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14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?We analyzed 14,015 chord transitions and ranked the 100 most repeated ones. Even the first 10 will transform your practice routine. The top transition appears in 23% of all songs.

The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It Ukulele Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on the ukulele and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsG, Am, Em, C, D, Bm
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

GAmEm
GSavesomeface,AmyouEmknowyou’veonlygotone,GchangeyourwaysAmwhileyou’reEmyoung
GBoy,Amonedayyou’llEmbeaman,Gohgirl,Amhe’llhelpyouEmunderstand
GSmilelikeyouCmeanit.GSmileDlikeGyouCmeanitGD
GLookingbackAmat EmsunsetsontheEastside,GwelosttrackAmofthetimeEm
GDreamsAmaren’twhattheyEmusedtobe,GsomethingsAmsatbysoEmcarelessly
GSmilelikeyouCmeanit.GSmileDlikeGyouCmeanitGD
DEmCDEmC
AndAmsomeoneiscallingmyname,fromthebackEmoftherestaurant
AndAmsomeoneisplayingagame,inthehouseEmthatIgrewupin
AndAmsomeonewilldriveheraround,downthesameBmstreetsthatIdid
OnthesameCstreetsthatIdidD
GSmilelikeyouCmeanit.GSmileDlikeGyouCmeanitGD
GSmilelikeyouCmeanit.GSmileDlikeGyouCmeanitGD
OhNonoGAmEm
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on the ukulele.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master ukulele today with the 100 most repeated chord transitions from 14,015 analyzed.
ArtistThe Killers
AlbumHot Fuss
GenresAlternative, Indie, Rock
Year2004
KeyG
DifficultyEasy

How to play Smile Like You Mean It on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It on ukulele requires 6 chords and 11 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.

Smile Like You Mean It uses these transitions most often: Am → Em (12), G → Am (10), and Em → G (9). 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 - Am chord transition.

1. G → Am chord transition

Ukulele G chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-2Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele Am chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-0-0Ukulele Am chord diagram

Switching from G to Am:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 10 times.

G to Am

2. Am → Em chord transition

Ukulele Am chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-0-0Ukulele Am chord diagram
Ukulele Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-4-3-2Ukulele Em chord diagram

Switching from Am to Em:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 12 times.

Am to Em

3. Em → G chord transition

Ukulele Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-4-3-2Ukulele Em chord diagram
Ukulele G chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-2Ukulele G chord diagram

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 9 times.

Em to G

4. G → C chord transition

Ukulele G chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-2Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele C chord diagram Fingering: 0-0-0-3Ukulele C chord diagram

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 8 times.

G to C

5. G → D chord transition

Here's how 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 chorus, played 8 times.

6. D → Em chord transition

Here's how to move from D 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 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 2 times.

7. Em → C chord transition

Switching from Em to C:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. Am → Bm chord transition

Switching from Am to Bm:

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

This transition appears in the section.

11. Bm → C chord transition

Switching 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.

Smile Like You Mean It chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Smile Like You Mean It.

  • Smile Like You Mean It includes 74 chord transitions, 11 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Smile Like You Mean It contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Smile Like You Mean It 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 → C: 25%
    • G → D: 24%
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (27%), G (18%), and D (18%).
    • Em → C: 27%
    • Em → G: 18%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains extracted from real songs. See which songs use each chain, learn the finger transitions, and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.