Okay! If you’re ready to start strumming your ukulele, you might wonder where to start. Well, have no fear because we’ve got some famous and fun songs for you to try out. In this article, we’ll want you to help realize how the ukulele can be a way to socialize and connect with others. That’s why we bring three songs that, we believe, need to be part of every musician’s repertoire.
These songs are well-known and popular. They all use basic chords and strumming patterns that are easy to follow, even for beginners. Use them as a starting point to learn other, more complex songs that you’ll enjoy playing.
Alright, here’s the list of songs we will explore:
- “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole cover
- “Riptide” by Vance Joy
- “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole cover
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is a great song for beginners. This beautiful and iconic song is very popular among ukulele players. The song became popular in 1939 thanks to The Wizard of Oz, where Dorothy sings the song. It was later versioned by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole in 1993, who played it with his Ukulele.
This song allows you to focus on the chord changes and build strumming confidence. It uses simple chords; the strumming pattern is gentle and repetitive. To learn the chords, you can use a simple up-down pattern, don’t overcomplicate it at first. Once you are ready, try to do a more advanced strumming pattern, like the one below:
Also, the melody of this song is beautiful and iconic, making it a great song to have in your ukulele repertoire.
“Riptide” by Vance Joy
Alright! On to the next famous ukulele song: “Riptide” by Vance Joy. This song is a favorite among ukulele players for good reason. It’s got a catchy chorus and upbeat rhythm that makes it a blast to play and sing along to.
The strumming is a bit more challenging, but it is fun to play and sing along to. See below to get an idea of how to move your hand to strum the song:
The upbeat tune is sure to get stuck in your head, which is important: You’ll want to practice a song that makes you want to sing along every time you play. This will accelerate the process of practicing and learning.
Also, This song is definitely a crowd-pleaser, and it’s one powerful one to have in your arsenal for parties and social meetings.
“I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz
One of the favorites among ukulele players. “I’m Yours” is a popular choice for ukulele players, whether they’re just starting out or already seasoned players.
This song is characterized by its simple chord progression and catchy melody. The chords are easy to learn and play, and the melody is so contagious that it makes it worth learning and keeping with you for whenever someone asks you to play something for them.
Summary of the three famous ukulele songs
Why these three songs in particular? “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is the most popular song among ukulele players, you need to learn it. “Riptide” by Vance Joy is a bit more challenging but a solid option for parties, and “I’m Yours” melody is catchy, the chords are easy and people love it!
These are just a few well-known songs that can be played on the ukulele. There are many other great songs out there that you can try learning on the ukulele, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find the songs that you enjoy playing the most.
And if you’re looking to get started with playing these songs, be sure to check out the TuCuatro lessons on ukulele! Our lessons are designed to help you learn the basics and beyond, so you can play the songs you love, improve your ukulele skills and expand your musical knowledge.
