Someone who is a great fan of music must have heard about this famous guitar-like instrument —Ukulele.
Ukulele is strongly linked to Hawaiian culture. But its root has been objectively traced to Portugal. Ukulele was first introduced to Hawaii by a man named Joao Fernandez in 1879.
Since 1879, Ukulele has soared in popularity. Being easy to learn has been a core reason people are drawn to this musical instrument.
There is an apprehension that comes with learning a new skill but learning ukulele songs can be fairly easy for someone who is dedicated.
What can help a newbie learn the ukulele pretty fast is to learn a few ukulele chords. This article will discuss a few ukulele songs that can be grasped within a day.
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Simple Ukulele Songs for Beginners
Like it was previously mentioned, learning the basic uke chords is vital to be able to play the ukulele.
To master the basics of the ukulele, it is often encouraged to start with mastering the one and two-finger chord types.
Here is the list of ukulele songs that can be learned in a day if one shows dedication:
1. “Sunday Morning” By Maroon 5
“Sunday Morning” is a song by American pop rock band Maroon 5. It was released on November 8, 2004, as the fourth single from their debut studio album Songs About Jane.
This song was a big hit when it was released. The song follows a simple verse-chorus form preceded by an intro. It’s a love song.
To learn how to play this specific song, three ukulele chords are required — C, DM, and G7. A person could light up a whole party by learning these 3 basic chords of the ukulele.
If an individual is a beginner with ukulele, this is one of the songs to start with.
2. “Lazy Song” By Bruno Mars
The Lazy Song” is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars for his debut studio album Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010).
Just like the lyrics of the song, if you don’t feel like doing anything, taking out time to learn the basics of the ukulele could turn out to be a worthwhile effort.
This song has sold about 6.5 million copies since it was released. The ukulele chords required to play this song are C, G, Am, Bm, B7, and Em.
Unlike the title of the song, the crooner was able to reach the top of the charts and he won Grammy Awards.
The lazy song is among the list of easy songs for ukulele beginners. You might find this tutorial video helpful
3. “Ho Hey” By The Lumineers
“Ho Hey” is a song by American folk-rock band the Lumineers. It was released on June 4, 2012, as the lead single from their debut self-titled studio album.
This folk-rock song has a simple third progression and it is also written in the key of C major which makes it perfectly suitable for the ukulele.
To start strumming along to this song, a person will have to learn how to play chords C, G, F, and Am.
This video provides a guide on how to strum along with this song with a ukulele.
4. “idontwannabeyouanymore” By Billie Eilish
“Idontwannabeyouanymore” is a song by American singer Billie Eilish from her debut EP, Don’t Smile at Me (2017).
Fitting this song into a particular genre has been difficult. What is notable about this singer is that she performs on the stage with her uniquely branded ukulele.
“Idontwannabeyouanymore” song resonates well on the ukulele. To strum along with this song, you would need to learn more than the basic ukulele chords.
Knowledge of the more advanced chords B and Em is required to play this song on the ukulele.
5. “Sweater Weather” By The Neighbourhood
“Sweater Weather” is a song by American alternative pop, pop-rock band the Neighbourhood. It serves as the lead single from their debut studio album, I Love You (2013).
When the song was released in 2013, it spent over 11 weeks at the top of Billboard’s alternative chart.
“Sweater weather” is a song anyone would enjoy playing with a ukulele. To play this song, a few chords need to be mastered. The chords are —Bb, Cm, Eb, Gm
6. “All of the Stars” By Ed Sheeran
“All of the stars” is an easy song to grasp for ukulele beginners. “All of the Stars” is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran.
It is featured over the credits in the 2014 film The Fault in Our Stars and is the first track of the soundtrack album.
This song has a slow and rhythmic strumming pattern. The chords required to play this song are the C, F, G, and Am chords.
Follow the instructions from this video to better understand how to play.
7. “Budapest” by George Ezra
Budapest” is a song by English singer-songwriter George Ezra, from his debut studio album, Wanted on Voyage (2014). It was released as the album’s second single.
This folk-rock song is easy to play for ukulele beginners. George Ezra decided to make the “Budapest” single to pay tribute to his musical journey.
To strum along with this song on a ukulele, you have to master George Ezra’s three chords which are —C, F, and A#.
This love song is worth giving a try by ukulele beginners. It is quite easy to play. Anyone can master how to play in 24 hours.
8. “Bonfire Heart” By James Blunt
Bonfire Heart is the lead single from British singer-songwriter James Blunt’s fourth studio album, Moon Landing (2013).
The song was all about love, life, fear, and hope. When the song was released in 2013, it was topping all the charts.
It is also one of the best songs to play on the ukulele. To play this song on uke, a lot of practice is required, it is more advanced than other songs we’ve discussed.
Get the chords down before starting to play. Once this has been done, you may decide to add a few extra flairs with strumming patterns and fingerpicking.
This youtube video would assist a beginner to play the song better.
9. “Fireflies” By Owl City
“Fireflies” is the debut single from American electronica project Owl City’s album Ocean Eyes.
“Fireflies” is a great song for any ukulele beginner to start with. It has only 5 chords throughout the song. The chords are C, G, Am, F, and Em.
A beginner who doesn’t know how to play the Am chord can still have his way. The Am chord appears quickly throughout the piece. You can always skip the Am chord.
An absolute beginner might have some real challenges playing this song with a ukulele.
10. “Happy” by Pharrell Williams
“Happy” is a song written, produced, and performed by American singer Pharrell Williams, released as the first and only single from the soundtrack album for the film Despicable Me 2 (2013)
“Happy” is an uptempo soul and neo-soul song. It is also one of the easiest songs on our list. Ukulele beginners would find this song very easy to play.
To play “Happy” on a ukulele, you just need to master the basic chords. If you happen not to be an absolute beginner, you can upgrade from simple ukulele arrangements to advanced strumming patterns.
This video might help a beginner to better understand how to play this song.
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