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Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown Ukulele Chords

ChordsC, G, F, Am, G#
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

CBornintoNixonIGwasraisedFinhell.
CAwelfarechildwhereGtheFteamstersdwelled.
CThelastonebornandGthefirstoneFtorun.
CMytownwasblindfromGrefineryFsun.
AmMygenerationFiszero,
AmInevermadeitasFaworkingGclasshero.
C21stGcenturyFbreakdown,IConcewaslost.
ButGneverFwasfound,ICthinkI’mlosing.
GWhat’sleftFofmymindtotheC20thGcenturyFdeadline.
CIwasmadeGofpoisonFandblood
CCombinationGiswhatIFunderstood
CFromMexicotoGtheFBerlinWall
CHomelandsecurityGcouldkillFusall
AmMygenerationFiszero,
AmInevermadeitasFaworkingGclasshero.
C21stGcenturyFbreakdown,IConcewaslost.
ButGneverFwasfound,ICthinkI’mlosing.
GWhat’sleftFofmymindtotheC20thGcenturyFdeadline.
GWearethecriesoftheclassofC’13.
GBornintheyearofChumility.
GWearethedesperateintheCdecline.
GRaisedbythebastardsofC1969.
CMynameis‘Noone’,yourFlongGlostCson.
CBornonthe4thofGJuly.
CRaisedinthebarnyards,ofFheroesGandCcons.
CLeftmefordeadorGalive.
CThereisawarthat’s Finsidemyhead.
ThatCquestionstheresultsandGlies.
I’mCbreakingmyback,tillI’mFbetterGoffCdead.
WeareCnotpayed,enoughtoGsurvive.
CIamanengineFGCG#G#
MyCdebttotheGstatusquo.
TheCscarsonmyhandsandaFmeansGtoCanend.
It’sCallthatIhaveGtoshow.
I’mCtakingaloanonmyFsanity.
FortheCredemptionofGmysoul.
WellCIamexemptfromthisFtragedy.
AndtheC21stGcenturyfall.
IFpraiseGlibertyCtheFfreedomGtoCobey.
It’saFsongthatGstranglesCme.
WellFdon’tCcrossGtheline.
Oh,Cdream,GAmericanAmdream.
IGcan’tevenFsleepfromGrainstormsCtilldawn.
Oh,Cbleed,GAmericaAmbleed.
GBelievewhatFyoureadfromGheroesandcons.
ArtistGreen Day
Album21st Century Breakdown
Year2009
KeyC
DifficultyEasy

How to play 21st Century Breakdown on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown on ukulele requires 5 chords and 6 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

21st Century Breakdown uses these transitions most often: C → G (30), G → C (26), and G → F (19). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with C - G chord transition.

1. C → G chord transition

To move from C to G:

  1. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
  2. Place index finger on C string fret 2.
  3. Place middle finger on A string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 30 times.

C to G

2. G → F chord transition

To move from G to F:

  1. While playing G, lift your ring finger from E string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 19 times.

G to F

3. F → C chord transition

Here's how to move from F to C:

  1. While playing F, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Place ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 14 times.

F to C

4. F → Am chord transition

To move from F to Am:

  1. While playing F, lift your index finger from E string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

F to Am

5. C → G# chord transition

Switching from C to G#:

  1. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  2. Place index finger on G string fret 1.
  3. Place middle finger on C string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on E string fret 4.

This transition appears in the section.

6. G → Am chord transition

Switching from G to Am:

  1. While playing G, first lift your index finger and ring finger.
  2. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in 21st Century Breakdown.

  • 21st Century Breakdown includes 130 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • 21st Century Breakdown contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how 21st Century Breakdown connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → F: 16%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → Am: 13%