40 Easy Ukulele Songs for Beginners, from Riptide to I'm Yours

What is the easiest song to play on the ukulele?

"You Are My Sunshine" is one of the easiest ukulele songs, with just three chords: C, F and G. "Riptide" by Vance Joy is the most popular first song for teens and adults, built on Am, G and C, and "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz teaches the famous four-chord pattern C, G, Am and F that unlocks hundreds of songs.

Easy ukulele songs with three chords

1. "You Are My Sunshine", traditional: C, F and G, perfect for a first lesson.
2. "Riptide", Vance Joy: the modern ukulele anthem.
3. "Three Little Birds", Bob Marley: a relaxed three-chord classic.
4. "Ring of Fire", Johnny Cash: three chords and a strong strum.
5. "Bad Moon Rising", Creedence Clearwater Revival: upbeat and simple.
6. "Leaving on a Jet Plane", John Denver: a gentle folk favorite.
7. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", The Tokens: a fun sing-along.
8. "Margaritaville", Jimmy Buffett: island vibes with very few chords.
9. "Budapest", George Ezra: a modern hit with a simple pattern.

Four-chord ukulele songs

10. "I'm Yours", Jason Mraz: C, G, Am and F with a reggae-style strum.
11. "Let It Be", The Beatles: the same four chords in a slower ballad.
12. "Hey, Soul Sister", Train: famous for its ukulele intro.
13. "Count on Me", Bruno Mars: a sweet song about friendship.
14. "Perfect", Ed Sheeran: a slow love song with four chords.
15. "Stand by Me", Ben E. King: a classic chord loop.
16. "Rude", MAGIC!: a reggae-pop hit that sits nicely on the uke.
17. "Ho Hey", The Lumineers: stomp-and-clap folk.
18. "Viva la Vida", Coldplay: a big sing-along with a repeating pattern.
19. "Have You Ever Seen the Rain", Creedence Clearwater Revival: easy and timeless.

Popular easy ukulele songs to sing along to

20. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World", Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: the most famous ukulele recording of all.
21. "Can't Help Falling in Love", Elvis Presley: a favorite for ukulele covers.
22. "Brown Eyed Girl", Van Morrison: a campfire classic.
23. "Island in the Sun", Weezer: laid-back and fun.
24. "Bubbly", Colbie Caillat: soft and sunny.
25. "House of Gold", Twenty One Pilots: a song written around the ukulele.
26. "Hallelujah", Leonard Cohen: slow, moving and very popular with players.
27. "Jolene", Dolly Parton: a great song for practicing quick strums.

Easy ukulele songs for kids

28. "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", traditional: the classic first melody.
29. "Happy Birthday to You", traditional: useful at every party.
30. "Yellow Submarine", The Beatles: a silly sing-along.
31. "We're Going to Be Friends", The White Stripes: gentle and simple.
32. "Lava", from the Pixar short: a ukulele love song about a volcano.

Hawaiian ukulele songs

33. "Tiny Bubbles", Don Ho: a cheerful Waikiki classic.
34. "Pearly Shells", Don Ho: a gentle island sing-along.
35. "Aloha 'Oe", Queen Lili'uokalani: the famous Hawaiian farewell.
36. "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride", from Lilo & Stitch: a fun song for younger players.

The easiest ukulele songs: just two chords

37. "Achy Breaky Heart", Billy Ray Cyrus: the whole song moves between two chords.
38. "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)", Hank Williams: a two-chord country classic.
39. "Clementine", traditional: a campfire song that uses only two chords.
40. "Tom Dooley", traditional: a folk ballad made famous by the Kingston Trio.

Easy ukulele strumming patterns

Most beginner songs work with one of three patterns. The simplest is four down strums per bar, one on each beat, which is perfect while you are still learning to change chords. Next is down, down, up, up, down, up, the so-called island strum, which gives songs like "I'm Yours" and "Riptide" their bouncy feel. For slow ballads such as "Hallelujah", try a gentle down, down, up in a waltz-like count of three. Keep your wrist loose and let the strum come from a relaxed hand rather than your whole arm.

A simple four-week practice plan

• Week 1: learn C, F and G, and play "You Are My Sunshine" slowly with down strums.
• Week 2: add Am and play "I'm Yours" and "Let It Be" with the island strum.
• Week 3: learn "Riptide" and practice switching chords without looking at your hand.
• Week 4: pick two favorites from this list and play them along with the recordings.

Tips for learning easy ukulele songs

Start with C, G, Am and F: these four chords cover more popular songs than any others. Practice switching between two chords at a time before you add a third. A simple down, down, up, up, down, up strum works for most songs on this list. Keep sessions short and frequent, ten minutes a day is better than an hour once a week, and play along with the recording once you can change chords without stopping.

How to choose your first ukulele

Ukuleles come in four main sizes. The soprano is the smallest and has the classic bright sound, the concert is slightly larger with more room for your fingers, and the tenor is fuller and louder. The baritone is tuned like the top four strings of a guitar, so most beginners start with a soprano or concert. Standard tuning is G, C, E, A, and a clip-on tuner makes it easy to stay in tune.

Is the ukulele easier than the guitar?

For most beginners, yes. The ukulele has four nylon strings instead of six steel ones, so it is gentler on the fingertips, and many chords need only one or two fingers. It is also smaller and cheaper, which makes it a popular first instrument for children and adults alike. Many players learn the ukulele first and move on to the guitar later, and the chord shapes they learned carry over surprisingly well.

Easy ukulele songs for a wedding or birthday

A ukulele is perfect for a surprise serenade. "Can't Help Falling in Love" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" are favorites for a wedding toast or proposal, and "Happy Birthday to You" and "Count on Me" are easy crowd-pleasers at a party. For more Hawaiian music, see our songs about Hawaii, and if you also play keys, our easy piano songs. Ready to write your own? See how to write a song.

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