Learn the ukulele chords for “Happy Birthday” with the easy lyric sheet below.
One of the most widely known songs in the Western world, “Happy Birthday” is a song every ukulele player should probably know how to strum!
If you’re new to picking, check out my ebook, Step-By-Step, for an alternate, single string version of “Happy Birthday” and a bunch of other easy songs:
An absolute beginner’s guide to picking melody on the ukulele. 14 easy songs and study pieces arranged for one string.
Included below are two keys so you can play the one that fits your voice the best. There’s also an ukulele tab that shows how to pick the melody of “Happy Birthday.” Both are pretty simple, but the picking in the key of F is probably easier.
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 |-----------------------|-----------|----------||
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.
Visit the “Free PDF Version” link above for a PDF version of the melody in the key of F. This is also the best bet for people more comfortable with standard notation “sheet music.”