This song won a Grammy for Bill Withers as Best R&B Song in 1972. Written in 1971, Withers was a factory worker who was struggling to go pro as a musician. He claimed the inspiration for this song came from viewing the movie, Days of Wine and Roses. The song had a huge resurgence of interest in the UK as well as Canada and the US in 1999 when it was used in a scene montage in the popular Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts movie, Notting Hill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1hvjPrjv2s
In Withers’ original recording, every instrument used was acoustic, so this song sounds best when played on an ukulele strung with a Low G string. The chord and strum pattern used are Am (4 strums), C (2 strums) G (2 strums), back to Am.
Ain’t No Sunshine
Intro: Am //// C // G //, Am //// C // G //
[N.C.]Ain’t no sunshine when she’s [Am]gone [C][G]
[Am]It’s not [C]warm when [G]she’s a- [Am]way [C][G][Am]
Ain’t no [C]sunshine [G]when she’s [Dm7]gone,
and she’s always gone too [Em]long,
anytime she goes a-[Am] way……[C][G][Am]
–
Wonder [C]this time [G]where she’s [Am]gone [C][G][Am]
Wonder [C]if she’s [G]gone to [Am]stay [C][G][Am]
Ain’t no [C]sunshine [G]when she’s [Dm7]gone,
and this house just ain’t no [Em]home,
anytime she goes a-[Am] way……[C][G][Am]
Anytime she goes a-[Am] way…….[C][G][Am]
–
[N.C.] I know, I know, I know, I know, I know…… 26 X’s
I oughta [Dm7]LEAVE the young thing alone [Dm7-Em7-Am]
[Am]But there ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone! [C][G][Am]
–
Ain’t no [C]sunshine [G]when she’s [Am]gone [C][G][Am]
Only [C]dark-ness [G]every [Am]day…[C][G][Am]
Ain’t no [C]sunshine [G]when she’s [Dm7]gone,
and this house just ain’t no [Em]home,
anytime she goes a-[Am] way! [C][G][Am]
Anytime she goes a-[Am] way! [C][G][Am]
Anytime she goes a-[Am] way! [C][G][Am]
Cat's Ukulele Songs 