

To move from C to Em;

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

2. Em → Gm chord transition

To move from Em to Gm;

  1. Slide your index finger on A string from fret 2 to fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to C string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.
Em to Gm

3. Gm → A7 chord transition

To move from Gm to A7;

  1. While playing Gm, first lift your middle finger and ring finger.
  2. Lift your index finger from A string fret 1 and place it on C string fret 1.
Gm to A7

4. A7 → C chord transition

To move from A7 to C;

  1. While playing A7, lift your index finger from C string fret 1.
  2. Place ring finger on A string fret 3.
A7 to C

5. Gm → A chord transition

To move from Gm to A;

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

6. A → A7 chord transition

To move from A to A7;

  1. While playing A, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Keep index finger on C string fret 1.

7. A7 → Dm chord transition

To move from A7 to Dm;

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

8. Dm → Dm7 chord transition

To move from Dm to Dm7;

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

9. Dm7 → F chord transition

To move from Dm7 to F;

  1. While playing Dm7, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
  2. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.

10. F → G chord transition

To move from F to G;

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

11. G → C chord transition

To move from G to C;

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

12. C → E7 chord transition

To move from C to E7;

  1. Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 3 to fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on G string fret 1.
  3. Place middle finger on C string fret 2.

13. E7 → A7 chord transition

To move from E7 to A7;

  1. While playing E7, first lift your middle finger and ring finger.
  2. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on C string fret 1.

14. Dm → G chord transition

To move from Dm to G;

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

15. C → A chord transition

To move from C to A;

  1. While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
  2. Place index finger on C string fret 1.
  3. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.

16. A → Dm chord transition

To move from A to Dm;

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

17. Dm → F chord transition

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.

18. Dm → G7 chord transition

To move from Dm to G7;

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

19. G7 → C chord transition

To move from G7 to C;

  1. While playing G7, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 2 to fret 3.

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

  • Jesse includes 65 chord transitions, 19 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Jesse contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Jesse 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 → Em: 8%
    • C → E7: 1%
    After Dm, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (18%), G (16%), and Am (14%).
    • Dm → G: 16%
    • Dm → F: 14%