Old-school riffery from Richie Valens. But the song is probably best known for Los Lobos’s cover version. The highlight of that version being the outro. Here’s the start of it in the same, uke-friendly, key as I used for the riff.
If you want to play it in the original key, move everything up 7 frets – something like this. It’s much more difficult but still playable.
Part of the Guitar Riffs for Ukulele series.
lovely stuff, cheers!
cbf: So they are! Not the first time Dizzee Rascal has had a uke in his video.
mictoboy: You’re welcome.
Ha….I worked out La Bamba a few years ago…never getting it quite right….then I tried to translate the lyrics: “I’m not a sailor…I’m the captain!”
Cheers for that!
Dizee Rascal also has a ukulele in his next video for “Dirty Cash”….”how do I know that?” I hear you ask ;-)
Ha…just found the Diziee vid: http://vimeo.com/7200097
Have a look around the 1min 15 sec mark!!!!
But first…this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roexvcBm6h4
Al, good job on the riffs, headed for Baja soon so I will have to learn it.
Could you give a version of the strum you would use? Seems like the chords go C, F, G . And the fancy strum would be on the G?
Thanks
Ah mr. woodshed, once again! Keep them coming! There is nothing better that having a group of friends over and the look on their face with some of these fun lil riffs being portrayed so dynamically on the uke
Jimmy: Your presence in the Dizzee video was spotted by cardboardfrog. Nice work!
Art: I think it’s mostly the riff rather than strumming. Those are the chords for the original – you’d have to transpose the riff for it to fit those chords. Have a good time in Baja.
Noah: Glad you’re enjoy them.
Thanks, and nicely, smoothly played too.
Nice!
Thank you for this Woodshed.
howtoplayalone: Thanks!
Maxwell: You’re welcome.
Great!! But I have a problem..I don’t know how to play the second tab!! I´ve been trying to follow your song but my ukulele or me sound different!!! Some help please?? Thank!!
Just got the bug to Tune up my La Bamba playing and happened to recall your Riffs. Thanks for the Outro in both Keys. Stuff like this makes ukulele hacks like me sound pretty good. IF you get the inspiraton and time, work up some Latin Stums variations that fit.
i’ve been strumming my uke for 10 yrs and this was first attempt at a riff THANK YOU SO MUCH
Art: Thanks for the suggestion.
lj6902: Thanks very much. That’s great!
So (if I got it right), in case I would like to add strumming to this, the notes would be: F A# C ?
Tonijua: Yes, that’s right.
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excellent work mr woodshed, loving the riffs
i would also like to point out that the bobby mcgees have appeared amongst a rabble in the new dizzy rascal video, odd combo.