Your New Favorite Song to Learn on Ukulele: “If You Could Read My Mind”

Hey there, fellow ukulele enthusiasts! I’ve been playing the ukulele for a couple of years now and if there’s one song that I always recommend to someone who wants to learn fingerpicking on the uke, it’s “If You Could Read My Mind” by Gordon Lightfoot. This classic hit from the 70s is not only a joy to listen to, but it’s also a great song to play on the ukulele. In this blog post, I will give you all the reasons why you should learn this song, and how it can improve your fingerpicking skills. Read on and start strumming your way to a better uke player!

It’s a Folk Classic

“If You Could Read My Mind” is a folk classic that has been played on guitar for years. Many artists have covered the song, including Johnny Cash and Neil Young. But when played on the ukulele, it gives the song a different flavor. The sound of the uke is more mellow and soothing than the guitar, making it perfect for folk songs like this one. When you learn to play this song on your uke, you’re adding a new dimension to its sound, and that’s always a great thing.

Great Chord Progression

The chord progression of this song is simple, yet beautiful. The song opens with an A chord, followed by a G chord. These two chords are repeated throughout the song mainly but interspersed with the D, E7, F#m, and Bm7 chords, which add variation to the song. Playing these chords on the ukulele is straightforward, and having to switch between these chords repeatedly is good practice for your chord switching skills. I chose E7 because it’s easier to play than E on ukulele, and also, Bm7 is easier to play than Bm.

Fingerpicking Style

One of the reasons “If You Could Read My Mind” is such a great song to learn on ukulele is that it’s played in a fingerpicking style. Fingerpicking is a skill that requires practice and patience, but it’s essential in playing the ukulele. This song is perfect for learning fingerpicking because it’s repetitive, and the fingerpicking pattern is consistent throughout. Once you get the hang of it, you can play it over and over and watch as your fingerpicking skills improve.

Melodic Chorus

The chorus of this song is melodic and catchy. The melody is made up of simple notes that are easy to follow and sing along to. The melody itself is great training in finding the right pitch and hitting the correct notes. Translating this melody onto the ukulele requires careful attention to detail, but it’s a great exercise in learning how to play melodies on the uke.

Plethora of Accompaniment Styles

Playing this song on ukulele opens up many different styles of accompaniment. Not only can you play it fingerpicking style, but you can also strum it. You can even add a percussion element by adding some drumming techniques or by tapping the uke’s body with your picking hand. The possibilities are endless, and you can tailor the song to your own playing style.

Ukulele PDF of If You Could Read My Mind

Here is the ukulele PDF of If You Could Read My Mind

If You Could Read My Mind in ChordPro format

[A] [G] [A] [G]
[A] If you could read my mind love
[G] What a tale my thoughts could tell
[A] Just like an old time movie
[G]’bout a ghost from a wishin’ well
[A] In a castle dark or a [D]fortress strong
With [E7]chains upon my [F#m]feet
You [D]know that ghost is [A]me
And [D]I will never [A]be set free
As [Bm7]long as I’m a [E7]ghost that you can’t s[A]ee

[A] If I could read your mind love
[G] What a tale your thoughts could tell
[A] Just like a paperback novel
[G] The kind that drugstores sell
[A] When you reach the part where the [D]heartaches come
The [E7]hero would be m[F#m]e
But [D]heroes often [A]fail
And [D]you won’t read that [A]book again
Bec[Bm7]ause the ending’s j[E7]ust too hard to ta[A]ke

[A] [G] [A] [G]
[A]I’d walk away like a [D]movie star
Who gets [E7]burned in a three way s[F#m]cript
[D]Enter number [A]two
A [D]movie queen to [A]play the scene
Of [Bm7]bringing all the [E7]good things out in [F#m]me
But for [D]now love, let’s be [A]real
I [D]never thought I could [A]act this way
And I’ve [Bm7]got to say that I [E7]just don’t get it
[D]I don’t know where [A]we went wrong
But the [Bm7]feelin’s gone
And I [E7]just can’t get it [A]back

[A] [G] [A] [G]
[A] If you could read my mind love
[G] What a tale my thoughts could tell
[A] Just like an old time movie
[G]’bout a ghost from a wishin’ well
[A] In a castle dark or a [D]fortress strong
With [E7]chains upon my f[F#m]eet
But [D]stories always [A]end
And [D]if you read be[A]tween the lines
You’ll [Bm7]know that I’m just [E7]tryin’ to unders[F#m]tand
The [D]feelin’s that you [A]lack
I [D]never thought I could [A]feel this way
And I’ve [Bm7]got to say that I [E7]just don’t get it
[D]I don’t know where [A]we went wrong
But the [Bm7]feelin’s gone
And I [E7]just can’t get it [A]back [G] [A]

Conclusion

That’s it, folks! These are all the reasons why “If You Could Read My Mind” by Gordon Lightfoot is a great song to learn on the ukulele. It’s a classic folk song with a beautiful melody, great chord progression, played in a fingerpicking style, and opens up the possibility for various styles of accompaniment. Adding this song to your ukulele repertoire is a fantastic way to improve your fingerpicking skills, train your ear for melody, and have fun! So grab your uke and strum your way to a better uke player!