Author Archives: Janelle Durham

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About Janelle Durham

I am a parent educator and social worker, and teach music and science to children age 1 - 8.

CFG Songs on Ukulele

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This is part of my full series on Beginner Ukulele for Preschool Teachers and Children’s Librarians. Start at the beginning!

If you’re Happy Tune

Here are several songs all set to one tune:

If you’re (C) happy and you know it, clap your (G) hands,
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your (C) hands,
If you’re (F) happy and you know it, and you (C)really want to show it
If you’re (G) happy and you know it, clap your (C) hands.

Put your (C) baby in the air, in the (G) air. Put your baby in the air, in the (C) air
Put your (F) baby in the air, Say, (C) how’s the air up there?
Put your (G) baby in the air, in the (C) air.

Shake Your (C) Bells in the Air, in the (G) Air, Shake Your Bells in the Air, in the (C) Air, Shake your (F) Bells in the Air and (C) Freeze them right there,
shake your (G) bells in the air in the (C) air…              On Your Side… In the Front…

See you (C) soon raccoon. Bye (G) Bye. See you soon raccoon. Bye (C) Bye. 
See you (F) later alligator. After a (C) while crocodile. 
See you (G) soon raccoon. Bye (C) Bye. 

There are (C) bubbles in the air, in the (G)  air. There are bubbles in the air, in the (C)  air.
There are (F) bubbles in the air, there are (C)  bubbles everywhere.
There are (G)bubbles in the air, in the (C)  air.
(There are bubbles way up high… in the sky. …way down low… on your toes.)

More C G F Songs

Although you can play Row Your Boat with just a C chord, it’s better this way:

(C) Row row row your boat, gently down the stream.
(F) Merrily merrily merrily merrily, (G)life is but a (C)dream.

Wave our scarves (tune of Jolly Good Fellow)
(C) We wave our scarves to(F)ge(C)ther, we (G) wave our scarves to(C)gether,
We wave our scarves to(F)gether, (G7) because it’s fun to (C) do.  

Teapot Tune

(C) I’m a little teapot (F) short and (C) stout, 
(F) Here is my (C) handle, (G) here is my (C) spout.
When I get all steamed up (F) then I’ll (C) shout 
(F) Tip me (C) over and (G) pour me (C) out. 

(C) Here is my pumpkin, (F) round and (C) fat, (make a circle with arms)
(F) Here is a (C) point on a (G) witches (C) hat. (make a triangle with hands on head)
Here’s the mouth of a ghost (F) who says, (C) “BOO!” (circle hands around mouth)
And (F) here are (C) owl’s eyes (G) looking at (C) you! (make circles by eyes with hands)

(C) I’ll plant a little seed in the (F) dark, dark (C) ground. (bend down, plant seed on floor)
(F) Out comes the (C) yellow sun, (G) big and (C) round. (raise arms to make a circle)
Down comes the cool rain, (F) soft and (C) slow. (wiggle fingers to make rain coming down)
(F) Up comes the (C) little seed, (G)  grow, grow, (C) grow! (squat on floor, rise up slowly)

Others

(C)Baa Baa Black Sheep, (F)Have you any (C)wool?
(F)Yes sir, (C)yes sir, (G)three bags (C)full
One for the (F)master and (C)one for the (G)dame
(C)One for the (F) little boy who (C)lives down the (G)lane.
(C)Baa Baa Black Sheep, (F)Have you any (C)wool?
(F)Yes sir, (C)yes sir, (G) three bags (C)full

(C) Teddy Bear Teddy Bear (F) Turn A(C) round.
(F) Teddy Bear Teddy Bear (G) Touch the (C) Ground.
(C) Teddy Bear Teddy Bear (F) Peek-a-(C) Boo.
(F)Teddy Bear Teddy Bear (G) I love(C)  you.
(C) Teddy Bear Teddy Bear (F) Reach Up (C) High,
(F) Teddy Bear Teddy Bear (G) Wave Bye-(C) Bye.

(C)Five Little Monkeys (G)Jumping on the Bed.
One fell off and (C)bumped his head.
Mama [Daddy, Nanny, Grandma…] called the doctor
And the (F)doctor said – (G)no more monkeys jumping on the (C)bed

C, F, G7 Songs on Ukulele

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If you’ve been working your way through my Uke School tutorials, you should know how to play C, F, and G7 chords, so let’s try some three chord songs!

Twinkle Tune and variants

There are LOTS of songs you can sing to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

(C) Twinkle, twinkle, (F) little (C) star
(G7) How I (C) wonder (G7) what you (C) are
Up a(F)bove the (C) world so (G7) high,
(C) Like a (F) diamond (C) in the (G) sky
(C) Twinkle, twinkle, (F) little (C) star
(G7) How I (C) wonder (G) what you (C) are

(C) Two little eyes to (F) look a(C)round
(G7) Two little (C)ears to (G7) hear each (C) sound
One little (F) nose to (C) smell what’s (G7) sweet
(C) One little (F) mouth that (C) likes to (G7) eat.
(C) Eyes and ears and (F) nose and (C) mouth.
(G7) Eyes and (C) ears and (G7) nose and (C) mouth.

(C) ABCD (F)EF (C)G (F)HI (C)JK (G7)LMNO (C)P  QR (F)S (C)TU (G7)V (C)W (F)X (C)Y and (G7)Z. (C)Now I know my (F)AB (C)C’s. (F)Next time (C)won’t you (G7) sing with (C) me.

(C) Snowflake, snowflake (F) fancy (C) free.
(G7) Snowflake (C) snowflake (G7) dance with (C) me
First on my (F) head (C) then on my (G7) toes
(C) then on my (F) nose where the (C) cold wind (G7) blows
(C) Snowflake snowflake (F) turn a(C)round.
(G7) Snowflake (C) snowflake (G7) touch the (C) ground.

More C F G7

You are my (C) sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me (F) happy when skies are (C) gray.
You’ll never (F) know dear how much I (C) love you,
Please don’t take my (G7) sunshine (C) away.

Happy (C) birthday to (G7) You,
Happy birthday to (C) You,
Happy Birthday dear (F) [name]
Happy (C) birthday (G7) to (C) you.

(C)This old man, he played one, (F) he played knick knack
(G7) on my thumb, with a (C) knick knack paddywhack, give a dog a bone,
(G7) this old man came (C) rolling home.

(C) Bumping up and down in my little red wagon
(G7) Bumping up and down in my little red wagon
(C) Bumping up and down in my little red wagon
(F) Won’t you (G7)  be my (C) darling

(C) Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, Knees and Toes
Head Shoulders Knees and (G7)Toes, Knees and Toes
And (C) Eyes and [C7] Ears and (F) Mouth and [F7] Nose
(G7) Head Shoulders Knees and (C)Toes, Knees and Toes

C and G7 Songs on Ukulele

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This page assumes you know how to play a C chord and strum. If you’re not there yet, start with Getting Started on the Ukulele, 

Playing G7 Chord

(C) London Bridge is ( ) Falling Down (G7)Falling down, (C)Falling Down
( ) London Bridge is ( ) Falling Down (G7) My Fair (C) Lady.

(C) Here we go Looby Loo. Here we go Looby (G7) Lie
(C) Here we go Looby Loo. (G) All on a Saturday (C) night.
I put my (right hand) in. I take my (right hand) out
I (G7) give my (hand) a shake, shake, shake.
And turn myself a(C)bout.

(C) Someone is hiding, (G7) hiding, (C) hiding.
Someone is hiding, who (G7) could it (C) be? (none) Peekaboo!

Find lots more ukelele tutorials at https://gooddayswithkids.com/for-professionals/music-time/#UkeSchool

C and G Songs on Ukulele

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If you’re new to ukulele, then before this, be sure to check out: Getting Started on the Ukulele, C and F songs, and C7 and F songs. They’re intended to be learned sequentially to build your skills.

Playing G Chord

Playing C and G Songs

Here are the songs in that video:

10 Little Indians Tune

(I don’t sing the Ten Little Indians song, but it’s tune is the basis of many songs!

(C) 1 little, 2 little, 3 little snowflakes
(G) 4 little, 5 little, 6 little snowflakes
(C) 7 little, 8 little, 9 little snowflakes
(G) 10 snowflakes on the (C)  ground

(C) 1 little, 2 little, 3 little bubbles… in the sky

(C) Lift one foot and then the other,
(G) Lift one foot and then the other
(C) Lift one foot and then the other,
(G) Lift them both to(C)gether.

(C) Where oh where are  (baby’s)  fingers?
(G) Where oh where are ________ toes?
(C) Where is _______ belly button?
(G or G7) Round and round it (C) goes!
(C) Where oh where are _______ ears?
(G) Where oh where is _______ nose?
(C) Where is _______ belly button?
(G or G7) Round and round it (C) goes!

Open / Shut Them

(C) Open (G) shut them, (C) open (G) shut them,
(C) give a little (G) clap clap clap.
(C) Open (G) shut them, (C) open (G) shut them.
( ) Lay them in your (C) lap lap lap.
( ) Creep them (G) crawl them, (C) creep them (G) crawl them
(C) Right up to your (G) chin chin chin
(C) Open up your (G) little mouth,  But ( ) do not let them (C) in!

Ring Around the Rosie Tune

(C) Ring around the rosie, A ( ) pocket full of posies,
( ) Ashes, ashes, We (G) all fall (C) down!
( ) Cows are in the meadow, ( ) Eating buttercups.
( ) Thunder! Lightning! We (G) all stand (C) up!

(C) Walk around the circle, ( ) all around the circle.
( ) Walking, walking, let’s (G) all do (C) this:  
[stop and do an action, like jump – they copy]

Barney’s Clean Up Song

(C) Clean Up, ( ) Clean Up. (G)Everybody (C)Everywhere.
( ) Clean Up, ( ) Clean Up. (G)Everybody (C)Do Your Share

C7 and F Songs on Ukulele

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If you’re new to ukulele, check out Getting Started on the Ukulele, and C and F songs.

Playing a C7 chord

To play a C7, you put your first finger (index finger) on the first fret of the A string (the one lowest down as you hold your uke.

Here’s a video of the C7 chord in action, on the song Oh My Darling Clementine.

(F) Oh my darling, () oh my darling, () oh my darling Clemen(C)tine,
() You were lost and gone for(F)ever dreadful (C) sorry Clemen(F)tine

Playing Songs with F and C7

And here are some more F and C7 songs. You can find lyrics with chords at: https://tinyurl.com/ChordsKidSongs

(F) Are you sleeping, () are you sleeping?
(C7) Brother (F) John? (C7)Brother (F) John?
(C7)Morning bells are (F) ringing, (C7) Morning bells are (F) ringing.
(C7) Ding ding (F) dong, (C7) ding ding (F) dong.

(F) Skip skip skip to my lou (C7) Skip skip skip to my lou
(F) Skip skip skip to my lou (C7) Skip to my lou my (F) darling 

Next video:

(F) Here we go round the () mulberry bush
(C7) Mulberry bush, () mulberry bush 
(F) Here we go round the ()mulberry bush
(C7) So early in the (F) morning.

The (F) more we get together, to(C7)gether, to(F)gether,
the () more we get together, the (C7)happier we’ll (F) be! (‘cause)
(C7)your friends are (F)my friends and (C7)my friends are your (F)friends.
The () more we get together, the (C7)happier we’ll (F)be!

Next video:

(F) It’s time to say goodbye. [echo]
(F) To all of our friends. [echo]
We’ll (C7) see you all (F) another day. [echo]
When we (C7) all come back to (F) play. [echo]

(F) You put your hand in, () You put your hand out,
() You put your hand in And you (C7) shake it all about.
() You do the hokey pokey As you () turn yourself around
() That’s what it’s all (F) about!

(F) Five little ducks went (C7) out one day,
() over the hills and (F) far away.
() Mama Duck said quack, (C7) quack, quack, quack.
() But only four little ducks came (F) back.

Once you’ve mastered these, you can learn G chord, and then play C and G songs.