Favorite beginner songs?

EdnaMillion

EdnaMillion

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I thought it would be fun to collect some nominations for fun easy(ish) songs to play as I'm getting up to speed with chord changing and strumming (and singing, although all three at once is still a challenge!).

If you're a beginner, which songs are you currently working with and enjoying? And if you're a veteran, which ones do you remember playing and enjoying early on?

Thanks!
 
Banana Pancakes is always a fun one to play. I still play it almost everyday!
 
five foot two (eyes of blue) is a good beginning song, fun to sing and play, with a few seventh chords to keep the beginner learning as well as happy!

king of the road is just three chords, and can be struming or fingerpicked, also a exellent beginner song, and if you dont know the lyrics, you could dum dee dum until "King of the Road!"
 
Jambalaya- Hank Williams upbeat song everyone knows the words too. Two chords so you can learn it in many keys.
Good to start playing by ear. Two chord songs are easy whatever chord you are on when you hear a change go to the other one, no guess work required.

Playing, singing and reading all at the same time is really difficult. Learn to change between "C" and "G7" while strumming.
When you are smooth at it, hum the tune Jambalaya and strum along and you are playing.
 
Well, when I was learning, I went to ukulelehunt.com because the chords there were categorized by difficulty, so I searched through all the easy ones first. The first song I learned was Five Years Time by Noah and the Whale, then Sloop John B by the beach boys. After I mastered those, I took a small step up and learned some other easy songs like Catch the Wind by Donovan, As The World Falls Down by David Bowie, Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan, and right now I'm working on Mr. Jones by Counting Crows, and Crazy G.
 
My favorite songs to play are: Heart and Soul and Tetris. The song that I currently working on and enjoying is E Minor Circus an original song written by my 'ukulele teacher. I been playing and learning the 'ukulele for a year now.
 
I'd like to "second" SailingUke's 2nd paragraph about practicing chord changes that you will
find in the songs you want to play.

In time the chord changing will feel more natural. then playing the songs will be much more
enjoyable.

Think about it, playing the ukulele is all about knowing chords and becoming adept at changing
from chord to chord. (Hence Uncle Rod's Boot Camp Method and the Free Songbook, see below)

http://www.4shared.com/file/238560369/b53e047a/Ukulele_Boot_Camp_rev.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/123858410/4f4615dc/Free_Songbook_Master.html

Learning songs is fun, but when the ukulele (ie chords and chord changing) is still somewhat
UNfamiliar, it really is too much to try to do - that is, learn the lyrics and the chords while working
at trying to change chords in time with the song.

If one is willing to work at chord forming and chord changing BEFORE trying to play songs, I
believe they will have a more enjoyable time learning to play the ukulele because then they
will be PREPARED to play songs.

Just my 2 cents for now.

Keep uke-in',
 
I'm still a noob and still learning. The first song I learned was "Knocking on Heaven's Door" - Four easy chords - G, D, Am, C.

Some fun songs to learn are "Five Foot Two" and "All of Me". If you're looking for pop music - a lot of Tom Petty material is three chords.

Just practicing chord changes (C, Am, F, G7, C) can be fun and it certainly helps develop your technique. As you get the chord changes down, you can try different strumming patterns and see how different the same chord changes can sound.

In addition to Uke Hunt, a good web site for songs is http://www.chordie.com. You can search by artist or song and switch the view from Guitar Chords to Ukulele Chords.

--G
 
I stuck to the beginner songs from Ukulele Mike on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/MusicTeacher2009#g/c/08F72FAFE7AB51F1). It was fun to play and sing-along with Mike while learning chords, strums, and chord changes.

My favorite videos of his are:
  • Country Roads
  • Let It Be
  • Wonderful World
  • Pearly Shells
  • I Can See Clearly Now
  • Margaritaville
All are pretty easy to play. He's a fantastic resource.
 
I agree. What a fantastic resource. Some of my faves:
This Land is Your Land
Yellow Submarine
Surfin' USA
 
here's some

Poor Poor Pitiful Me -- Warren Zevon (gotta love rhyming "credit to her gender" with "sort of like a Waring Blender")

Hallelueah - Leonard Cohen

Obladi Oblada -- Beatles -- Time to learn E minor

Faithfully -- Journey (Weepy 80s Hairband Ukulele)
 
How about "hey ya" by outcast. C F G Am. You can strum it or pick it and it's a song that kind of inspires improvistion with the rhythm.
 
Uncle Rod Higuchi said:
I'd like to "second" SailingUke's 2nd paragraph about practicing chord changes that you will
find in the songs you want to play.
Click to expand...

I must confess, I got my idea from Uncle Rod. I have been working with beginners and was looking for a solution to this common problem.
I read over his material and a light bulb went off. Learning the chord progression while humming the melody has sped up the new song learning for me.
 
I second:
Ring of Fire
Five Foot Two
This Land Is Your Land

and I'd add, as not very difficult:

Baby Face
Ain't She Sweet
I Walk The Line

My favorite beginner tab site is Dr Uke.
 
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