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Ry Cooder - How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live Ukulele Chords

ChordsG, D7, D, G7, C, Am
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to C,F keys to play this song with easier chords.

GD7GG
Well,thedoctorcomes DaroundwithhisfaceallGbrightG
AndheGsays,“InalittleGwhileyou’llbeallDright!”D7
Well,allheGgivesisahumbugG7pill
DoseofCdopeandagreatbigAmbill
Tellme,GhowcanapoormanD7standsuchtimesandGlive?G
GThereoncewasatimewhenDeverythingwasGcheap
ButnowGpricesnearlyGputsamantoDsleepD7
WhenweGgetourgroceryG7bill
WejustCfeellikemakingourAmwill
Tellme,GhowcanapoormanD7standsuchtimesandGlive?G
GDGGGDD7GG7CAmGD7GG
WellIrememberwhendryDgoodswascheapasGdirtG
YoucouldGtaketwobitsandGbuyadandyDshirtD7
NowweGpaythreebucksorG7more
MaybegetaCshirtthatanothermanAmwore
Tellme,GhowcanapoormanD7standsuchtimesandGlive?G
MostpreacherswelltheypreachforDgoldandnotforGsoulG
Well,that’swhatGkeepsuspoorfolksalwaysinaDholeD7
Now,wecanGhardlygetourG7breath
TaxedandCschooledandpreachedtoAmdeath
Tellme,GhowcanapoormanD7standsuchtimesandGlive?G
Tellme,GhowcanapoormanD7standsuchtimesandGlive?G
ArtistRy Cooder
AlbumRy Cooder
GenresRock
Year1970
KeyG
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live? on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Ry Cooder - How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live? on ukulele requires 6 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.

How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live? uses these transitions most often: D7 → G (12), G → D (10), and G → D7 (7). 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 - D7 chord transition.

1. G → D7 chord transition

Switching from G to D7:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 7 times.

G to D7

2. G → D chord transition

To move from G to D:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 10 times.

G to D

3. D → D7 chord transition

Switching 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 5 times.

D to D7

4. G → G7 chord transition

Switching from G to G7:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

G to G7

5. G7 → C chord transition

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 section, played 5 times.

6. C → Am chord transition

To move from C to Am:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

7. Am → G chord transition

Switching from Am to G:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?.

  • How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live? includes 59 chord transitions, 7 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live? contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live? 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 → D: 24%
    • G → G7: 2%
    After D7, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (51%), G7 (18%), and C (6%).
    • D7 → G: 51%