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Bob Marley - Babylon System Ukulele Chords

ChordsC, Am7, Dm, G, F, G7, D
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

WeCrefusetoAm7be,whatyouCwantedustoAm7be,Dmwearewhatweare:
DmThat’stheCway(way)it’sGgoingtoCbe.IfyouGdon’tknow!
CYoucan’tAm7educateI,fornoDmequalopportunity:
(Talkingaboutmyfreedom)Ftalkingaboutmyfreedom,
PeopleCfreedom(freedom)andGliberty!G
Yeah,we’vebeenCtroddingonthewinepressAm7muchtoolong:DmRebel,G7rebel!
Yes,we’vebeenCtroddingonthewinepressAm7muchtoolong:DmRebel,G7rebel!
GBabylonsystemistheFvampire,yea!C(vampire)
FSuckingthechildrendaybyCday,Gyeah!
GMesay:deBabylonsystemistheFvampire,fallingCempire,
FSuckingthebloodofthe Csufferers,Gyeah!
GBuildingchurchand Funiversity,Cwooh,yeah!-
FDeceivingthepeople Ccontinually,Gyeah!
GMesaythemgraduatingthievesand Fmurderers;C
Lookoutnow:Ftheysuckingthebloodofthe Csufferers(sufferers).Yeah!G(sufferers)
GTellthechildrentheGtruth;CtellthechildrentheAm7truth;
DTellthechildrentheGtruthrightnow!GComeonandtelltheGchildrenthetruth;
CTellthechildrentheAm7truth;GtellthechildrentheGtruth;
CTellthechildrentheAm7truth;GcomeonandDtellthechildrentheGtruth.
Yeah,we’vebeenCtroddingonthewinepressAm7muchtoolong:DmRebel,G7rebel!
Yes,we’vebeenCtroddingonthewinepressAm7muchtoolong:DmRebel,G7rebel!
(Troddingonthewinepress)Troddingonthewinepress(rebel):gottorebel,y’all(rebel)!
We’vebeentroddingonthewinepressmuchtoolong-ye-e-ah!(rebel)Yeah!(rebel)Yeah!Yeah!
Fromtheverydaywelefttheshores(troddingonthewinepress)ofourFather’sland(rebel),
We’vebeentrampledon(rebel),ohnow!(we’vebeenoppressed,yeah!)Lord,Lord,goto…
Nowweknoweverythingwegottorebelsomebodygottopayforthework,we’vedone,rebel.
AlbumSurvival
GenresReggae
Year1979
KeyC
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play Babylon System on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Bob Marley - Babylon System on ukulele requires 7 chords and 13 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.

Babylon System uses these transitions most often: C → Am7 (10), F → C (9), and C → G (8). 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 - Am7 chord transition.

1. C → Am7 chord transition

Switching from C to Am7:

  1. While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 10 times.

C to Am7

2. Am7 → Dm chord transition

Here's how to move from Am7 to Dm:

  1. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  2. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on C string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 6 times.

Am7 to Dm

3. Dm → C chord transition

Here's how to move from Dm to C:

  1. While playing Dm, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Lift your ring finger from C string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section.

Dm to C

4. 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 8 times.

C to G

5. Dm → F chord transition

Here's how to move from Dm to F:

  1. While playing Dm, lift your ring finger from C string fret 2.
  2. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section.

6. 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 9 times.

7. Dm → G7 chord transition

Here's how to move from Dm to G7:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

8. G7 → C chord transition

Here's how to move from G7 to C:

  1. While playing G7, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 2 to fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 2 times.

9. G7 → G chord transition

To move from G7 to G:

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

This transition appears in the section.

10. 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 4 times.

11. Am7 → D chord transition

Here's how to move from Am7 to D:

  1. Place index finger on G string fret 2.
  2. Place middle finger on C string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on E string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section.

12. D → G chord transition

Switching from D to G:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

13. Am7 → G chord transition

Here's how to move from Am7 to G:

  1. Place index finger on C string fret 2.
  2. Place middle finger on A string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Babylon System.

  • Babylon System includes 65 chord transitions, 13 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Babylon System contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Babylon System 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 → D: 24%