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14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?We analyzed 14,015 chord transitions and ranked the 100 most repeated ones. Even the first 10 will transform your practice routine. The top transition appears in 23% of all songs.

Loudon Wainwright III - The Ukulele Song Ukulele Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on the ukulele and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsBb, F7, C, Eb, Ebmaj7, Bb7, C7
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

  • Ukulele A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Ukulele A# | B♭ chord diagram
  • Ukulele F7 chord diagram Fingering: 2-3-1-3Ukulele F7 chord diagram
  • Ukulele C chord diagram Fingering: 0-0-0-3Ukulele C chord diagram
  • Ukulele D# | E♭ chord diagram Fingering: 0-3-3-1Ukulele D# | E♭ chord diagram
  • Ukulele D#maj7 | E♭maj7 chord diagram Fingering: 3-3-3-5 Barre at fret 3. Base fret 3.Ukulele D#maj7 | E♭maj7 chord diagram
  • Ukulele A#7 | B♭7 chord diagram Fingering: 1-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Ukulele A#7 | B♭7 chord diagram
  • Ukulele C7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-0-0-1Ukulele C7 chord diagram

[Opening]
[Bb] [F7] [Bb] [F7] [Bb]
[Bb]Got a ukulele, [C]now I’m not afraidee
[F7]Cat in case I get a bout of [Bb]blues [F7]
[Bb]In the event I get ’em, [C]there’s no way that I’ll let ’em
[F7]Bring me down, no way, I’ll just [Bb]refuse, [F7]believe me

[section 2]
[Bb]Cos a ukulele [C]is like a little baby
[F7]You cradle it in your arms and you [Bb]sing [F7]
A [Bb]lullaby or ditty, [C]when you’re feeling shitty
[F7]it will cheer you up it’s just the [Bb]thing.

[section 3]
Life [Eb]could [Ebmaj7]be [Eb]bright [Ebmaj7]and [Eb]breezy
[Bb]When it should be light and easy
[F7]There’s nothing hard or heavy about a [Bb]uke [Bb7]
[Eb]I [Ebmaj7]don’t [Eb]play [Ebmaj7]bull [Eb]fiddle
[Bb]No mystery, no riddle
[C7]Shlepping that thing, you look like a [F7]kook, gotta’ believe me!

[section 4]
[Bb]Four strings made of nylon [C]always put a smile on
[F7]Anybody’s face who’s feeling [Bb]blue [F7]yeah
[Bb]When your mind starts slumming [C]start a little strumming
[F7]On your uke and your gonna feel brand [Bb]new [F7]you gotta’ believe me!

[section 5]
[Bb]Even though it’s raining [C]quit all your complaining
[F7]your roof’s not leaking, nothings getting [Bb]in [F7]
[Bb]Yeah this axe is a hatchet, [C]there’s magic you can catch it
[F7]on your uke you can’t lose you just [Bb]win

[section 6]
Life [Eb]could [Ebmaj7]be [Eb]bright [Ebmaj7]and [Eb]breezy
[Bb]when it should be light and easy
[F7]there’s nothing hard or heavy about a [Bb]uke [Bb7]
[Eb]I [Ebmaj7]don’t [Eb]play [Ebmaj7]the [Eb]tuba
[Bb]tubas do it to ya’
[C7]just the thought of tubas makes me [F7]puke

[section 7]
Kind [Bb]sirs and gentle ladies, [C]grab your ukuleles
[F7]I suspect by now you know my [Bb]song [F7]
[Bb]And the next time that I do it [C]get down and get into it
[F7]I trust you all will sing and strum a [Bb]long [F7]you gotta’ believe me

[section 8]
I [Bb]Got a ukulele, [C]now I’m not afraidee
[F7]Cat in case I get a bout of [Bb]blues [F7]
[Bb]In the event I get ’em, [C]there’s no way I’ll let ’em
[F7](1 strum and stop) Bring me down, no way, I’ll just refuse.

[Closing]
[Bb]Be [C7]lee [F7]eeve [Bb7]me.

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on the ukulele.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master ukulele today with the 100 most repeated chord transitions from 14,015 analyzed.
ArtistLoudon Wainwright III
AlbumSingle
GenresFolk
Year2010
KeyBb

How to play The Ukulele Song on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Loudon Wainwright III - The Ukulele Song 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.

The Ukulele Song uses these transitions most often: F7 → Bb (27), Bb → F7 (13), and Bb → C (12). 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 Bb - F7 chord transition.

1. Bb → F7 chord transition

Ukulele A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Ukulele A# | B♭ chord diagram
Ukulele F7 chord diagram Fingering: 2-3-1-3Ukulele F7 chord diagram

To move from Bb to F7;

  1. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from C string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from G string fret 3 to C string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on A string fret 3.
Bb to F7

2. Bb → C chord transition

Ukulele A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Ukulele A# | B♭ chord diagram
Ukulele C chord diagram Fingering: 0-0-0-3Ukulele C chord diagram

To move from Bb to C;

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

3. C → F7 chord transition

Ukulele C chord diagram Fingering: 0-0-0-3Ukulele C chord diagram
Ukulele F7 chord diagram Fingering: 2-3-1-3Ukulele F7 chord diagram

To move from C to F7;

  1. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on C string fret 3.
  2. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
  4. Place pinky on A string fret 3.
C to F7

4. Bb → Eb chord transition

Ukulele A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Ukulele A# | B♭ chord diagram
Ukulele D# | E♭ chord diagram Fingering: 0-3-3-1Ukulele D# | E♭ chord diagram

To move from Bb to Eb;

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

5. Eb → Ebmaj7 chord transition

To move from Eb to Ebmaj7;

  1. While playing Eb, lift your pinky from E string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from A string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger from C string fret 3 to A string fret 5.

6. Bb → Bb7 chord transition

To move from Bb to Bb7;

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

7. Bb7 → Eb chord transition

To move from Bb7 to Eb;

  1. While playing Bb7, lift your middle finger from C string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
  3. Place ring finger on C string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on E string fret 3.

8. Bb → C7 chord transition

To move from Bb to C7;

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

9. C7 → F7 chord transition

To move from C7 to F7;

  1. Lift your index finger from A 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 3.
  4. Place pinky on A string fret 3.

10. F7 → Bb7 chord transition

To move from F7 to Bb7;

  1. While playing F7, first lift your ring finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to C string fret 2.

The Ukulele Song chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in The Ukulele Song.

  • The Ukulele Song includes 97 chord transitions, 10 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how The Ukulele Song connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Bb, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are F (34%), C (20%), and Dm (9%).
    • Bb → C: 20%
    • Bb → Eb: 5%
    After F7, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are Bb (51%), C (10%), and C7 (8%).
    • F7 → Bb: 51%
    • F7 → Bb7: 0%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains extracted from real songs. See which songs use each chain, learn the finger transitions, and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.