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The Beatles - Octopus’s Garden Ukulele Chords

ChordsB, E, A, C#m, F#m, D
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to G,D,C,A keys to play this song with easier chords.

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


[B] [E] [B] [A] [B] [E] [C#m] [A] [B]
[E]I’d like to be [C#m]under the sea, [A]in an Octopus’s Garden in the [B]shade.
[E]He’d let us in, [C#m]knows where we’ve been,, [A]in his Octopus’s Garden in the [B]shade.
[C#m]I’d ask my friends to come and see, [A]an Octopus’s [B]Garden with me.
[E]I’d like to be [C#m]under the sea, [A]in an Octopus’s [B]Garden in the [E]shade.


[E]We would be warm [C#m]below the storm, [A]in our little hideaway beneath the [B]waves.
[E]Resting our head [C#m]on the sea bed, [A]in an Octopus’s Garden near a [B]cave.
[C#m]We would sing and dance around, [A]because we know we [B]can’t be found.
[E]I’d like to be [C#m]under the sea, [A]in an Octopus’s [B]Garden in the [E]shade.


[A] [F#m] [D] [E] [A] [F#m] [D] [E] [A] [B]
[E]We would shout [C#m]and swim about, [A]the coral that lies beneath the [B]waves.
[E]Oh, what joy for [C#m]every girl and boy, [A]knowing they’re happy and they’re [B]safe.
[C#m]We would be so happy, you and me, [A]no one there to tell us what to [B]do.
[E]I’d like to be [C#m]under the sea, [A]in an Octopus’s [B]Garden with [C#m]you,
[A]In an Octopus’s [B]Garden with [C#m]you, [A]in an Octopus’s [B]Garden with [E]you, [B] [E]

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AlbumAbbey Road
GenresRock
Year1969
KeyB

How to play Octopus's Garden on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

The Beatles - Octopus's Garden on ukulele requires 6 chords and 9 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.

Octopus's Garden uses these transitions most often: A → B (17), C#m → A (15), and B → E (14). 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 B - E chord transition.

1. B → E chord transition

To move from B to E;

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

2. B → A chord transition

To move from B to A;

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

3. E → C#m chord transition

To move from E to C#m;

  1. Slide your index finger on G string from fret 4 to fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to C string fret 4.
  3. Place ring finger on E string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on A string fret 4.
E to C#m

4. C#m → A chord transition

To move from C#m to A;

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

5. B → C#m chord transition

To move from B to C#m;

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

6. E → A chord transition

To move from E to A;

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

7. A → F#m chord transition

To move from A to F#m;

  1. Keep index finger on C string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on E string fret 2.

8. F#m → D chord transition

To move from F#m to D;

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

9. D → E chord transition

To move from D to E;

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

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Octopus's Garden.

  • Octopus's Garden includes 73 chord transitions, 9 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Octopus's Garden contains 1 of the top 25 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Octopus's Garden connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After B, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are E (21%), Em (16%), and A (16%).
    • B → E: 21%
    • B → A: 16%
    After A, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are D (29%), G (13%), and E (12%).
    • A → F#m: 6%
    • A → B: 4%