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Richard Harris - Macarthur Park Ukulele Chords

ChordsBm, C, Em, D, G, F, A, Amaj7, F#m, Bm7, Gm, B7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

BmBmCEm
BmSpringwasneverwaitingforus,Dgirl,itGranonestep Cahead
AswefollowedintheEmdanceGFEm
BmBetweenthepartedpagesandwereDpressed,
InGlove’shot,feveredCironlikeastripedpairofEmpantsGFEm
AMacarthurParkismeltingintheAmaj7dark
Allthesweet,greenicingEmflowingdown,
DSomeoneleftthecakeoutintheF#mrain
andIdon’tAthinkthatIcantakeit
’causeitBm7tooksolongtobakeit
andI’llAneverhavethatAmaj7recipe Dagain,oh,Cno!
BmIrecalltheyellowcottonDdress,GfoaminglikeaCwave
onthegroundaroundyourEmkneesGFEm
TheBmbirds,liketenderbabiesinyourDhands
andtheoldmenplayingCcheckersbytheEmtreesGFEm
AMacarthurParkismeltingintheAmaj7dark
Allthesweet,greenicingEmflowingdown,
DSomeoneleftthecakeoutintheF#mrain
andIdon’tAthinkthatIcantakeit
’causeitBm7tooksolongtobakeit
andI’llAneverhavethatAmaj7recipe Dagain,oh,Cno!
DTherewillbeanothersongforF#mme
ForIwillGsingGmit
GTherewillbeanotherdreamforme
SomeonewillF#mbringDit
GIwilldrinkthewinewhileitisEmwarm
andF#mneverletyoucatchmelookingattheB7sun
AndEmafterallthelovesofmyDlife
F#mafterallthelovesofmyGlife
You’llstillbetheCone.D
IwillDtakemylifeintomyF#mhands
andIwillGuseGmit
GIwillwintheworshipintheireyes
andIwillF#mloseDit
GIwillhavethethingsthatI Emdesire
andmyF#mpassionflowlikeriversthroughtheB7sky.
AndEmafterallthelovesofmylife
F#mAfterallthelovesofmyGlife
I’llbethinkingofCyou
andwonderingBmwhy
AMacarthurParkismeltingintheAmaj7dark
Allthesweet,greenicingEmflowingdown,
DSomeoneleftthecakeoutintheF#mrain
andIdon’tAthinkthatIcantakeit
’causeitBm7tooksolongtobakeit
andI’llAneverhavethatAmaj7recipe Dagain,oh,Cno!
AlbumA Tramp Shining
GenresPop
Year1968
KeyBm
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play Macarthur Park on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Richard Harris - Macarthur Park on ukulele requires 12 chords and 24 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.

Macarthur Park uses these transitions most often: A → Amaj7 (6), D → F#m (6), and C → Em (5). 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 Bm - C chord transition.

1. Bm → C chord transition

Here's how to move from Bm to C:

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

This transition appears in the section.

Bm to C

2. C → Em chord transition

Here's how to move 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 section, played 5 times.

C 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, played 3 times.

Em to Bm

4. Bm → D chord transition

To move from Bm to D:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 4 times.

Bm to D

5. 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, played 5 times.

6. 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.

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 4 times.

8. G → F chord transition

Here's how to move 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 4 times.

9. F → Em chord transition

Here's how to move 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 4 times.

10. 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 2 times.

11. A → Amaj7 chord transition

Here's how to move from A to Amaj7:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

12. Amaj7 → Em chord transition

To move from Amaj7 to Em:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

13. Em → D chord transition

To move from Em to D:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

14. D → F#m chord transition

Here's how to move from D to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

15. F#m → A chord transition

Here's how to move from F#m to A:

  1. While playing F#m, lift your ring finger from E string fret 2.
  2. Keep index finger on C string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

16. A → Bm7 chord transition

To move from A to Bm7:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

17. Amaj7 → D chord transition

Here's how to move from Amaj7 to D:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

18. D → C chord transition

Here's how to move from D to C:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

19. F#m → G chord transition

Here's how to move from F#m to G:

  1. Slide your index finger on C string from fret 1 to fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G 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 4 times.

20. G → Gm chord transition

Here's how to move from G to Gm:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

21. Em → F#m chord transition

Here's how to move from Em to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

22. F#m → B7 chord transition

Here's how to move from F#m to B7:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

23. B7 → Em chord transition

Switching from B7 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 3 to E string fret 3.
  3. Place ring finger on C string fret 4.

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

24. Bm → A chord transition

To move from Bm to A:

  1. While playing Bm, lift your ring finger from G string fret 4.
  2. Slide your index finger on C string from fret 2 to fret 1.
  3. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Macarthur Park.

  • Macarthur Park includes 98 chord transitions, 24 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Macarthur Park contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Macarthur Park connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (27%), G (18%), and D (18%).
    • Em → G: 18%
    • Em → D: 18%
    After D, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (28%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → G: 28%
    • D → C: 14%