CHALLENGE

Earn your Core Chords Level 2 patch by demonstrating the following:

• Cleanly strum the I–IV–V7 chord sequence in the key of C (C–F–G7)
• Cleanly strum the I–IV–V7 chord sequence in the key of F (F–Bb–C7)
• Cleanly strum the I–IV–V7 chord sequence in the key of G (G–C–D7)

Although the chords for this level are listed above, it is also good to own a ukulele chord dictionary for quick reference.

Suggested Songs

Consider learning one or more ‘three-chord songs’ that use these sequences for an easy addition to your Set Lists (I’d suggest at least one in each key). For instance, all traditional 12-bar Blues songs can be played with these chords. A few of the songs below have four chords; in these cases, one of the chords is ‘borrowed’ from one of the other keys here (for instance a G and a G7 might appear in the same song).

• 409 by the Beach Boys (G)
• Alphabet Song (C) in The Daily Ukulele
• Amazing Grace (C) : Easily transposed to F or G for medium range singers
• America (My Country, Tis of Thee) (C)
• Auld Lang Syne (C)
• Away in a Manger (C)
• Baa, Baa, Black Sheep (C) in The Daily Ukulele
• Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival (C) : Use G7 instead of G
• Barbara Ann by the Beach Boys (G)
• Bear Went Over the Mountain (C) in The Daily Ukulele
• Blowin’ in the Wind (C)
• Brahm’s Lullaby (C) in The Daily Ukulele
• Brand New Key (C) in The Daily Ukulele : Leap Year Edition
• Camptown Races (C)
• Cindy (F) in The Daily Ukulele : Must be transposed from D to F (which makes it much more singable)
• Cindy (C)
• Down by the Riverside (C)
• Every Time I Feel the Spirit (F) : I prefer to sing this in G
• Folsom Prison Blues (G) in The Daily Ukulele : I prefer to sing this in F
• Frankie and Johnny (C) : Classic blues song (C7 is optional); many variants on the lyrics, this is just one
• Give me that Old Time Religion (G) in The Daily Ukulele
• For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow (C)
• Get on Board (G)
• Girl I Left Behind Me, The (C) : or transpose to F
• Happy Birthday to You (F)
• Hard TImes Come Again No More (C) in The Daily Ukulele
• Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (G)
• Hound Dog by Elvis Presly (C) : Use G7 instead of G (if you’re feeling adventurous, substitute F7 for the F chords as well)
• I Have a Dream by ABBA (C) : Video
• I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow (F) : Uses C instead of C7; try sliding the Bb chord up two frets to make the C chord
• I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2 (C) : Requires the use of G instead of G7. The album version is in Db, but a performance in Brazil much later is keyed down to Bb, so sing it in the key best for you! If you’re doing it in C, try using an Fadd9 chord in place of the F chord.
• I Walk the Line (C) in The Daily Ukulele
• If Your Happy and You Know It (C) or in The Daily Ukulele (F) : Transpose to G for the best combination of ease of playing and singing
• Jamaica Farewell (C) or in The Daily Ukulele : Leap Year Edition
• Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry (G or F) : Transpose from A (A D E = G C D7 or F Bb C7)
• Joy to the World (C) in The Daily Ukulele
• King of the Road (C)
• Kumbaya (G) or in The Daily Ukulele
• Lavender’s Blue (C)
• Lean on Me (F) in The Daily Ukulele : Leap Year Edition : You may use C7 in place of C (or not)
• Little Drummer Boy, The (C)
• Lion Sleeps Tonight, The (C)
• Marine’s Hymn, The (C) or in The Daily Ukulele
• Michael Row Your Boat Ashore (C)
• Moonlight Bay (F) in The Daily Ukulele
• No Particular Place to Go in The Daily Ukulele : Leap Year Edition
• Oh Donna by Ritchie Valens (F) : Requires the use of C instead of C7 and throws in an F7 chord at one point.
• Oh! Susanna (C) or in The Daily Ukulele
• Old MacDonald Had a Farm (G) or in The Daily Ukulele
• On Top of Old Smokey (C) or in The Daily Ukulele
• On Top of Spaghetti (C)
• Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash (G) or in The Daily Ukulele (transposed from A to G)
• She’ll be Comin’ Round the Mountain (G) : You may safely ignore the C#dim7 chord if you wish, but it’s an easy enough addition
• Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron by The Royal Guardsmen (C)
• So Long It’s Been Good to Know Yuh (C) in The Daily Ukulele : Leap Year Edition
• Some Nights by FUN (C) : Requires the use of G instead of G7
• Streets of Laredo (C)
• Sunshine Superman (C-ish) in The Daily Ukulele : Leap Year Edition (C7 replaces C in this song as the home chord)
• Surfin’ USA by the Beach Boys (C) or in The Daily Ukulele: Use G7 instead of G
• Sugar Babe Blues (C) in The Three Chord Guitar Big Book
• Sweet Pea (G) in The Daily Ukulele : Leap Year Edition
• Swing Low (C) : Think about transposing this to F or G
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (C) or in The Daily Ukulele
• There is a Tavern in the Town (C) in The Daily Ukulele
• This Land is Your Land (C) in The Daily Ukulele
• This Old Man (C) : Scroll down or in The Daily Ukulele
• Wabash Cannon Ball (G) in The Daily Ukulele
• Waltzing Matilda (C)
• Witch Doctor (F) : contains one G7 chord
• Worried Man Blues (G) in The Daily Ukulele : Leap Year Edition
• Yankee Doodle (G)
• Yellow Rose of Texas (F) or in The Daily Ukulele (D) : Transpose to F

More Songs that include different combinations of the above chords . . .

• Budapest : George Ezra (F)
• Hound Dog (G) in The Daily Ukulele
• I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (F) : A four chord song that uses F, G7, C7 and Bb. There is one error in the sheet music: on the word ‘doves’, the chord should be a C7 instead of an F.

Here are some more lists, courtesy of the Yolo Ukulele Players, of songs that work with these chords.

• Blues Songs (more instruction on the Blues)
• I–IV–I–V7–I Pattern Songs (and variations)
• Songs with two more 3-Chord Song Patterns
• Songs on the Happy Birthday Pattern
• Even more 3-Chord Songs