Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer Ukulele Chords
Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele C chord diagram
Ukulele D chord diagram
Ukulele Bm chord diagram
Ukulele Em chord diagram
[Opening]
[G](Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
[C]Fever dream high [D]in the quiet of the night
You [Bm]know that I caught it [Em](oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
[C]Bad, bad boy, [D]shiny toy with a price
You [Bm]know that I bought it [Em](oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
[section 2]
Killing me [C]slow, out the [D]window
I’m always waiting [Bm]for you to be waiting [Em]below
Devils roll the [C]dice, angels roll their eyes
What doesn’t [D]kill me makes me want you more
[chorus]
And it’s [G]new, the shape of your body
It’s [Bm]blue, the feeling I’ve got
And it’s [Em]ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
It’s a [C]cruel summer
[chorus]
It’s [G]cool, that’s what I tell ’em
No [Bm]rules, unbreakable heaven
But [Em]ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
It’s a [C]cruel summer, with [G]you
[section 3]
[C]Hang your head low [D]in the glow of the vending [Bm]machine
I’m not buying (oh [Em]yeah, you’re right, I want it)
You [C]say that we’ll just [D]screw it up in these trying [Bm]times
We’re not trying (oh [Em]yeah, you’re right, I want it)
[section 4]
So cut the [C]headlights, summer’s [D]a knife
I’m always waiting [Bm]for you just to cut [Em]to the bone
Devils roll the [C]dice (dice), angels roll their eyes (eyes)
And if I [D]bleed, you’ll be the last to know
[chorus]
Oh it’s [G]new, the shape of your body
It’s [Bm]blue, the feeling I’ve got
And it’s [Em]ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
It’s a [C]cruel summer
[chorus]
It’s [G]cool, that’s what I tell ’em
No [Bm]rules, unbreakable heaven
But [Em]ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
It’s a [C]cruel summer, [(G)]with you
[chorus]
[G]I’m drunk in the back of the car
And I [Bm]cried like a baby coming home from the bar (oh)
[Em] Said I’m fine, but it wasn’t true
I don’t [C]wanna keep secrets just to keep you
[section 5]
And [G]I snuck in through the garden gate
Every [Bm]night that summer just to seal my fate (oh)
[Em] And I screamed for whatever it’s worth
“I [C]love you,” ain’t that the worst thing you ever [N.C.]heard?
He looks up, grinning like a devil
[chorus]
It’s [G]new, the shape of your body
It’s [Bm]blue, the feeling I’ve got
And it’s [Em]ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
It’s a [C]cruel summer
[chorus]
It’s [G]cool, that’s what I tell ’em
No [Bm]rules, unbreakable heaven
But [Em]ooh-ooh ooh whoa-oh
It’s a [C]cruel summer, [(G)]with you
[chorus]
[G]I’m drunk in the back of the car
And I [Bm]cried like a baby coming home from the bar (oh)
[Em] Said I’m fine, but it wasn’t true
I don’t [C]wanna keep secrets just to keep you
[Closing]
And [G]I snuck in through the garden gate
Every [Bm]night that summer just to seal my fate (oh)
[Em] And I screamed for whatever it’s worth
“I [C]love you,” ain’t that the worst thing you ever [G]heard?
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
How to play Cruel Summer on Ukulele (Step-by-step)
Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer on ukulele requires 5 chords and 7 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.
Cruel Summer uses these transitions most often: Bm → Em (16), Em → C (16), and C → G (10). 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 - C chord transition.
1. G → C chord transition
To move from G to C;
- While playing G, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
2. C → D chord transition
To move from C to D;
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Place index finger on G string fret 2.
- Place middle finger on C string fret 2.
3. D → Bm chord transition
To move from D to Bm;
- While playing D, lift your middle finger from C string fret 2.
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 4.
4. 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.
5. Em → C chord transition
To move from Em to C;
- While playing Em, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
- Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 3.
6. 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.
7. G → Bm chord transition
To move from G to Bm;
- While playing G, lift your middle finger from A string fret 2.
- Keep index finger on C string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 4.
Cruel Summer chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Cruel Summer.
- Cruel Summer includes 70 chord transitions, 7 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
- Cruel Summer contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
- These transition patterns show how Cruel Summer 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 → D: 11%
After Bm, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (25%), A (19%), and Em (13%).- Bm → Em: 13%