George Formby - On The Wigan Boat Express 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 G7 chord diagram
Ukulele D7 chord diagram
Ukulele Am chord diagram
Ukulele G#7 | A♭7 chord diagram
Ukulele C7 chord diagram
Ukulele F chord diagram
Ukulele D chord diagram
Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele Gm chord diagram
[Opening]
On the [C]boat express I ride, [G7]see us every [C]day
[G7]Flashing by the [C]countryside, [D7]picking flowers [G7]on the way
[section 2]
Once a [C]wedding pair didnt seem to [Am]care
they were [D7]full of love I guess
And the [G7]honeymoon started far too soon
on the [C]Wigan [G#7]Boat [G7]Express. [C]
[section 3]
A [C]chap one day with a girl got [Am]gay, I [D7]saw them both caress
She [G7]got what for in the corridor
on the [C]Wigan [G#7]Boat [G7]Express. [C]
[chorus]
[C]When [G7]we [C7]shunt the [C]backs [G7]in [C]front
and the [F]front parts in the rear
If [D7]we survive then we’ll arrive [G7]alongside Wigan Pier.
[section 4]
Cried a lady [C]“Oo bring a doctor [Am]do, I [D7]think Im in distress.”
She was feel[G7]ing shocks in a signal box
on the [C]Wigan [G#7]Boat [G7]Express. [C]
[section 5]
On a [C]steep incline one day, [G7]the train was standing [C]still.
I [G7]said we cant wait here [C]all day [G7]
so we [D]pushed it [G7]up the hill.
[section 6]
[G7]If its wet [C]or fine we start at nine, we are [D]prompt I must confess.
And by half-[G7]past one two miles weve done
on the [C]Wigan [G#7]Boat Express. [C]
[section 7]
Once a [C]chap I saw on the engine floor, hed gone[C] to sleep I guess
But he [G7]woke to find a tender behind on the [C]Wigan [G#7]Boat Express. [C]
[section 8]
Now [C7]when we shunt the backs in front and the [F]front parts in the rear
If we [G]survive then well arrive a[D]longside [Gm]Wigan [G]Pier.
[section 9]
[G7]Mrs. [C]Brown looked swell but sad to tell on the [D]door she tore her dress
And the [G7]sun shone gay through the permanent way on the [C]Wigan [G#7]Boat Express. [C]
[chorus]
[C]When [G7]we [C7]shunt the [C]backs [G7]in [C]front and the [F]front parts in the rear
If [D7]we survive then we’ll arrive [G7]alongside [Gm]Wigan [D]Pier.
[Closing]
[G7]In the slee[C]ping car they go too far, all [D]mixed up more or less
But they [G7]rearrange when I shout “All change” on the [C]Wigan [G#7]Boat Express. [C]
How to play On The Wigan Boat Express on Ukulele (Step-by-step)
George Formby - On The Wigan Boat Express on ukulele requires 10 chords and 20 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.
On The Wigan Boat Express uses these transitions most often: G7 → C (21), C → G7 (10), and C → G#7 (7). 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 - G7 chord transition.
1. C → G7 chord transition
To move from C to G7;
- Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 3 to fret 2.
- Place index finger on E string fret 1.
- Place middle finger on C string fret 2.
2. C → D7 chord transition
To move from C to D7;
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
- Place index finger on G string fret 2.
3. D7 → G7 chord transition
To move from D7 to G7;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 3 to fret 2.
- Place middle finger on C string fret 2.
4. C → Am chord transition
To move from C to Am;
- While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
- Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
5. Am → D7 chord transition
To move from Am to D7;
- While playing Am, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
- Place index finger on G string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on A string fret 3.
6. C → G#7 chord transition
To move from C to G#7;
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on C string fret 3.
- Place index finger on G string fret 1.
- Place middle finger on E string fret 2.
- Place pinky on A string fret 3.
7. G#7 → G7 chord transition
To move from G#7 to G7;
- While playing G#7, lift your pinky from A string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to C string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from C string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
8. G7 → C7 chord transition
To move from G7 to C7;
- While playing G7, first lift your middle finger and ring finger.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
9. C7 → C chord transition
To move from C7 to C;
- While playing C7, lift your index finger from A string fret 1.
- Place ring finger on A string fret 3.
10. 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.
11. F → D7 chord transition
To move from F to D7;
- While playing F, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on A string fret 3.
12. G7 → D chord transition
To move from G7 to D;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Keep middle finger on C string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from A string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
13. 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.
14. C7 → F chord transition
To move from C7 to F;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
15. 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.
16. G → D chord transition
To move from G to D;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to C string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 3 to fret 2.
17. D → Gm chord transition
To move from D to Gm;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on C string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.
18. Gm → G chord transition
To move from Gm to G;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 1 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on E string fret 3.
19. G → G7 chord transition
To move from G to G7;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to C string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
20. G7 → Gm chord transition
To move from G7 to Gm;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on C string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from A string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
On The Wigan Boat Express chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in On The Wigan Boat Express.
- On The Wigan Boat Express includes 84 chord transitions, 20 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
- On The Wigan Boat Express contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
- These transition patterns show how On The Wigan Boat Express 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 → F: 16%
- C → D: 11%
After G7, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (69%), C7 (5%), and F (5%).- G7 → C: 69%
- G7 → C7: 5%