Easy Key: C 85 BPM
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Chords: C Em Am F G
Transpose: 0
Size:
Strumming Pattern
Lyrics
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[Intro]
C – Em – Am – F
[Verse]
C – Em – F – C – F – C – G – Am – F
💡 Tips
- • Identical to Over the Rainbow
- • THE iconic ukulele song
- • Practice the chord melody intro
🎵 Did You Know?
- • IZ recorded at 3am in one take
- • Released posthumously in 1993
⏱️ Practice with Metronome
Set to 85 BPM for this song
How to Play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on Ukulele
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole is one of the most popular songs to learn on ukulele, and for good reason — it uses just 5 simple chords (C, Em, Am, F, G) and has a catchy strumming pattern that's perfect for beginners.
The song is played in the key of C at around 85 BPM. Focus on getting the chord transitions smooth before worrying about speed — the strumming pattern () will come naturally once your fingers know where to go.
Chord Breakdown
- C — The easiest chord — one finger on the 3rd fret of the A string
- Em — Standard fingering
- Am — Just one finger on the 2nd fret of the G string
- F — Two fingers: 2nd fret G string, 1st fret E string
- G — Three fingers forming a triangle shape
Once you've mastered this song, check out similar easy songs like I'm Yours or Hey Soul Sister that use the same chord progression.