Are you a fan of The Beatles and eager to strum some of their iconic tunes on your ukulele? Look no further!
In this blog post, we’ve curated a list of 10 easy Beatles songs that are perfect for beginners on the ukulele. From the cheerful melodies of “Yellow Submarine” to the timeless beauty of “Let It Be,” we’ll guide you through simple chord progressions and catchy rhythms, enabling you to channel your inner Beatlemania.
Let’s dive into the magical world of Beatles ukulele music!
Here are 10 easy Beatles songs on ukulele you can start learning today.
Top 10 Beatles Ukulele Songs to Play
1. Hey Jude
Hey Jude is one song perhaps every Beatles fan knows. The iconic music video, the chorus, and the climax of the song are all well known. According to Billboard, it’s one of the 10 greatest songs of all time. The chords are pretty simple altogether, and so are the lyrics and beats.
The slow beat rises to a rousing climax that everyone can enjoy. This should be on everyone’s list of easy Beatles songs on ukulele. This beginner-friendly tune can be started by just playing down strums pretty easily as you get comfortable with the song. It’s very catchy as well, which will make the learning process extremely easy.
You can learn the entire song here.
2. Can’t Buy Me Love
One of the older Beatles classics from the beginning of their fame in America. This 1964 hit topped the Billboard Hot 100 for more than a month after it was released. It’s a very easy-going number characteristic of the Beatles original sound before they matured.
Can’t Buy Me Love is just about how money can’t buy love. A fairly obvious message, but one that’s still relevant today when we’re in the age of influencers, flexing, and inequality. It’s no wonder that Paul McCartney wrote this song.
You can sing this to the person you love, or just play when you’re in the mood for something easy. Click here for a small tutorial.
3. I Should Have Known Better
I Should Have Known Better is another early Beatles song and it has stood the test of time. Written by the Lennon and McCartney duo, this song was first released in 1964 in the classic A Hard Day’s Night. If you learn the up and down strums of this song, it should be a breeze to play.
It’s also pretty light and peppy so you can play it in public or in the park without much interference. Once you’ve knocked out the basic chords, you’ll be able to play it no matter what the occasion.
Want to see more? Don’t miss our list of Top 23 Easy Ukulele Songs.
4. Let It Be
This is perhaps the most religious out of all the Beatles songs, and it’s also one of the best. It’s also the title song on their last album. Let It Be was number one on the Billboard charts for a long time and represents some of the most beautiful thoughts about religion.
Even someone with agnostic or atheist beliefs can appreciate the music and lyrics at any time. Paul McCartney’s voice is at its peak here and so is his musical talent.
Learning this one won’t be a piece of cake, but it’s also one of the simpler songs from the band. As luck would have it, one of the best Beatles songs is also one of the easiest to learn.
5. Yellow Submarine
Speaking of easy Beatles songs on ukulele, Yellow Submarine is perfect. It’s not an extraordinary tune by any stretch of the imagination, and it doesn’t have great extraordinary lyrics. Still, it has become one of the Beatles’ most recognizable and iconic songs.
Sung by the venerable Ringo Starr and accompanied by a cacophony of weird sounds, the Yellow Submarine is simple. You can probably learn to strum it in a day if you’re diligent. It’s one of the most simple songs that you’ll probably ever learn.
The one thing that you’ve got to watch out for is when you get addicted to strumming it. Like an earworm, this 2-and-a-half minute song will get stuck in your head. Here’s a quick tutorial to master it.
6. Eleanor Rigby
Eleanor Rigby has been covered a million times by newbies, oldies, and contemporary bands. You’ll find it being played in some movie or the other every few years. While it’s no walk in the park like Yellow Submarine, it is from the same album and quite simple.
You can learn to play it in a day if you keep at it. The ukulele version can be just as easy going and soothing as the original. In fact, it can add a softness to the song that wasn’t there in the original.
Try strumming it once every day and it’ll come to you like second nature. Here is a small tutorial to knock it out in one day.
7. Obla-di, Obla-da
If you’re going for songs that give you life, there is no better choice than Obla-Di, Obla-Da. This hopping number will keep you strumming and humming for a long time. This is one of the songs that defines the Beatles’ signature style. They used to sing about ordinary life and the joys which you can find behind every corner.
Just like Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields Forever, Here Comes the Sun, and Eleanor Rigby, this one is a very memorable number. Obla-Di, Obla-Da is one of the more difficult numbers on this list since it’s very fast paced and demanding. However, you can learn it well if you keep at it.
Here’s a quick tutorial.
8. Octopus’s Garden
This is a song that you should know just to entertain kids. It sounds like a song made for a joyride or a roller coaster, or a children’s party. Written by George Harrison, this is typical of the sound that the mature Beatles were known for. Specifically, this was the non-Lennon/McCartney sound that George Harrison became famous for.
Octopus’s Garden has a guitar riff in the very beginning that you won’t be able to pull off on the ukulele. However, the rest of the song can be pretty easy to play. Try to have fun with this one since it can be demanding in certain places.
This is a simple tutorial.
9. Here Comes the Sun
If there was ever an anthem about hope, it would be this one. Written by George Harrison, this is a personal favorite of the Beatles, and perhaps one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Here Comes the Sun is perhaps the most difficult song out of the ones on this list. However, once you get the hang of it, you can strum it quite easily.
It’s the perfect song to play when you’re rising out of your bed for the day. Or it’s a great song to strum when you’re trying to get a sing along going. It’s also a great song to sing along with the kiddies if you have any. Almost everyone knows this song or has heard it some time in their lives.
Learn a quick tutorial here.
10. Across the Universe
This is one of the most spiritual songs from the band, and one of the most lyrically clever. “Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup”; now that’s poetry! First recorded in 1968 by John Lennon, it came to him one night and he couldn’t go to sleep without writing it down.
Though there is a complex meaning behind the lyrics, the song is just as simple. You may find it a little frustrating to get the first few notes right, but the rest of the chords are pretty easy. Just strum along and feel the light that John Lennon was talking about flowing through you. You can find a quick tutorial of the song by clicking here.
With these quick tutorials, you can become a master of playing the Beatles on your ukulele.