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Lionel Richie - We Are The World Ukulele Chords

ChordsD, G, A, Bm, F#m, Em, Bb, C, Ab, Eb, Cm, Gm, Fm
Strumming↓-↑-↓-↑

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

DTherecomesatimewhenweGhearaAcertainDcall
‘CausetheGworlditAseemsit’srightinthisDline
‘Causethere’saBmchancefortakinginF#mneedingourownBmlives
ItEmseemsweGneednothingatAall
DIusedtofeelIGshouldgive Aa-waymyDheart
AnditGshowsthatAfearofneedingDthem
ThenIBmreadtheheadlinesanditF#msaidthey’redyingthere
AnditEmshowsthatGwemustheed Ain-stead
WearetheGworldAWearetheDchildren
WearetheGoneswhomakeabrighterAdaysolet’sstartDgiving
There’saBmchancewe’retakingwe’reF#mtakingourownlives
It’sEmtruewe’llmakeabrighterAdayjustyouandDme
DGiveinyourheartandyouwillGseethatAsomeoneDcares
‘CauseyouGknowthatAtheycanfeedthemDall
ThenIBmreadthepaperanditF#msaidthatyou’vebeendenied
AnditEmshowstheGsecondwewillAcall
WearetheGworldAWearetheDchildren
WearetheGoneswhomakeabrighterAdaysolet’sstartDgiving
There’saBmchancewe’retakingwe’reF#mtakingourownlives
It’sEmtruewe’llmakeabrighterAdayjustyouandDme
NowBbthere’satimewhenCwemustlovethemDall
AnditBbseemsthatlife,itCdon’tmakeloveatDall
ButifBmyou’dbeenthere,andI’llF#mloveyoumoreandmore
ItEmseemsinAlife,Ididn’tdoDthat
WearetheGworldAWearetheDchildren
WearetheGoneswhomakeabrighterAdaysolet’sstartDgiving
There’saBmchancewe’retakingwe’reF#mtakingourownlives
It’sEmtruewe’llmakeabrighterAdayjustyouandDme
WearetheGworldAWearetheDchildren
WearetheGoneswhomakeabrighterAdaysolet’sstartDgiving
There’saBmchancewe’retakingwe’reF#mtakingourownlives
It’sEmtruewe’llmakeabrighterAdayjustyouandDme
WearetheAbworldBb(Shalom)WearetheEbchildren(Shalingin)
WearetheAboneswhomakeabrighterBbday(Shalom)solet’sstartEbgiving
There’saCmchancewe’retakingwe’reGmtakingourownlives
It’sFmtruewe’llmakeabrighterBbdayjustyouandEbme
Comeon,yeah,wearetheAbworldBb(Shalom)WearetheEbchildren(Shalingin)
WearetheAboneswhomakeabrighterBbday(Shalom)solet’sstartEbgiving
There’saCmchancewe’retakingwe’reGmtakingourownlives
It’sFmtruewe’llmakeabrighterBbdayjustyouandEbme
Ohyeah,wegotit,wearetheAbworldBb(Shalom)WearetheEbchildren(Shalingin)
WearetheAboneswhomakeabrighterBbday(Shalom)solet’sstartEbgiving
There’saCmchancewe’retakingwe’reGmtakingourownlives
It’sFmtruewe’llmakeabrighterBbdayjustyouandEbme
AlbumUSA for Africa
GenresPop, R&B, Soul
Year1985
KeyD
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play We Are The World on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Lionel Richie - We Are The World on ukulele requires 13 chords and 20 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.

We Are The World uses these transitions most often: A → D (20), G → A (17), and D → G (12). 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

Here's how 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, played 12 times.

D to G

2. G → A chord transition

Here's how to move 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 17 times.

G to A

3. A → D chord transition

Here's how to move from A to D:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 20 times.

A to D

4. D → Bm chord transition

To move from D to Bm:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 8 times.

D to Bm

5. Bm → F#m chord transition

To move from Bm to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 8 times.

6. Bm → Em chord transition

To move from Bm to Em:

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

This transition appears in the section.

7. Em → G chord transition

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 3 times.

8. F#m → Em chord transition

To move from F#m to Em:

  1. Lift your index finger from C 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. 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.

9. Em → A chord transition

To move from Em to A:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 5 times.

10. D → Bb chord transition

Switching from D to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

11. Bb → C chord transition

To move from Bb to C:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

12. C → D chord transition

Switching from C to D:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

13. D → Ab chord transition

To move from D to Ab:

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

This transition appears in the chorus.

14. Ab → Bb chord transition

Switching from Ab to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

15. Bb → Eb chord transition

Here's how to move from Bb to Eb:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 9 times.

16. Eb → Ab chord transition

To move from Eb to Ab:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 5 times.

17. Eb → Cm chord transition

Switching from Eb to Cm:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

18. Cm → Gm chord transition

To move from Cm to Gm:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

19. Gm → Fm chord transition

Here's how to move from Gm to Fm:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

20. Fm → Bb chord transition

Switching from Fm to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in We Are The World.

  • We Are The World includes 123 chord transitions, 20 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • We Are The World contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how We Are The World 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 → Bm: 5%
    After A, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are D (29%), G (13%), and E (12%).
    • A → D: 29%
    • A → G: 13%