20 POPULAR SONGS TO PLAY ON THE UKULELE


He’s Got The Whole World

Key: C 
Verse
     C
He's got the whole world in His hands
            G7
He's got the whole world in His hands
            C
He's got the whole world in His hands
            G7                                      C
He's got the whole world in His hands

Verse
            C
He's got the wind and rain in His hands
            G7
He's got the wind and rain in His hands
            C
He's got the wind and rain in His hands
            G7                          C
He's got the whole world in His hands            

Pay Me My Money Down

G
Well, I thought I heard the captain say,
      D
"Pay me my money down.
Tomorrow is my sailing day,      
                 G
pay me my money down."
Chorus:
Oh, pay me. Pay me.
   D
Pay me my money down.
Pay me or go to jail.
                           G
Pay me my money down.
G
Soon as that boat was clear of the bar,
   D
pay me my money down,
well, he knocked me down with the end of a spar
                             G
Pay me my money down.

[Chorus]
G
Well if I'd been a rich mans son,
                            D
Pay me my money down.
I'd sit on the river and watch it run,
                G
Pay me my money down.
G
Well, 40 nights,nights at sea,
                             D
pay me my money down.
Captian worked every last dollar out of me.
    G
Pay me my money down

When The Saints Go Marching In

Key: C
            C       C7               F
I am just a lonesome traveler,
                          C                               G        
Through this big, wide world of sin;
                 C             C7               F       Fm
Want to join that grand procession,
                    C              G7            C  G7
When the saints go marching in.
e|-------0--|
B|---2-3----|
G|-2--------|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|
Oh, when the saints
C/C/C/C
e|-------0--|
B|---2-3----|
G|-2--------|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|
go marching in,
C/C/C/C
                         C                                 G  G/G/G/G
Oh, when the saints go marching in;
               C          C7               F     Fm
Lord, I want to be in that number,
                    C               G7            C  G7
When the saints go marching in.

All my folks have gone before me,
All my friends and all my kin;
But I ll meet with them up yonder,
When the saints go marching in.

e|-------0--|
B|---2-3----|
G|-2--------|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|
Oh, when the saints
C/C/C/C

e|-------0--|
B|---2-3----|
G|-2--------|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|
go marching in,
C/C/C/C
                             C                              G  G/G/G/G
Oh, when the saints go marching in;
               C          C7               F          Fm
Lord, I want to be in that number,
                    C              G7            C    G7
When the saints go marching in.

Come and join me in my journey,
Cause it  s time that we begin;
And we ll be there for that judgment,
When the saints go marching in.
e|-------0--|
B|---2-3----|
G|-2--------|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|
Oh, when the saints
C/C/C/C
e|-------0--|
B|---2-3----|
G|-2--------|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|
go marching in,
C/C/C/C
                         C                                 G  G/G/G/G
Oh, when the saints go marching in;
               C         C7                  F        Fm
Lord, I want to be in that number,
                  C                G7            C  G7
When the saints go marching in.

Street Of Laredo     

Intro: B B B B
     B                      E             B              Gb
As I walked out on the streets of Laredo
     B                       E         B             Gb
As I walked out on Laredo one day,
     B                         E                    B                         Gb
I spied a young cowboy, all wrapped in white linen
                 B                      E              B          Gb    B
Wrapped up in white linen and cold as the clay

I can see by your outfit, that you are a cowboy
These words he did say as I bodly walked by
Come and sit down beside me and hear my sad story
I'm shot in the breast, and I know I must die

It was once in the saddle I used to go dashing
Once in the saddle I used to go gay
First to the card-house, and then down to Roses
But I got shot in the breast, and I'm dying today

Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin
Six dead maidens to bear up my pall
Throw bunches of roses all over my coffin
Roses to deaden the clods as they fall
           
Then beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly
Play the dead march as you carry me along
Take me to the green valley, lay the sod o'er me
I'm a young cowboy, and I know I've done wrong

Then go write a letter to my gray-haired mother
And tell her the cowboy that she loved is gone
But please not one word of the man who had killed me
Don't mention his name and his name will pass on

When thus he had spoken the hot sun was setting
The streets of Laredo grew cold as the clay
We took the young cowboy down to the green valley
And there stands his marker we made to this day

We beat the drum slowly, played the fife lowly
Played the dead march as we carried him along
Down to the green valley, laid the sod oe'r him
He was young cowboy and he said he'd done wrong.

Tom Dooley

[Chorus]
D
Hang down your head Tom Dooley,
                                                A7                                                         
Hang down your head and cry,
Hang down your head Tom Dooley,
                                            D
Poor boy, your bound to die,

[Stanza]
D
I met her on the mountain,
                                     A7
and there I took her life,
Met her on the mountain,
                                        D
stabbed her with my knife,

[Chorus]
D
Hang down your head Tom Dooley,
                                               A7
Hang down your head and cry,
Hang down your head Tom Dooley,
                                             D
Poor boy, your bound to die,

[Stanza]
D
This time tomorrow,
                             A7
reckon' where I'd be,
Hadn't been for Grayson,
                                D
I'd been in Tennessee,

[Chorus]
D
Hang down your head Tom Dooley,
                                                A7
Hang down your head and cry,
Hang down your head Tom Dooley,
                                             D
Poor boy, your bound to die,

[Stanza]
D
This time tomorrow,
                              A7
reckon' where I'll be,
Down in some lonesome valley,
                                             D
hangin' from a wide oak tree,

[Chorus]
D
Hang down your head Tom Dooley,
                                                  A7
Hang down your head and cry,
Hang down your head Tom Dooley,
                                             D
Poor boy, your bound to die,
D
Hang down your head Tom Dooley,
                                                A7
Hang down your head and cry,
Hang down your head Tom Dooley,
                                            D
Poor boy, your bound to die.

Worried Man Blues

   A
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
   D                                       A
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
                      E                  E7                       A
I'm worried now but I won't be worried long.
I went across the river and I lay down to sleep
  D                                            A
I went across the river and I lay down to sleep
                          E                         E7                      A
When I woke up there were shackles on my feet.
Twenty-nine links of chain around my feet
D                                    A
Twenty-nine links of chain around my feet
                         E            E7                 A
And on each link an initial of my name.
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
    D                                         A
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
                       E                E7                          A
I'm worried now but I won't be worried long.
I asked the judge 'what will be my time?'
D                               A
I asked the judge 'what will be my time?'
                      E                      E7                       A
Twenty one years on the R.C. Mountain Line.
Train came around - sixteen coaches long
         D                                   A
The train came around - sixteen coaches long
                   E        E7                             A
The girl I love is on that train and gone.
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
   D                                         A
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
                       E               E7                            A
I'm worried now but I won't be worried long.
Should anyone ask you 'who composed this song?'
               D                         A
Should anyone ask you 'who composed this song?'
                   E            E7                    A
Say it was I and I sing it all day long.
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
   D                                         A 
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
                       E                E7                          A
I'm worried now but I won't be worried long,
                       E                E7                           A
I'm worried now but I won't be worried long,
                       E                E7                           A         E  A
I'm worried now but I won't be worried long.

Bank Of The Ohio

C                        G
I asked my love to take a walk
                    G7                         C
To take a walk just a little walk
               C7                                        F
Down beside where the waters flow
                           C       G             C
Down by the banks of the Ohio
                   C                              G
And only say that you'll be mine
            G7                     C
In no others arms entwine
               C7                                        F
Down beside where the waters flow
                           C       G             C
Down by the banks of the Ohio
                 C                              G
I held a knife against her breast
          G7                           C
As into my arms she pressed
                                C7                                   F
She cried Oh Willie don't murder me
                         C      G            C
I'm not prepared for eternity
                   C                               G
And only say that you'll be mine
                   G7                         C
And in no others arms entwine
                 C7                                      F
Down beside where the waters flow
                           C      G              C
Down by the banks of the Ohio
                     C                                      G
I started home 'tween twelve and one
                      G7                              C
I cried my god what have I done
                    C7                          F
Killed the only woman I loved
                            C            G            C
Because she would not be my bride
                    C                             G
And only say that you'll be mine
                     G7                        C
And in no others arms entwine
                C7                                       F
Down beside where the waters flow
                           C      G              C
Down by the banks of the Ohio

Jamaica Farewell

C                                                 F
Down the way where the nights are gay
                 G7                               C
And the sun shines daily on the mountaintop
C                                 F
I took a trip on a sailing ship
                         G7                                 C
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop
Chorus
     C                          Dm
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
G7                                C
Won't be back for many a day
C                                                         Dm
My heart is down my head is turning around
     G7                      C
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town
C                                      F
Down at the market you can hear
   G7                                        C
Ladies cry out while on their heads they bear
C                          F
Akee rice salt fish are nice
      G7                         C
And the rum is fine any time of year
Chorus
C                                  F
Sounds of laughter everywhere
     G7                            C
And the dancing girls swaying to and fro
C                                   F
I must declare my heart is there
 G7                                     C
Though I've been from Maine to Mexico
Chorus
C                                                 F
Down the way where the nights are gay
      G7                                          C
And the sun shines daily on the mountaintop
C                                 F
I took a trip on a sailing ship
 G7                                 C
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop

Amazing Grace

Stanza 1
D                D/F#            G                  D
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
D                                   A
That saved a wretch like me
   D              D/F#           G            D
I once was lost but now I'm found
         D                  G    A  D
Was blind but now I see
Chorus
      G                                      D/F#
My chains are gone I've been set free
        G                                             D/F#
My God My Savior has ransomed me
         G                           D/F#
And like a flood his mercy reigns
         Em                        D/F#
Unending love amazing grace
Stanza 2
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
Stanza 3
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures
Stanza 4
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God who call'd me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine
You are forever mine

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

D                                                         G   D
Swing low Sweet Chariot
D                                                                                 A
Coming for to carry me home
            D                                 G   D
Swing low sweet chariot
D                                          A                  D
Coming for to carry me home
    D                                                                    G                              D
I looked over Jordan and what did I see
D                                                                    A
Coming for to carry me home
    D                                               G                           D
A band of angels coming after me
D                                          A            D
Coming for to carry me home
If you get to heaven before I do
Coming for to carry me home
Tell all my friends that I'm coming too
Coming for to carry me home
Sometimes I'm up sometimes I'm down
Coming for to carry me home
In my heart I know I'm heaven bound
Coming for to carry me home

The Sloop John B

Cap I
       G
We come on the sloop John B
My grandfather and me
          D
Around Nassau town we did roam
  G        G7
Drinking all night
C
Got into a fight
  G
Well I feel so broke up
D                      G
I want to go home
      G
So hoist up the John B s sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
D                            G G7
Let me go home let me go home
 C
I wanna go home yeah yeah
  G
Well I feel so broke up
D                     G
I wanna go home
         G
The first mate he got drunk
And broke in the  capn  s  trunk
    D
The constable had to come and take him away
    G         G7
Sheriff John Stone
    C
Why don t you leave me alone yeah yeah
 G                                  D                   G
Well I feel so broke up I wanna go home
       G
So hoist up the John B s sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
D                            G G7
Let me go home let me go home
 C
I wanna go home yeah yeah
   G
Well I feel so broke up
D                      G
I wanna go home
G
The poor cook he caught the fits
And threw away all my grits
D
And then he took and he ate up all of my corn
G         G7
Let me go home
       C
Why don t they let me go home
         G                               D                G
This is the worst trip I ve ever been on
So hoist up the John B s sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
          D                               G             G7
Let me go home let me go home
C
I wanna go home yeah yeah
   G
Well I feel so broke up
D                      G
I wanna go home

O Mary Don't You Weep

        Em                 B7
Well if I could I surely would
 Em
Stand on the rock where Moses stood
Am                                               Em
Pharaoh's army got drownded
            B7                                   Em
O Mary don't you weep
           B7
O Mary don't you weep don't mourn
            Em
O Mary don't you weep don't mourn
         Am                                                         Em
Pharaoh's army got drownded
              B7                                         Em
O Mary don't you weep

Midnight Special

D G
Well you wake up in the mornin' you hear the work bell ring
A7  D
And they march you to the table to see the same old thing
D7 A7 D
Ain # 17 t no food upon the table and no pork up in the pan
A7 D
But you better not complain boy you get in trouble with the man
Now go faster on the rhythm and strum ceaselessly. All consequent sections have a similar example as the theme.
B
G D
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
A7 D D7
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
G D
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
A7 D
Let the midnight special shine a ever-lovin light on me
G D
Yonder come Miss Rosie how in the world did you know
A7 D D7
By the way she wears her apron and the clothes she wore
G D
Umbrella on her shoulder piece of paper in her hand
A7  D
She come to see the gov-nor she wants to free her man
Chorus
G D
If you # 17 re ever in Houston well you better do the right
A7  D
You better not gamble there you better not fight at all
D7 G D
Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down
A7 D
The next thing you know boy oh You # 17 re prison bound

Baby Please Don’t Go

Stanza
         C                        Em
Just run away
G                     Am   
from these lies
                  C               Em
back to yesterday
G         Am
safe tonight
C                        Em
I feel the sun creeping up like tick tock
              G                                                           Am
I'm trying to keep you in my head but if not
                        C                                                Em
we'll just keep running from tomorrow with our lips locked
G                                                  Am
yeah you got me begging begging
Chorus
                         C           Em
Baby please don't go-oh-oh
                        G                                         Am
if I wake up tomorrow will you still be here
                      C       Em
I don't know-oh-oh
                 G
if you feel the way I do
                        Am
if you leave I'm gonna find you
                         C              Em
baby please don't go go go go
                          G             Am
baby please don't go go go go
                          C             Em
baby please don't go go go go
                     G
baby please don't
                    Am
baby please don't
                    -C-
baby please don't
Stanza
C                     Em
Runaway
G                Am
from my bed
                  C                           Em
and start another day
G        Am
stay instead
 C                                     Em
I feel the sun creeping up like tick tock
                G                                              Am
I'm trying to keep you in my head but if not
                   C                                                                 Em
we'll just keep running from tomorrow with our lips locked
G                                                  Am
yeah you got me begging begging
Chorus
                          C         Em
Baby please don't go-oh-oh
                G                                                Am
if I wake up tomorrow will you still be here
                 C             Em
I don't know-oh-oh
                 G
if you feel the way I do
                       Am
if you leave I'm gonna find you
                          C             Em
baby please don't go go go go
                        G              Am
baby please don't go go go go
                        C              Em
baby please don't go go go go
                   G
baby please don't
                  Am
baby please don't
Bridge
         C              Em                G         Am
I stay running from tomorrow
            C           Em                G         Am
I stay running from tomorrow
                 C                Em                  G         Am
well I stay running from tomorrow
                  C               Em                  G         Am
said I stay running from tomorrow
Chorus
                          C          Em
Baby please don't go-oh-oh
                  G                                  Am
if I wake up tomorrow will you still be here
                C       Em
I don't know-oh-oh
                G
if you feel the way I do
                        Am
if you leave I'm gonna find you
                         C              Em
baby please don't go go go go
                         G              Am
baby please don't go go go go
                         C              Em
baby please don't go go go go
                      G
baby please don't
                               Am
baby please don't
                        -C-
baby please don't
C
Runaway

Let Her Go

F                                               C
Well you only need the light when it’s burning low
                   G                              Am
Only miss the sun when it s starts to snow
                        F                                           C       G
Only know your lover when you let her go
                          F                                                C
Only know you ve been high when you re feeling low
                  G                                       Am
Only hate the road when you re missin home
                     F                                                   C.                               
Only know you love her when you ve let her go
And you let her go
Am   F   G   Em
Am   F   G
Am                                            F
Staring at the bottom of your glass
                  G                                                           Em
Hoping one day you will make a dream last
                              Am                          F                   G
The dreams come slow and goes so fast
         Am                                                     F
You see her when you close your eyes
               G                                            Em
Maybe one day you will understand why
                        Am                   F                     G
Everything you touch all it dies
                                F                                  C
Because you only need the light when it s burning low
                   G                              Am
Only miss the sun when it s starts to snow
                        F                                       C                G
Only know your lover when you let her go
                          F                                                C    
Only know you ve been high when you re feeling low
                 G                                      Am
Only hate the road when you re missin home
                        F                                                   C            G
Only know you love her when you ve let her go
Am                                          F
Staring at the ceiling in the dark
                    G                              Em
Same old empty feeling in your heart
              Am                               F       G
Love comes slow and it goes so fast
                   Am                            F
Well you see her when you fall asleep
                    G                                     Em
But to never to touch and never to keep
                            Am
Because you loved her to much
                        F                      G
And you dive too deep
                                F                                  C
Because you only need the light when it s burning low
                   G                             Am
Only miss the sun when it s starts to snow
                        F                                       C                G
Only know your lover when you let her go
                         F                                                  C
Only know you ve been high when you re feeling low
                  G                                     Am
Only hate the road when you re missin home
                        F                                                  C                G
Only know you love her when you ve let her go
                    Am
And you let her go
              F           G
Ooooo ooooo oooooo              
                    Am
And you let her go
           F             G
Ooooooo ooooo ooooo
                    Am         F              G                 Em
And you let her go
Am    F    G
                             F                                                     C
May you only need the light when it s burning low
                   G                              Am
Only miss the sun when it s starts to snow
                    F                                    C       G
Only know you love her when you let her go
                        F                                                  C
Only know you ve been high when you re feeling low
                 G                                        Am
Only hate the road when you re missin home
                        F                                                 C
Only know your love her when you ve let her go
G
And you let her go
                                F                                   C
Because you only need the light when it s burning low
                  G                              Am
Only miss the sun when it s starts to snow
               F                      C                  G

Stay With Me

Intro:Dm  C  Bb  Dm  C  Bb  Dm
Stanza
                        Dm
You've got a lot to say
                C                   Bb
For the one that walked away
                   Dm
I give you take
            C                           Bb
It's the way it's always been
                     Dm
Oh how do I know
       C                                Bb
If I should stay or just go
                        Dm                       C                   Bb                           Dm
The bottom line is this way that I'll never know
Chorus
Dm    C   Bb
Stay with me
Dm    C   Bb
Stay with me
Dm           C             Bb
Oh woah oh woah oh woah
Dm             C                    Bb
Oh woah oh woah oh woah
Verse
                    Dm
You got a lot to say
               C                                          Bb
For the one that pushed me away
                   Dm
I give you take
                 C                Bb
Some things they never change
         Dm
Just change
Chorus
Dm    C     Bb
Stay with me
Dm    C     Bb
Stay with me
               Dm   C                                Bb  
I never knew I could be this way
               Dm   C                                Bb
I never knew that I could walk away
Bridge
F                                  G             Dm
These things take time to grow
                F        G                    Dm
It's been said that time heals woes
            F     G                 Dm
But no I won't be controlled
         F        G             Dm      Dm
And so this story goes
Chorus
Dm    C     Bb
Stay with me
Dm    C     Bb
Stay with me
                Dm   C                               Bb  
I never knew I could be this way
                Dm    C                         Bb                        Dm    
I never knew that I could walk away

Free Fallin

Intro:E/A2             A2/E/B2       (x2)
   E        A2  A2 E     B2
she's a good girl loves her mama
E    A2     A2  E    B2
loves Je-sus and America too
   E       A2  A2 E   B2
she's a good girl crazy 'bout Elvis
E      A2            A2  E              B2
loves hors-es and her boy - friend too
(Repeat the intro again 1x)
E      A2  A2   E     B2
it's a long day livin' in Reseda
      E       A2    A2   E                 B2
there's a free-way runnin' through the yard
       E      A2            A2   E       B2
and i'm a bad boy cause i don't even miss her
E      A2     A2       E     B2
i'm a bad boy for breakin' her heart
Chorus
      E-A2   A2-E-B2
now i'm free
         E-A2  A2-E-B2
free fall-in'
E-A2   A2-E-B2
ya i'm free
        E-A2   A2-E-B2
free fall-in'
  E                A2            A2                    B2
all the vampires walkin' through the valley
E         A2       A2              B2
move west down Ventura Boulevard
 E                A2   A2                 B2
all the bad boys are standing in the shadows
      E                 A2                 A2                   B2
and the good girls are home with broken hearts      
Chorus
     E-A2   A2-E-B2
now i'm free
        E-A2   A2-E-B2
free fall-in'
 E-A2   A2-E-B2
ya i'm free
         E-A2   A2-E-B2
free fall-in'
E     A2       A2            B2
free fallin now I'm free fallin
     E        A2     A2    B2
i wanna glide down over Mulholland
     E         A2 A2                       B2
i wanna write her name in the sky
   E     A2  A2         B2
gonna free fall out into nothin'
   E       A2  A2                B2
gonna leave this world for a while
            E-A2   A2-E-B2
and i'm free
free fallin now I'm free fallin
        E-A2   A2-E-B2
free fall-in'
free fallin now I'm free fallin
 E-A2   A2-E-B2
ya i'm free
free fallin now I'm free fallin
 E-A2   A2-E-B2
free fall-in'
free fallin now I'm free fallin

Hallelujah

G                                  Em
I heard there was a secret chord
G                                           Em
that David played and it pleased the Lord,
      C               G
But you don't really care for music do you.
G       C  D
It goes like this the fourth the fifth,
Em            C       D
the minor fall and the major lift
DEm
The baffled king composing hallelujah
     C             Em    C       G-D-G
Halleluja, Halleluja, Halleluja, Halleluja

I Make My Own Sunshine

F#             
Everything is wonderful
C#
Everything is great
Ebm                          C#                                                        B
Free as a bird singing outside my window pane
F#
Got a fresh new start
C#
It's a brand new day
Ebm                         C#                                 B
And I got lots of love to give away

Tears In Heaven

G                     D                EM - G
Would you know my name
C              G                D         D7
If I saw you in heaven
G                 D             EM     G
Would it be the same
    C           G               D         D7
If I saw you in heaven
EM                    B7
I must be strong
DM                 E7
and carry on
    AM                         D7
Cause I know I don't belong
D7                   G         D
Here in heaven
EM - G - C - D7 - G
G                      D              EM           G
Would you hold my hand
    C          G                D         D7
If I saw you in heaven
G                     D               Em            G
Would you help me stand
C   G               D         D7
If I saw you in heaven
Em                  B7         DM               E7
I'll find my way through night and day
        AM                          D
Cause I know I just can't stay
D7               G             D
Here in heaven
Bb                   AM           GM
Time can bring you down
GM                 C                     F          Dm - C - F
Time can bend your knees
Bb                   AM                 GM
Time can break your heart
C             F
Have you begging please
       D
Begging please

HOO HOOO HOOOOO
G - D - EM - G - C - G - D - D7 (recap)
EM        G          B7
Beyon the door
DM                     E7
There's peace I'm sure
        AM                  D7
And I know there'll be no tears
        G             D
tears in heaven