Sam Cook - A Change Is Gonna Come Ukulele Chords
Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to F,C keys to play this song with easier chords.
[Opening]
I was [G]born by the [G]river
[G]In this little old tent [G]
[Am]And just like that [Am]river, I’ve been
[Em]Running ever [Em]since. It’s been a
[G]Long time
[Am]Coming but I [Bm]know
A [Em]change is gonna come [Em]
[section 2]
[G]
It’s been [G]too hard [G]living
[G]But I’m afraid to die [G]
[Am]Cos I don’t know what’s [Am]up there
[Em]Beyond the [Em]clouds. It’s been a
[G]Long time
[Am]Coming but I [Bm]know a
[Em]Change is gonna come [Em]
[G]Oh, yes it is [G]
[section 3]
[Am]So I [Am]go I
[Em]Go to my [Em]brother
[Am]And I say [Am]brother
[Em]Help me [Em]please
[Am]But he just [Am]winds up
[Em]Knocking me
[A7]Down, [A7]back down on my
[D]Knees [D]There was a
[Closing]
[G]Time when I [G]thought
[G]I wouldn’t last too long [G]
[Am]But somehow I was [Am]able
[Em]To carry [Em]on. It’s been a
[G]Long time
[Am]Coming but I [Bm]know a
[Em]Change is gonna come [Em]
[G]Oh, yes it is [G]is
How to play A Change Is Gonna Come on Ukulele (Step-by-step)
Sam Cook - A Change Is Gonna Come on ukulele requires 6 chords and 8 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.
A Change Is Gonna Come uses these transitions most often: G → Am (7), Am → Em (6), and Em → G (6). 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 G - Am chord transition.
1. G → Am chord transition
To move from G to Am;
- While playing G, first lift your index finger and ring finger.
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
2. Am → Em chord transition
To move from Am to Em;
- Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.
- Place index finger on A string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on C string fret 4.
3. Em → G chord transition
To move from Em to G;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.
4. Am → Bm chord transition
To move from Am to Bm;
- While playing Am, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
- Place index finger on C string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on G string fret 4.
5. Bm → Em chord transition
To move from Bm to Em;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from G string fret 4 to C string fret 4.
- Place middle finger on E string fret 3.
6. Em → A7 chord transition
To move from Em to A7;
- While playing Em, first lift your middle finger and ring finger.
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 1.
7. A7 → D chord transition
To move from A7 to D;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Place middle finger on C string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 2.
8. D → G chord transition
To move from D to G;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.
A Change Is Gonna Come chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in A Change Is Gonna Come.
- A Change Is Gonna Come includes 30 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
- A Change Is Gonna Come contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
- These transition patterns show how A Change Is Gonna Come connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After G, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
- G → Am: 13%
After Em, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (27%), G (18%), and D (18%).- Em → G: 18%
- Em → Am: 12%