If you have a banjolele, it will sound great on that, too, and work with picking or strumming! 14. Simple to pick up, this song repeats itself, allowing players to really get comfortable with the lyrics and chord changes. Somebody to Love,” by Valerie June (2013) Don’t worry if that bit of music theory doesn’t make sense to you just yet - just know you’ll see or hear it again and again! 12. Goode,” by Chuck Berry (1958).Ī lot of songs can be played using these three chords because they make a popular pattern (I-IV-V). The F chord is not difficult to form, but switching to and from it may take some practice, like any chord change. “You Are My Sunshine,” authorship disputed, usually credited to Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell (1939)Ī classic folk song, many people know this one well enough to sing along. “Shake It Off,” by Taylor Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback (2014)Īm and C chords become second nature quickly, and G will become easier the more you play it. So if you can belt this one out acapella, try it on ukulele! 9. If you know the vocal part to a song well, it’s even easier to strum while singing, something that can be tough for new players. “What’s Up,” by Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes (1993) In the video, G and C7 are also played at times, but in the same key, so you can play along. “Paperback Writer,” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for The Beatles (1966) B7 can be played with the same shape, so you can move just one shape around. “Istanbul, (Not Constantinople),” lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy and music by Nat Simon (1953), famously covered by They Might Be Giants in 1990Įm is not the hardest chord, but switching to and from Em takes practice. Don’t try to play along with this video until you learn F and Eb she’s playing in a different key.

Playing this song in this key allows you to practice the D chord, which can be tricky until you’ve got it down. “Draggin’ the Line,” by Tommy James Bob King (1971) G is often one of the first 3-finger chords beginning players tackle, and it’s a versatile one. “Jambalaya (On the Bayou),” by Hank Williams (1952) “Iko Iko,” by James Crawford, Barbara Hawkins, Rosa Hawkins and Joan Johnson (1965)Įspecially fun in a group, this song is perfect for beginners just getting comfortable with changing chords. The player in the video is playing a more complicated version in the same key, and you can strum along. Here, the chord changes come slowly, giving you time to set up for each one. “Singin’ In the Rain,” lyrics by Arthur Freed and music by Nacio Herb Brown (1929) This song can be played in its entirety with just one 1-finger chord, but you may need to sing along. You never know what will inspire you to spend another 15 minutes “at play” (pun intended)! Easy & Simple Ukulele Songs for Beginners 1. If you don’t know any here, listen to a few and pick one you’d like to learn. Most of us feel more motivated to practice songs we know, love, and want to play.

Choose a song on this list you know the sound of already.

Ukelele song easy