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Pogues - Dirty Old Town Ukulele Chords

ChordsD, G, Em, Bm, C, F, Am
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

DGDEmBm
ImetmyGlove,bythegasworkswall,dreamedaCdream,bytheoldGcanal
Ikissedmygirl,bythefactorywall,dirtyoldDtown,dirtyoldEmtown
CloudsareGdriftingacrossthemoon,catsareCprowlingontheirGbeats
Springsagirlfromthestreetsatnight,dirtyoldDtown,dirtyoldEmtown
CCCCFFCCCCCCGGAm
IheardaGsirenfromthedock,sawaCtrainsetthenightonGfire
Ismelledthespringonthesmokeywind,dirtyoldDtown,dirtyoldEmtown
I’mgoingtoGmakemeabigsharpaxe,shiningCsteeltemperedintheGfire
I’llchopyoudownlikeanolddeadtree,dirtyoldDtown,dirtyoldEmtown
ImetmyGlove,bythegasworkswall,dreamedaCdream,bytheoldGcanal
Ikissedmygirl,bythefactorywall,dirtyoldDtown,dirtyoldEmtown
DirtyoldDtown,dirtyoldEmtown
AlbumRum Sodomy & the Lash
GenresPop
Year1985
KeyD
DifficultyEasy

How to play Dirty Old Town on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

The Pogues - Dirty Old Town on ukulele requires 7 chords and 9 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.

Dirty Old Town uses these transitions most often: D → Em (7), C → G (6), and G → D (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 D - G chord transition.

1. D → G chord transition

To move 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.

D to G

2. D → Em chord transition

Switching from D to Em:

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 4.

This transition appears in the section, played 7 times.

D to Em

3. Em → Bm chord transition

Switching from Em to Bm:

  1. While playing Em, lift your middle finger from E string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from C string fret 4 to G string fret 4.

This transition appears in the section.

Em to Bm

4. Bm → G chord transition

Switching from Bm to G:

  1. Keep index finger on C string fret 2.
  2. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.
  3. Place middle finger on A string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section.

Bm to G

5. G → C chord transition

Here's how to move from G to C:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

6. Em → G chord transition

Switching from Em to G:

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

7. Em → C chord transition

To move from Em to C:

  1. While playing Em, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section.

8. C → F chord transition

Switching from C to F:

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

This transition appears in the section.

9. G → Am chord transition

To move 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.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Dirty Old Town.

  • Dirty Old Town includes 36 chord transitions, 9 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Dirty Old Town contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Dirty Old Town 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%