You Are My Sunshine Ukulele Chords – Just 4 Basic Chords

With the song’s massive success, the You Are My Sunshine ukulele chords understandably have become one of any player’s “must-learn.”

Written by Jay Searle / Published July 27, 2024

Last updated: July 27, 2024

One of Louisiana’s official state songs, a Grammy Hall of Fame award recipient without a known songwriter, and a song that more than 300+ artists have recorded since its conception, “You Are My Sunshine” is among the most beautiful and internationally renowned songs ever written.

From a technical standpoint, it’s an exceptionally easy tune consisting of only four chords that mostly repeat in the same progression. Most beginners who possess a basic understanding of elementary ukulele chords should be able to learn how to play it fluently within a few hours at most.

We’re here with a concise breakdown of You Are My Sunshine Ukulele chords, so if you had little luck with online tutorials, we’re here to help.

Download “You Are My Sunshine” Ukulele Chord Sheet

What Comprises the You Are My Sunshine Ukulele Chords?

“You Are My Sunshine” features four fundamental uke chords: C, C7, F, and G7. If you’re an immediate beginner who only recently picked up the ukulele, you can play this song even with C, G7, and F alone.

Hundreds of iterations of this tune exist with various tempos, but the most popular one is Johnny Cash’s version, which you play at 90 beats per minute.

C Chord

The simplest ukulele chord in the book, the C chord, is typically the first one beginners learn to play. You only need to fret the third position on the A string and strum the first three strings openly.

You Are My Sunshine uses this chord extensively. It opens and closes the verse and appears twice in the chorus sections.

If you want to make it sound a bit fuller, press a bar chord over the third fret on the E and A strings, and the fourth fret of the C string. It will produce the same notes but will have a bit stronger midrange and presence.

C7 Chord

The C7 chord is played almost the same as the C chord. Instead of pressing the third fret on the A string, descend one semitone to the A# note on the first fret and once again strum G, C, and E strings openly.

This is an “optional” chord that can substitute the second C chord in the verses in “You Are My Sunshine.”

F Chord

Another basic uke chord ubiquitously used in numerous ukulele songs, the F chord, is just a tad more complex than C and C7. It starts with a low A on the second fret of the G string and requires you to press the first fret on the E string while the remaining two are open.

It appears in both the verse and chorus parts. So, if you’re in a hurry to cover “You Are My Sunshine,” prioritize learning it before the C7 chord.

G7 Chord

Some beginners tend to struggle with the G7 chord when learning “You Are My Sunshine”, mainly because it’s the only chord that requires three fingers to play. Fortunately, the notes are adjacent – press the second fret of the C and A strings and the first fret of the E string and strum.

You Are My Sunshine Ukulele Chords and Lyrics Sheet

Verse:

           C		
You are my sunshine

	    C7
My only sunshine

	   F
You make me happy

            C	      F
When skies are gray.

Chorus:

                F
You’ll never know dear

                C
How much I love you

           C
Please don’t take

      G7          C
My sunshine away.

Verse2:

               C
The other night, dear,

	  C7
As I lay sleeping,

             F
I dreamed I held

            C       C7
You in my arms.

               F
But when I woke, dear,

            C
I was mistaken,

C		         G7
And I hung my head,

        C
And I cried.

Chorus:

                F
You’ll never know dear

                C
How much I love you

           C
Please don’t take

       G7	     C
My sunshine away.

Conclusion

This classic country piece with a heartwarming tone is one of the songs you’d want to play if you want to set a good mood after a tiring day. With it playable in just four basic chords all throughout, even in three chords on a stretch, mostly repeated in the same progression, it is definitely a beginner-friendly song. We hope our You Are My Sunshine ukulele chords guide made it even a notch or two easier for you to learn this masterpiece.

Jay Searle

Website Founder & Writer

Jay is a self-professed music nerd and ukulele lover. When not working on the website you’ll find him strumming along to his favorite tunes, spending time with his family, or learning to play the piano.