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The Lumineers - Life In The City Ukulele Chords

ChordsF, Em, G, C, G7, 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 B key to play this song with easier chords.

FWoo,EmwooGwoo,FwooEmG
AndiftheFcity’sEmskyscrapersriseGoverthisisland
WouldyoubeFgladtoEmseeManhattanforGonce?
IknewtheFdream,itdied,EmJMZline,GMyrtle,andBroadway
ButI’dbeFgladtoseeEmManhattanforGonce
CWoah-woah,livinglifeinthecity
EmWoah-woah,itwillneverbepretty, Foh, Goh
CWoah-woah,wecanplanifwemakeit
EmWoah-woah,wewon’tlet’em
Theywon’ttakeitfromme,Fno,oh,oh,Gwoah(2,3,F4)
EmWoo,GwooFwoo,Emwoo
AndifyouFleave,don’tEmleavemeallGalone
‘CauseI’llbeFscared,I’llbeEmnaked,I’llgetGcold
AndImissmyFdadandEmCleopatrasittingonaGphone
SotakemeFbackoff Emthesestreetsandwe’llGneverbeG7apart
GTogetherfromtheG7start,Gnever,neverfallingbackalone
COh-oh,Livinglifeinthecity, Emoh-oh,itwillneverbepretty, Foh, Goh
COh-oh,wecanplanifwemakeit,Emwoah-woah,wewon’tlet’em
Theywon’ttakeitfromme,Fno,oh,oh,Gwoah
AndiftheCsundon’tshineFonmeCtoday
AndiftheCsubwaysfloodandFbridgesCbreak
WillyoujustAmlaydownandFdigyourCgrave?
OrwillyouCrailagainstyourFdyingCday?
CDa-da-da-da,da,da, Fda-ah-da
CDa-da-da-da-ah,Fda,da,Cda
CDa-da-da-da,da,da, Fda-ah-da
CDa-da-da-da-ah,Fda,da,Cda
AlbumGloria Sparks
Year2019
KeyA
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play Life In The City on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

The Lumineers - Life In The City on ukulele requires 6 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.

Life In The City uses these transitions most often: Em → G (12), F → Em (12), and G → F (11). 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 F - Em chord transition.

1. F → Em chord transition

Switching from F to Em:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 12 times.

F to Em

2. Em → G chord transition

Here's how to move 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 12 times.

Em to G

3. G → F chord transition

Switching 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 11 times.

G to F

4. G → C chord transition

Switching 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 chorus, played 5 times.

G to C

5. C → Em chord transition

Switching from C to Em:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

6. 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 2 times.

7. C → F chord transition

To move 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, played 7 times.

8. 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.

9. Am → F chord transition

To move from Am to F:

  1. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on E string fret 1.

This transition appears in the section.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Life In The City.

  • Life In The City includes 73 chord transitions, 9 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Life In The City contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Life In The City connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After F, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → C: 40%
    • F → G: 21%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → F: 16%
    • C → Am: 10%