American song · Free song lesson
How to play Happy Birthday on Ukulele or Guitar
Melody by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill, 1893
Sisters Mildred and Patty Hill, two Kentucky schoolteachers, wrote this melody in 1893 as a classroom greeting called Good Morning to All. After decades of disputed copyright claims, a court fight settled in 2016 confirmed the song belongs to everyone. Learn these eight measures once and you are the hero of every party for the rest of your life.
Key of C · 3/4 time · Level 1 · Easy · 3 chords
The chords you need
Tap any chord to open its diagram in the chord library, where you can see the fingering and hear how it should sound.
On the ukulele
On the guitar
The progression
One box is one measure of 3/4. Strum through each box, change chords at the start of the next, and you are playing the song. Start way slower than feels cool.
The whole song
Eight measures, done. The singing starts on beat 3: count 1 2, then everyone comes in.
The strum
Three easy downstrums per measure. Keep it steady; the room will speed up on its own, guaranteed.
Full speed sits around 110 to 130 BPM
Start way under that. Speed comes on its own.
Practice setlist
- The second measure is the tricky one: the G7 lands right as the melody jumps. Practice measures one and two on a loop.
- The C to G7 in measure seven is a quick two-beat change. Slow the whole song down until that switch is clean.
- Play it for someone's actual birthday this week. Deadlines are great teachers.
Ten focused minutes a day beats one heroic hour on Sunday.
Sounding sour? Get in tune first with the free browser tuner.
Sounds better on real strings
Play it on your own ukulele.
A song this good deserves an instrument that fits your hands. Come in and play a few. New and used ukuleles on the wall, and a crew that will help you find yours without any pressure. And when a chord change fights back, teachers run lessons at the shop 7 days a week.
Never played a note before? Start with Play Your First Song Today, our free step-by-step starter for total beginners. Then come back for this one.
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