I have to admit that, since I featured her first uke video way back when, I’ve neglected Julia Nunes. Truth be told, I’m still a little on the fence about her. Nevertheless, there’s no denying the charm of this version of Build Me Up, Buttercup.
These chords are the Nunes version, but they’re very similar to the original version by The Foundations (they’re both in the key of C).
Why, oh why, didn’t I have an ukulele in my dorm room?
I think of the trouble I could have stayed out of…
This video is darn right adorable.
Fantastic recording and such a good example of just what you can do with a uke, especially if you have such a good singing voice!
Steve, Ukuleles Canberra, AUSTRALIA
she plays with a pick, thats forgivable when you consider she sings well and plays well as well!
i think a lot of people are aprehensive with her because shes a pretty girlie personally.
shes great though, maybe we should send her some felt picks?
I agree with Woodshed, but I am in Julia’s debt for inspiring me to work out Spoon’s “The Underdog”, which works amazingly well for solo ukulele.
I find this girl tolerably goofy.
Gary: Still on the fence, I’m afraid. As for the cute issue, she’s one of the few ukulele girls I’ve never had a crush on.
LonnaB: I’m not sure I want to know what trouble you got in. Who am I kidding? Of course I do.
Steve: Thanks for mentioning Uke Hunt on your site.
Cardboardfrog: I think we could stretch to some felt picks between us.
Mike: That’s definitely one thing to thank her for.
Iain: That’s a good way of putting it.
I like her a lot because she makes the ukulele look like fun, which it is. I’m sorry but those terribly serious guys with the intricate fingerpicking and the Beatle’s songbooks are booorrrinnngg. There, I’ve said it. Maybe, if I keep practicing I’ll become a serious musician, but I hope not. Until, then, even though I’m not particularly cute myself, I want to be like Julia Nunes.
Don’t get me wrong, I love your lesson books and the theory stuff you post, but the ukulele is still the instrument of innocent merriment.
XXOO
Whatever else you can say about her, there is no doubt that shes having fun when she plays.
Better than hot buttered toast. Absolutely delightful. Who cares about the stupid pick. Get real, she’s real.
Am I nuts or is she not playing the chords listed on the pdf? The first chord doesn’t sound like just C, and the second chord she’s not even fingering the same as the one listed…
Is the fence painful?
Julia absolutely rocks and I very tempted to learn Uke and lead worship with it at church to see the reaction
Julia is an absolute cutie pie….with a voice like an angel…in a quirky kinda way.
Listening to her puts a smile on this old mans face every time….
H.M III
Julia is even more wonderful than she seems. And music is about that joy of creating something beautiful. Its silly to judge a contemporary pop artist on their technique. She shouldn’t have to be Ravi Shankar or Yo Yo Ma for her music to be considered good and legitimate! I wish her the best not because of her talent, which is great, but because of her fearlessness in opening herself up artistically and personally to whoever takes the time to listen. That’s an artist as far as I’m concerned.
shes in college? haha i thought she was 8
I’m still new at the ukulele, and would really like to learn this song, but I cant get the strum pattern down. Does anybody know what it is?
I honestly didn’t like her at first. It was her voice.
But she honestly grew on me! She inspires me to have fun on my uke when I get bored with Beruit covers :]. And now I love her voice! Especially for Say Anything covers.
So chill out everyone :D.
yes i cant work out the strum pattern eitherr.
can anyone help?
Need help with the strum if anyone can oblige.
Ok I’m going waaay back to the beginning of this conversation, but Julia Nunes is DEFINITELY cute/cool/fun, etc. She’s AMAZING!!! The fact that she’s so personal, and having so much fun is what makes her music so alive. And if you ever go see her live, she takes the time to talk to you and be nice to you, and make each and every one of you feel like a million bucks. Her videos are what made me pick up the uke… I suck really hard, but I keep playing it, cause every time she posts a new video all I wanna do for hours is play my crappy uke.
And by the way, this site is pretty much the only site I can use, so thank you!
I use a guitar pick playing my ukulele. I don’t see the problem, Just cause it’s not proffesional or standard doesn’t mean that it changes the fact that she’s playing her ukulele. Alls she’s doing is having fun and she figured all the chords out by herself u know. It doesn’t matter.
I never realized that guitar picks were taboo! Nunes is a wonderful reminder of what (i think) playing ukulele should be: good fun. I hopped right over that fence the first time I saw one of her videos :]
anyone know how to strum this? im trying to improv it but i run into trouble after the chorus. great song by the way
I love the uke and i have to say that this song is great & she plays it well & sings it well. I really like her videos i thinks she’s great. Long may she post her video’s!!
I think she’s great and couldn’t care less about the pick (you’re getting caught up in something so trivial)
Listen up guys,
i found the strum pattern:
D U UDU
D- stroke down
U- stroke up
Liz, I tried that and it doesn’t sound quite right. I’m completely new to uke (and music at that..) but I feel like it’s missing counts?
Am I missing something?
got the strum pattern but at the end of the chorus the pattern changes a little and then goes back….i got the pattern change but cant transition back…. ANY HELP???
I’m playing this on my uke. I’m a beginner and teaching myself so I can’t tell you how much this helps.
*is Julia Nunes’s biggest fan*
i think that julia is great! she may not be perfect but she is very talented and very funny! you should do some more of her songs and covers, like love, mr. brightside, or maybe one of her originals. i know that there are a lot of people looking for the chords to her songs. i have looked for some of her chords myself and i can find very few accurate ones. just a suggestion.
Who cares if she plays with a pick?
I see a lot professional players with over grown finger nails pretty much the same as a pick.
Andrew: Fingernails don’t restrict your strumming the same way picks do.
There are lots of different techniques that you can use for any instrument,and in this case for a ukulele a plectrum (pick) is a different technique. It gives a different sound and gives you the ability to strum faster and harder without hurting yourself. Mainly i use my fingers, but on certain occasions or for certain song i have used a pick.
So giver her a break, she is a great singer and ukulele player.
[…] Build Me Up Buttercup […]
I saw her live when she came to perform in Atlanta. Definitely fun to listen to, and definitely fun to talk to. She’s not afraid to be a normal person, like all of us. (seems like she truly enjoys getting to know her fans)
Hey, this is awesome! I’m 13 and I’ve been playing the uke for 4 weeks and i have this song nailed it helped a lot. Julia is great and she’s pretty (: you should feature her more often cos she’s fantastic(: so thanks don’t ever stop being awesome – dizzy(:
Hi, I was wondering what ukulele she’s playing in this video? Just curious, I’m on a search for a uke myself.
Kat: I think it’s a Bushman Jenny model.
Anyone know the strumming patterns for this song?
It’s raining outside and because of Julia it’s sunny in my house. Thanks Julia for who you are.
U r my idol. U r sooo inspiring.<3 u. Amazing
I love Julia I originally discovered her from her albums on iTunes she has some great songs and lots of personality and then I found out that I live in the same town as her! pretty cool
This girl is amazing
Julia doesn’t really use a pick to play anymore and she just went on tour and was on Connan O’Brian. She has gotten a lot better playing and singing.
I really wish you would add some of her more recent songs to the site because I LOVE them and really want to learn to play them since I already know all the lyrics :P
Ariel: Plenty of Nunes chords here.
I think I’m making the strum pattern a lot harder than it is. What is she doing?
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Get off the fence! She’s cute!
Okay, she strums with a guitar pick. But give her time: she’s only a freshman in college…
Did you see that she’s opening for Ben Folds? Pretty swell. Gp