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Jim Reeves - Distant Drums Ukulele Chords

ChordsD, A7, G, D7, A
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

IDheartheA7sound,ofdistantDdrums
Far A7away,far Daway
AndiftheyA7call,formetoDcome
ThenGImustDgo,andA7youmustDstay
SoMarymarryme;D7let’snotGwait
Let’sshareAallthetimeweA7canbeforeit’stooDlate
Lovemenow,fornowisD7allthetimetheremayGbe
IfyouAlovemeMary,A7MarymarryDme
IDheartheA7sound,ofbuglesDblow
Far A7away,far Daway
AndiftheyA7call,thenImustDgo
GAcrosstheDsea,soA7wildandDgrey
SoMarymarryme;D7let’snotGwait
FortheAdistantdrumsmightA7changeourweddingDdate
AndlovemenowfornowisD7allthetimetheremayGbe
IfyouAlovemeMary,A7MarymarryDme
IheartheA7sound,ofdistantDdrums
Far A7away,far Daway
AndiftheyA7call,formetoDcome
ThenGImustDgo,andA7youmustDstay
SoMarymarryme;D7let’snotGwait
FortheAdistantdrumsmightA7changeourweddingDdate
AndlovemenowfornowisD7allthetimetheremayGbe
IfyouAlovemeMary,A7MarymarryDme
AlbumDistant Drums
GenresCountry
Year1966
KeyD
DifficultyEasy

How to play Distant Drums on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Jim Reeves - Distant Drums 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.

Distant Drums uses these transitions most often: A7 → D (18), D → A7 (12), and A → A7 (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 - A7 chord transition.

1. D → A7 chord transition

To move from D to A7:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 12 times.

D to A7

2. 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 3 times.

D to G

3. D → D7 chord transition

To move from D to D7:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 6 times.

D to D7

4. D7 → G chord transition

To move from D7 to G:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 6 times.

D7 to G

5. G → A chord transition

Switching from G to A:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 6 times.

6. A → A7 chord transition

To move from A to A7:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 6 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Distant Drums.

  • Distant Drums includes 60 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Distant Drums contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Distant Drums connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After D, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (28%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → G: 28%
    • D → D7: 1%
    After A7, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are D (41%), D7 (18%), and Dm (13%).
    • A7 → D: 41%