An amazingly hook-y song about the red-ish tinge in the hair of some Polynesians. The ʻukulele chords for Kolohe Kai‘s Ehu Girl are easy and fun to strum.
This one is STILL on the radio! I was teaching my young ʻukulele students this song for years. Seems like the initial fad is well over, but it’s still a great, well-known song.
Since the Ehu Girl ʻukulele chords use a Jawaiian style strum, you’ll have to get used to playing on the offbeat. Use the Jawaiian strum found on my reggae ʻukulele strums page.
It’s pretty easy. Just strum down, up on the 2nd and 4th beats. Like this:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + - - D U - - D U
The recording has several instruments playing around this part. If it’s just you and your ʻukulele strumming the chords, you will be best off with this Jawaiian strum. But if you really listen, you’ll hear that the guitar is actually playing a straight skank – without the upstrum. This is also shown in the above link.
The intro picking mimics the saxophone in the recording. The ʻukulele doesn’t actually pick all these notes – the sax plays some by itself, but it would be silly not to rock the whole thing.
It’s not especially difficult, but a good riff to practice your slides on. The last note extends down into low-G range, but if you play the last three up an octave on the A-string 7th fret and then E-string 8th fret/7th fret, you could probably make it work fine with a high-g.
If you need a hand with these Ehu Girl ʻukulele chords, you can find them here with pictures and diagrams.
Intro:
C F G C F G
A |-----------------------|-----------------------------------
E |-----0-1-0-------------|-----0-1-0---3/5-3-0---3/5-3-0-----
C |-0-2-------2h4p2-0-2-0-|-0-2-------0---------0---------0---
G |-----------------------|---------------------------------4-
Am//// G/... Am//// G/...
C Dm G
Said it happened last night about ten to eleven when I first laid eyes on you,
C Dm G
Standing in line into Club Triple 7, it was just like heaven and a dream come true,
Dm G Am
We’re standing at the right place at the right time,
Dm G/
When you, this ehu girl, caused a crime.
Chorus:
C F G
You’re my pretty little ehu girl who made me a fool in love,
C F G
Got my heart all in a whirl and now it needs cooling off,
C F G
You set my heart on fire and now I don’t know what to do,
C F G
You set my heart on fire and now I’m so in love with you my ehu girl.
C F G
A |---------------------------------0-
E |-----0-1-0---3/5-3-0---3/5-3-0-----
C |-0-2-------0---------0---------0---
G |-----------------------------------
Am//// G/...
C
Said I’m feeling it now, something I’ve never felt,
Dm
My heart’s so hot I think I’m gonna melt,
C
Somehow, I want to see you again
Dm
My love, sent from above.
Dm C
And beautiful girls yes I’ve seen a few,
Dm G/
but out of all the beauty in the world there’s no one quite like you.
Chorus>
Intro>
Bridge:
C Dm
The way your ehu hair flows in the air,
C Dm
The way your shining eyes reflect the sky,
C Dm
The way your smile burns up my flame,
F/ G/
But I don’t know your name and I guess I’ll call you...
Chorus 2x>