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Updated 80’s Song

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When I was attending high school in the early 80’s, and then University in the later 80’s, one of my favorite bands was Heart. Maybe because they were both girls and they both rocked it! I don’t know, but their hit What About Love? was a rock ‘n’ roll radio station standard of the times that played well into the 90’s. Some of my fondest memories of that time involve hanging with my friends at the Norfolk County Fair while many Heart songs were played on rides, such as The Polar Express.

Last year (2013) I discovered this great Canadian band out of Montreal called Lucky Uke. They are an all-uke band, and are fairly famous. They were asked to sing a duet with Colbie Callait called Please Please Stay.

Upon performing an extensive Youtube search, I discovered Lucky Uke’s cover of What About Love?, and went to their website to download the lyrics and chords. The chords I provide here are exactly the same ones that are used by the band. They did not indicate chord placement, nor did they provide chord boxes, and also they left out parts they added, such as  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah”, and also the last 6 lines of their arrangement for their video. I have attached a PDF of my version to this post with the chord boxes, so when you listen to their video via Youtube you will be able to play and sing along somewhat accurately if not perfectly. 🙂

WHAT ABOUT LOVE?

I’ve been [Gm] lonely, [Eb]    I’ve been [Bb] waiting for [F]you

I’m pre-[Gm]tending, [Eb]    and that’s [Bb] all I can [F] do

[Gm] The love I’m [Eb] sending, ain’t [Bb] making it [F] through to your [Eb] heart…..

–

You’ve been [Gm] hiding, [Eb]    never [Bb] letting it [F] show

Always [Gm] trying, [Eb] to keep it [Bb] under con-[F]trol

[Gm]  You got it [Eb] down and, you’re [Bb] well on the [F] way to the [Eb] top…

–                       

But there’s [F] somethin’  that you [F] forgot!

–                           

What about [Bb] LOVE?  Don’t you [Eb] want someone to [F] care about you?

What about [Bb] LOVE?  Don’t [Eb] let it slip a-[F]way-ay-ay!

What about [Bb] LOVE?  I [Eb] only want to [F] share it with you

You might [Eb] need it someday….

–

I can’t [Gm] tell you, [Eb]    what you’re [Bb] feelin’ in-[F]side

I can’t [Gm] sell you, [Eb]     what you [Bb] don’t want to [F] buy

[Gm]  Something’s [Eb] missing and you [Bb] got to look [F] back on your [Eb] life

–                    

You know [F] somethin’   just   ain’t  right!!

– 

What about [Bb] LOVE?  Don’t you [Eb] want someone to [F] care about you?

What about [Bb] LOVE?  Don’t [Eb] let it slip a-[F]way-ay-ay!

What about [Bb] LOVE?  I [Eb] only want to [F] share it with you,

       I only want to [F] share it with you-oo….Oh!

[Bb]  Yeah, [Eb] yeah, yeah, [F] yeaaaaaah.

[Bb]  Yeah, [Eb] yeah, yeah, [F] yeaaaaaah.

–  

REPEAT CHORUS

– 

What about [Bb] LOVE?  Don’t you [Eb] want someone to [F] care about you?

What about [Bb] LOVE?  Don’t [Eb] let it slip a-[F]way-ay-ay!

What about [Bb] LOVE?  I [Eb] only want to [F] share it with you,

You might [Eb] need it someday, you might [F] need it someday!

– 

You might [Bb] need it, [Eb]   you might [F] need it

You might [Bb] need it some[Eb]day,   you might [F] need it someday….

–                                                   

What about [Bb] love?      [Eb]    What a-[F]bout it?

What about [Bb] love?      [Eb]    What a-[F]bout it?

 

[Bb]  Yeah, [Eb] yeah, yeah, [F] yeaaaaaah.

 

What about [Bb]love??????

Love Song by the Cure

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Love Song by the Cure, c. 1989.

Covered by reggae band 311 for the sound track of the movie 50 First Dates (2005); currently covered by British singer Adele (2011).

Lovesong by the Cure

4/4 time, 4 beats per chord. Can be played with bounce rhythm: emphasize the 2nd and 4th beats.

Intro: Am G F E7

Am – – – – – – – – – – G – – – – – – – F – – – – – – – – -E7

Whenever – – – – – I’m alone with – you

You make me –  – feel like I am – – home again

Whenever – – – – – I’m alone with – you

You make me –  – feel like I am – – whole again

Break:  Am  G   F   E7  (Riff – if you know it)

Am – – – – – – – – – – G – – – – – – – – F – – – – – – – – -E7

Whenever – – – – – I’m alone with – you

You make me –  – feel like I am – – young again

Whenever – – – – – I’m alone with – you

You make me –  – feel like I am – – fun again

Chorus:

F – – – – – – – – – – G7 – – – – – – – – Am – – – – – – – – C – – – –

However – – – far away – – – – – – – – – – – I will – – always love you

However – – – long I stay – – – – – – – – – -I will – – always love you

Whatever – – -words I say – – – – – – – – -I will – – always love you

 – – – – – – I will always love you    Am  G   F   E7

Break:  Am  G   F   E7

Am – – – – – – – – – – G – – – – – – – F – – – – – – – – -E7

Whenever – – – – – I’m alone with – you

You make me –  – feel like I am – – free again

Whenever – – – – – I’m alone with – you

You make me –  – feel like I am – – clean again

Chorus: end on Am @ “you”

Ain’t No Sunshine

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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.

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]

 

Gimme One Reason

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Gimme One Reason by Tracey Chapman was a blow-out hit following her 1988 chart topper with Fast Car. It took another 7 years before one of her songs topped the charts and it was this R&B song in 1995.

If you know the song, it will relatively easy for you to navigate the fret board with this easy chord progression, all in 7th’s: G7, C7, D7, C#7.

Gimme One Reason – Tracey Chapman

*Very slow tempo

CHORUS:

[G7]Gimme one reason to stay here

[C7] and I’ll [D7]turn right back a [G7]round.

[C7]Gimme one reason to stay here

       and I’ll [D7]turn right back a [G7]round.

Said, I [D7]don’t wanna leave you [D7]lone-[C#7] ly[C7],

You got to [D7]make me change my [G7]mind.

–

[G7]Baby, I got your number,

[C7]and I [D7]know that you got [G7]mine.

[C7]You know that I called you – I have [D7]called too many [G7]times.

You can [D7]call me, baby

[C#7]You can [C7]call me anytime

[D7]But you got to [G7]call me.

–

CHORUS

–

[G7] I don’t want no one to squeeze me,

[C7]they might [D7]take away my [G7]life.

I don’t [C7]want no one to squeeze me,

they might [D7]take away my [G7]life.

I just [D7]want someone to hold [C#7]me [C7]

and [D7]rock me through the [G7]night.

–

[G7] This youthful heart can love you,

[C7]Yeah, and [D7]give you what you [G7]need.

I said this [C7]youthful heart can love you,

Yeah, and [D7]give you what you [G7]need.

But I’m [D7]too old to go chasing [C#7]you a[C7]round

Wastin’ my [D7]precious ener[G7]gy.

–

CHORUS

–

[G7] Baby! Just give me one reason

[C7] Give me [D7]just one reason [G7]why.

Baby! [C7]Just give me one reason

Give me [D7]just one reason [G7]why I should stay.

Said, I [D7]told you that I loved you, [C#7] [C7]

and there [D7]ain’t no more to [G7]say!

One last interesting tidbit: Tracey Chapman was raised in Cleveland, OH, by her mother who bought her an ukulele at age 3. So, even though she graduated to a guitar by age 8 and remains a stellar player to this day, I like to believe that the uke is still her first love.