Learn the ukulele chords for “Happy Birthday” with the easy lyric sheet below.
Key of C:
C G7
Happy Birthday to you!
C
Happy Birthday to you!
F
Happy Birthday dear [NAME]!
C G7 C
Happy Birthday to you!
Picking:
C G7
A |--------|--------3--|--2--------------------|
E |--3--3--|--5--3-----|-----------------3--3--|
C |--------|-----------|-----------------------|
G |--------|-----------|-----------------------|
C
A |--------5--|--3-------------------|--10--7-----|
E |--5--3-----|----------------3--3--|---------8--|
C |-----------|----------------------|------------|
G |-----------|----------------------|------------|
F C G7 C
A |-----------------8--8--|--7--3--5--|--3-------||
E |--7--5-----------------|-----------|----------||
C |-----------------------|-----------|----------||
G |-----------------------|-----------|----------||
Key of F:
F C7
Happy Birthday to you!
F
Happy Birthday to you!
Bb
Happy Birthday dear [NAME]!
F C7 F
Happy Birthday to you!
Picking:
F C7
A |--------|-----------|-----------------------|
E |--------|--------1--|--0--------------------|
C |--0--0--|--2--0-----|-----------------0--0--|
G |--------|-----------|-----------------------|
F
A |-----------|----------------------|--3--0-----|
E |--------3--|--1-------------------|--------1--|
C |--2--0-----|----------------0--0--|-----------|
G |-----------|----------------------|-----------|
Bb F C7 F
A |-----------------1--1--|--0--------|----------||
E |--0--------------------|-----1--3--|--1-------||
C |-----2-----------------|-----------|----------||
G |-----------------------|-----------|----------||
Video tutorial
In these two videos, I walk you through how to play “Happy Birthday” in the key of F (good for group singing).
Strumming and chords lesson
Picking melody lesson
Which Key Should I Use?
There are two different keys shown above so you have options. A “key” is the group of notes that sound nice together. When you change the key, you’re playing from a different starting pitch.
Try playing the chords and singing. See which key fits your voice the best. One will be higher to sing and one lower.
The TAB places the melody in a different place on the fretboard. Typically, if you’re going to sing, you want to find the best key for your voice. If you’re just going to pick, use wherever key places your fingers in a comfortable spot.
To keep the beat going steady in this odd time signature, it can be helpful to substitute a strum for a pick on the first beat. So instead of strumming your ukulele on every beat, you would play “pluck, strum, strum.” This really brings across that traditional waltz feel.
It might sound a little goofy on a such a rambunctious, plodding tune like Happy Birthday, but it will force you to get used to dropping one beat from the standard 4/4.
If you’re holding the right chord it doesn’t matter which note you pluck! Because each string is harmonized by the chord, any note you strike will work. I like a lower note to emphasize the “low, high, high” pick, strum, strum pattern.