In this article, you will learn how to play Somewhere Over the Rainbow on Ukulele. First, we’ll walk through the chords and how to play them. Next, we’ll look at chord transitions and fingering. Then, we’ll touch on strumming patterns. And finally, we’ll look closely at Somewhere Over the Rainbow as a whole.
Remember, when learning to play a song on any instrument, patience is key. Starting slow and working your way up to a tempo (speed) you’re comfortable with will get you to your goal quicker than rushing.
So without further ado, let’s dive in! Our “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” ukulele tutorial will tell you everything you need to know in order to start strumming away immediately.
How to Play Somewhere Over the Rainbow Ukulele Chords – East & Fast!
If you’re going to learn how to play Somewhere Over the Rainbow on ukulele, there are a few ways you can go about doing this.
- Watch videos of people playing this song on the ukulele – see below!
- Take ukulele lessons with a qualified instructor
- Check out ukulele websites and tabs for this song (we also have some tabs and chords written for you in this post)
- Listen carefully to the song to pick out the chords, melody, and key (the longest, most time-consuming option)
If you want to watch video tutorials to learn how to play this song, check out this “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” ukulele tutorial video below – it’s a great place to get started. You’ll be playing “over the rainbow” in no time!
Did Israel Kamakawiwo’ole Write “Over the Rainbow”?
If you’re going to learn to play “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on ukulele, it might be helpful for you to know a little bit more about this song.
Although “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is a song that is attributed to Judy Garland, who first sang the song in 1938 based on an arrangement by Murray Cutter and lyrics by Yip Harburg, the ukulele version of this song was popularized in 1990 by Hawaiian singer Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.
It’s been covered multiple times by numerous artists since. As you likely know, it’s also one of the most popular songs you can learn to play on ukulele!
How to Play Somewhere Over the Rainbow on Ukulele – Easy and For Beginners!
Learning how to play “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on ukulele is not complicated but it’s important that you turn to the right resources. This is one of the most popular songs you can play on this instrument so you need to make sure you’re learning the right chords and strumming patterns.
Don’t worry – we’ll walk you through it.
Firstly, let’s start by taking a look at a Ukulele chord chart:
The chord chart above gives you an overview of lots of different ukulele chords. You won’t need all of these to learn how to play Somewhere Over the Rainbow on ukulele. However, they’ll surely come in handy later.
To read this ukulele chord chart, keep in mind that the straight up and down lines represent the strings of the ukulele. From left to right are strings 4 – 1. The 4th string is the one closest to your chin as you hold the ukulele.
The horizontal spaces are the frets of the ukulele. The top horizontal space is your first fret.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow Strumming Pattern
After learning the basic rhythm for this song, you have the ability to be a little more creative with your strumming. Always learn the basic rhythm first and then you can “break the rules” of that rhythm to make the song yours.
Let’s take a look at the strumming pattern:
^ = strum down
V = strum up
The strumming pattern for Somewhere Over the Rainbow looks like this:
^ v ^ v__ v ^ v___
That means our strumming pattern will be: up down up down, down up down.
You can practice playing this rhythm at a tempo of 170 BPM (beats per minute)
Somewhere Over the Rainbow Uke Chords
Are you interested in just learning the “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” tab ukulele and chords?
Let’s take a look at the tablature, with chord symbols and notes written above the lyrics of the song.
[Intro]
C Em Am F
C G Am F
[Verse]
C Em F C
Oooo, oooo, oooo …
F E7 Am
Oooo, oooo, oooo …
[Chorus]
C Em
Somewhere over the rainbow
F C
Way up high
F C
And the dreams that you dream of
G Am F
Once in a lullaby-y-y … y-y-y
C Em
Oh, somewhere over the rainbow
F C
Blue birds fly
F C
And the dreams that you dream of
G Am F
Dreams really do come true-ue-ue … ooh-ooh-ooh
[Verse]
C
Someday I’ll wish upon a star
G Am F
Wake up where the clouds are far behind … me-e-e
C
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
G
High above the chimney tops
Am F
That’s where … you’ll fi-ind me
[Chorus]
C Em
Oh, somewhere over the rainbow
F C
Blue birds fly
F C
And the dream that you dare to
G Am F
Oh why, oh why can’t I-I-I … Ah-ah-ay
[Verse]
C
Someday I’ll wish upon a star
G Am F
Wake up where the clouds are far behind … me-e-e
C
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
G
High above the chimney tops
Am F
That’s where … you’ll fi-ind me
[Chorus]
C Em
Oh, somewhere over the rainbow
F C
Way up high
F C
And the dreams that you dare to
G Am F
Why, oh why can’t I-I-I … Ah-ah-ay
[Outro] (fade out)
C Em F C
Oooo, oooo, oooo …
F E7 Am F
Oooo, oooo, Oo-ah-ah …
How to Transition Between Ukulele Chords
One of the most challenging parts of playing the ukulele are the chord transitions. For example, the act of moving from one chord to another.
Learning how to transition between chords takes patience and repetition. First, start with the movement between two of the chords you’re most comfortable with. Once you have those down, add another chord that’s a little more challenging. Finally, add another chord, and then another. Continue this process, slowly adding additional chords and getting more comfortable as you go.
This process will help you hone your chord transition skills, as well as helping you memorize chords. Above all, through this process, the chord transitions will become “muscle memory”. While placing your fingers to make a chord, try to move and place all your fingers at the same time. This will help you make a clean chord.
What is the Proper Placement of Fingers on the Ukulele Strings?
Let’s start with placement of your fingers on the strings of the ukulele. You always want to use fingertips on the strings, having your knuckles popped up. I describe this to students as “eagles claws”. In addition, remember that your fingers should also be placed on the “back end” of the frets. This will assure avoiding weak or dead notes.
When it comes to playing and following rhythms and notes; your best bet is to look up the song on YouTube or Vimeo. That way you can play along.
Learning How to Play Somewhere Over the Rainbow on Ukulele is Just the Beginning!
The best part is, once you know how to read and play the ukulele chords Somewhere Over the Rainbow, you’ll already have the knowledge to play lots of other songs. As a result, any songs that include the chords used here are available to you.
When you hear a song you want to play, remember that you can look up the chords for that song. And you can learn to play those chords using the chart at the top of this article.
There are also some websites that have the songs to play along with, and that give you the ability to slow the song down. This helps you learn to transition between chords in a more comfortable manner and makes learning the ukulele tabs easy!
Finally, remember that by practicing the ukulele often, playing songs you already love, and being patient with yourself, you’ll be on your way to becoming a great ukulele player.
And if you’re still not confident in your abilities? Make sure you sign up for ukulele lessons as soon as you can to perfect your skills!
Damien Simon