Cee Lo Green – F**k You (Chords)

Warning: Bad words abound.

Cee Lo Green – Fuck You (Chords)

I’ve resisted calls for posts on recent YouTube phenomenons Double Rainbow and Bed Intruder (because A Glorious Dawn is the pinnacle of autotune). But I had to do a post on Cee Lo Green’s new song. Partly because it’s packed with expletives (it’s not even the first time I’ve put up a song called Fuck You). But mostly because it’s a cracking tune and it’s finally given blokes their own I Will Survive-type break-up song.

Suggested Strumming

Here’s the strumming pattern I like to use for most of the song:

The only exception is the middle section where I just use one strum for most of the chords. At this stage, I should admit I’m not 100% sure of the chords in that section.

The guitar part works pretty well on the uke. Use these inversions of the chords:

And this strumming pattern:

Twiddly Bits

If you want to ape the bass/piano run-ups, try this:

Buy it on his website.

Requested by Larry.

View Comments

49 Comments

  1. Peter August 31st, 2010 7:26 pm

    I’ve been WAITING for you to put these up! Thanks a lot!!!!

  2. Gary August 31st, 2010 8:14 pm

    Excellent! Thanks for that, works really well … so well the Missus has immediately banned any public performance :( Or more specifically NOT to be played at the drinking session after the upcoming wedding of some friends.

    Ugh repeats of Wild Rover and Crocodile Rock when it get’s messy then

    Some people are too sensitive APPARENTLY ;)

  3. Jess M August 31st, 2010 9:03 pm

    Been recommending this song to my friends after hearing it on Radio 1, so I will have to try and learn how to play it!

  4. Jimmy August 31st, 2010 10:48 pm

    Brings a tear to my eye every time. Dang Cee-lo Green is awesome

  5. Bossarocker August 31st, 2010 10:50 pm

    Nice work, Al. You can never have too many fuck you songs.

  6. cardboardfrog August 31st, 2010 11:25 pm

    this song is so good and now i can play it before my friend pj,
    I Win.
    Thanks woodshed!

  7. Lyndsey September 1st, 2010 12:41 am

    AHAHAHAHAHA!!!
    This is the first time I’ve ever heard this song and I absolutely love it! I can’t say half of the lyrics, but still that doesn’t stop it from playing over and over in my head.
    Good work!

  8. Woodshed September 1st, 2010 8:49 pm

    Peter: You’re welcome.

    Gary: Missus? Wa-tish.

    Jess: Have fun with it.

    Jimmy: It is quite affecting in its way.

    Bossa: Perhaps I should make up the trio with Lily Allen’s.

    cbf: In your face, pj.

    Lyndsey: Be careful. There’s a dangerously thin line between ‘in your head’ and ‘out loud’.

  9. suzalele September 1st, 2010 10:13 pm

    this plain out rocks! I can think of so many ex bosses i’d like to send it to!

  10. Logan September 2nd, 2010 1:05 am

    Instant friend-impresser; nay, instant human-impresser. You continue to help me fool people into thinking I’m worth talking to.

  11. Amanda September 2nd, 2010 8:41 pm

    I was just trying to play this yesterday and of course you have it! Thank you!!

  12. Bob September 3rd, 2010 2:22 am

    Gahhhh, I don’t understand the strumming. It doesn’t seem to fit when I do it.

  13. Woodshed September 3rd, 2010 10:18 pm

    suzalele: I suppose that would work!

    Logan: Glad to help.

    Amanda: You’re welcome.

    Bob: Do you know how to read rhythms?

  14. Bob September 3rd, 2010 11:11 pm

    Eh, not really. Ukulele is the only thing i’ve ever tried to play, and I’m a noob at this even.

  15. Redmond September 6th, 2010 1:53 am

    I think this is a very fun song to play in more of a “lounge” way on the uke, instead of in the upbeat mo-town way Cee Lo does it. Especially because I can never hope to match Cee Lo’s vocals…

  16. Woodshed September 6th, 2010 2:07 pm

    Bob: I might put up an mp3 of the strummings when I get back from my break.

    Redmond: Nice one. I think you should always try to add your own spin on songs you cover.

  17. amy September 7th, 2010 5:31 am

    Catchy tune!!I have an adult child and two teens…can’t wait to play this one for them…thanks

  18. Brenna September 10th, 2010 4:21 pm

    This is so excellent.

  19. Woodshed September 14th, 2010 11:30 am

    amy: Hooray for sweary mums!

    Brenna: Entirely agreed.

  20. Tally September 18th, 2010 6:49 pm

    I’ve been listening to this song non-stop for three days (it’s been that kind of week), and then I went to look up the chords and wound up here. I’d totally forgotten you’d posted these.

  21. Gaby September 19th, 2010 10:03 am

    This song is beautiful.

  22. Woodshed September 20th, 2010 10:10 pm

    Tally: Are you going to be doing a video of it? I’m enjoying your new sweary direction.

    Gaby: Beautiful isn’t the word that sprung to my mind but I see where you’re coming from.

  23. Tally September 20th, 2010 10:11 pm

    I’m considering it. I was planning to record a cover of it this afternoon and then I wrote “Oh Shit” instead. My grandma’s not going to be sharing that one with her friends!

  24. brian December 4th, 2010 5:09 am

    I’m happy to see this up here.. but like Bob, I’m not sure I’m reading the strumming notation.. is it

    D(chnk) – D (miss) D U – (miss) U D – D U D U ?

    That’s the best I could write it out.. I’d be interested in listening to that potential mp3 of you playing it out

  25. GettingAwesome January 18th, 2011 4:32 am

    I love this song and I love you for putting this up! AND I would love that mp3 of the strumming pattern!

  26. asli January 23rd, 2011 3:42 am

    Ok we messed up the chords a bit but we had so much fun so i wanted to share with you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx6CROckr4Y

  27. Amande March 7th, 2011 5:25 pm

    I just recently bought a Ukulele and I want to learn how to play. Only does not understand what Swipe technique to use? I do not care whether it is playing?

  28. Inner Prop April 1st, 2011 12:17 pm

    So should I do it the Glee way?

  29. swormy April 1st, 2011 10:37 pm

    Hi there! Is there an audio version? I’m having major problems just trying to learn the strumming pattern

  30. Viola Harpstrings April 17th, 2011 2:57 am

    Well, I’ve always been an easy one to amuse, and I think this is funny as hell!

  31. David May 9th, 2011 5:32 pm

    For anyone having problems with sensitive listeners, the radio version may be appropriate – “Forget You”

    A pretty easy substitution…

  32. Woodshed May 15th, 2011 12:12 pm

    brian: No, it’s just as it’s written:

    d – d – d u – u d – d u d u

    GettingAwesome: Thanks.

    asli: Nice work!

    Inner Prop: Absolutely not.

    swormy: No, there isn’t.

    Viola: Me too!

    David: It also ruins the song completely.

  33. pox January 7th, 2012 3:40 am

    i just started picking up the ukulele and i’ve got no background in music…so i apologise for this beginner question. how do i know how many strums go between one chord and the other? and does the strumming pattern restart or continue when the chord changes?

  34. Woodshed January 7th, 2012 12:31 pm

    pox: Read this post and this post.

  35. GMB January 27th, 2012 10:16 am

    Ben Folds has a pretty good breakup song.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVk_e31dnlE&ob=av3e

  36. (: July 3rd, 2012 3:11 am

    I still don’t get the strumming pattern! please help!! could you put up the mp3 for the strumming pattern please :D

  37. thehopeless July 19th, 2012 8:15 pm

    The mp3 for strumming would be enthusiastically received!

  38. Newbieuke July 21st, 2012 6:34 pm

    I am very new to the uke and still working from books but please explain… These are just chords over the text of the song, how do I read this? One strum per syllable or wha???

  39. Woodshed July 23rd, 2012 8:19 pm

    Newbieuke: Hopefully this post will be some use to you.

  40. BassistWithAnUke September 12th, 2012 2:56 pm

    Nice one. Maybe you could post What a Wonderfull Life?

  41. Cynthia December 28th, 2012 4:56 pm

    I was wondering, could you tell exactly at what part you only use one strum?

  42. Woodshed December 29th, 2012 11:34 am

    Cynthia: The bit that’s labelled “Middle” on the chord sheet.

  43. Cynthia December 30th, 2012 10:37 pm

    Ahw could have think of that, haha.
    Sorry, thanks!

  44. Woodshed December 31st, 2012 9:04 am

    Cynthia: No problem.

  45. oreo May 16th, 2013 4:12 am

    i dont get the strumming pattern. its confusing

  46. Joshua January 13th, 2015 5:46 pm

    Does that mean the strumming pattern is one and a half bars? Sorry if I’m opening up an old thread but I don’t understand it! Thanks in advance for the advice

  47. Tien August 6th, 2015 8:46 pm

    Has anyone realized that the “Fuck you” is conveniently on the F chord? Haha

  48. Woodshed August 6th, 2015 9:38 pm

    Tien: Good point!

  49. Dinis June 1st, 2016 5:45 pm

    Anyone got a recording of the strumming? :) I though I got it but it doesn’t seem to “fit”.

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