Scott McKenzie - San Francisco Ukulele Chords
Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Ukulele Em chord diagram
Ukulele C chord diagram
Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele D chord diagram
Ukulele Bm chord diagram
Ukulele D7 chord diagram
Ukulele F chord diagram
Ukulele Dm chord diagram
Ukulele F#m | G♭m chord diagram
Ukulele A chord diagram
Ukulele C#m | D♭m chord diagram
[Opening]
[Em]If you’re [C]going to [G]San Fran[D]cisco
[Em]Be sure to [C]wear some [G]flowers in your [D]hair
[Em]If you’re [G]going to [C]San Fran[G]cisco
You’re gonna [Bm]meet some [Em]gentle people [D]there [D7]
[section 2]
[Em]For those who [C]come to [G]San Fran[D]cisco
[Em]Summer[C]time will [G]be a love in [D]there
[Em]In the [G]streets of [C]San Fran[G]cisco
Gentle [Bm]people with [Em]flowers in their [D]hair [D7]
[section 3]
[F]All across the [Dm]nation
[F]Such a strange vi[Dm]bration
[G]People in motion
[F]There’s a whole gener[Dm]ation
[F]With a new expla[Dm]nation
[G]People in motion, [D]people in [D7]motion
[section 4]
[Em]For those who [C]come to [G]San Fran[D]cisco
[Em]Be sure to [C]wear some [G]flowers in your [D]hair
[Em]If you [G]come to [C]San Fran[G]cisco
Summer[Bm]time will [Em]be a love in [G]there
[Closing]
[Em] [F#m]If you [A]come to [D]San Fran[A]cisco
Summer [C#m]time [F#m]will be a love in [A]there [D]
How to play San Francisco on Ukulele (Step-by-step)
Scott McKenzie - San Francisco on ukulele requires 11 chords and 18 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.
San Francisco uses these transitions most often: C → G (9), G → D (7), and D → Em (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 Em - C chord transition.
1. Em → C chord transition
To move from Em to C;
- While playing Em, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
- Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 3.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. D → Em chord transition
To move from D to Em;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 4.
5. Em → G chord transition
To move from Em to G;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.
6. G → Bm chord transition
To move from G to Bm;
- While playing G, lift your middle finger from A string fret 2.
- Keep index finger on C string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 4.
7. Bm → Em chord transition
To move from Bm to Em;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from G string fret 4 to C string fret 4.
- Place middle finger on E string fret 3.
8. D → D7 chord transition
To move from D to D7;
- While playing D, lift your middle finger from C string fret 2.
- Keep index finger on G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
9. D7 → Em chord transition
To move from D7 to Em;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to C string fret 4.
- Place middle finger on E string fret 3.
10. D7 → F chord transition
To move from D7 to F;
- While playing D7, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
11. F → Dm chord transition
To move from F to Dm;
- Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on C string fret 2.
12. Dm → G chord transition
To move from Dm 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.
- Lift your ring finger from C string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.
13. G → F chord transition
To move from G to F;
- While playing G, lift your ring finger from E string fret 3.
- 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 G string fret 2.
14. Em → F#m chord transition
To move from Em to F#m;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 2.
15. F#m → A chord transition
To move from F#m to A;
- While playing F#m, lift your ring finger from E string fret 2.
- Keep index finger on C string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
16. 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.
17. A → C#m chord transition
To move from A to C#m;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to C string fret 4.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 4.
- Place pinky on A string fret 4.
18. C#m → F#m chord transition
To move from C#m to F#m;
- While playing C#m, lift your pinky from A string fret 4.
- 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 4 to G string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 4 to fret 2.
San Francisco chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in San Francisco.
- San Francisco includes 67 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
- San Francisco contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
- These transition patterns show how San Francisco connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After G, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
- G → C: 25%
- G → D: 24%
After Em, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (27%), G (18%), and D (17%).- Em → C: 27%
- Em → G: 18%