Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine) – You Always Hurt the Ones You Love (Chords)

Ryan Gosling – You Always Hurt the Ones You Love (Chords)

There’s a new film out with a ukulele song in it. So far, so blah. Here’s the part that will blow your mind: the song isn’t Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Instead he’s playing a lovely old tune that’s very well suited to the uke. I’d love to hear someone really good do this on uke. like Patsy Monteleone. I’ve written up Gosling’s version, but if you want a more jazzy take on it check out Dr Uke (it’s number 522).

In this version, he’s tuned – in the loosest sense – two frets down to roughly f Bb D G. But I’ve written up the chord shapes as if it was standard tuning.

Suggested Strumming

Something simple will get you through the song:

d – d u d u d u

The only possible hick-up might be the occasional passing chord he throws in. For example, in the intro you’d strum it something like this:

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52 Comments

  1. L.bo Marie February 1st, 2011 9:06 pm

    YAY!!!

  2. Ron Hale February 1st, 2011 9:18 pm

    It is a very sweet old tune, Al. Are
    you planning a video competition this year or do all the complaints (guilty as charged) just make all the work too much of a hassle?

  3. pinta_vodki February 1st, 2011 9:44 pm

    Wow, thanks a lot!! I was even going to e-mail you to ask for this song, and now here it is. =)

  4. b February 2nd, 2011 12:33 am

    Thanks for this. I was trying to figure this out, too, but the tuning seems different. Dr. Uke’s seems to be in the same key, but your transcription is definitely how Gosling plays the song. I’d guess his uke is tuned differently.

  5. Emily February 2nd, 2011 1:29 am

    Super cute. Thanks, Al!

  6. Woodshed February 2nd, 2011 10:27 am

    L.bo: W00T!

    Ron: Don’t worry, nominations start today. You won’t miss your chance to have a grumble.

    pinta: Telepathic tabbing.

    b: Yes, Dr Uke’s is in the same key. This one is tuned down two frets.

    Emily: You’re welcome.

  7. L.bo Marie February 2nd, 2011 3:23 pm

    um.. so I just saw a video floating around out there… something about today being world ukulele day?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sbTpOvDZ24

  8. marcie February 2nd, 2011 6:13 pm

    OMGGG YESS
    Thanks.

  9. Cpoint February 2nd, 2011 6:19 pm

    Greaaaat song ! I’ve never heard about it before, thank you !

  10. b February 2nd, 2011 6:33 pm

    Goodness, I completely missed the portion where you already explained the different tuning (I went straight to the PDF which says it’s in standard tuning). My apologies.

    Again, thanks!

  11. Woodshed February 2nd, 2011 10:08 pm

    L.bo: Every day is World Ukulele Day in my house.

    marcie: You’re welcome.

    Cpoint: Glad I could introduce it to you.

    b: Hmm, it shouldn’t say it in the PDF either. If it’s not clear I might have to change it.

  12. Graymalkin February 3rd, 2011 8:10 pm

    Gosling rocks – he was jointly responsible for my favourite album of 2009 (the awesome ‘Dead Man’s Bones’). Any chance of any DMB songs on the site (hint hint)?

  13. Jess February 4th, 2011 6:32 pm

    Ever since I saw the preview Ive been wanting to learn this song! I’m so glad you posted it!!!! Thanks a Bunch! Also are there some other good songs in the same tuning you could recommend? Thanks Again!

  14. Laouik March 4th, 2011 1:17 am

    (It’s now #530 on Dr Uke’s list…)

  15. Agnes March 4th, 2011 9:55 pm

    hi! I’ve been reading that there are different kinds of Ukuleles and since i don’t know much about it… I wanted to know if anyone can help me what kinds is the one Ryan Gosling plays in Blue Valentine.

    Thank you@

  16. Woodshed March 6th, 2011 11:00 am

    Graymalkin: Probably not, I’m afraid.

    Jess: You’re welcome.

    Laouik: Balls! I didn’t realise it worked like that.

    Agnes: Very hard to tell what he’s playing from the clip, I’m afraid. Get a soprano and you’ll be in the right territory.

  17. Tony June 3rd, 2011 3:34 pm

    Thank you very much for this tab. I just got my Uke this week (Hilo Standard) and this was the song that inspired it. Your website is wonderful and well thought out. Thank you!

  18. Woodshed June 4th, 2011 10:21 am

    Tony: Thanks very much! Hope you’re enjoying your new uke.

  19. rik June 9th, 2011 6:46 pm

    how do you play D7??????????????????????????????????????

  20. Woodshed June 10th, 2011 11:03 am

    rik: 2223 (from g to A).

  21. krabbetreigh July 25th, 2011 7:26 am

    I’m not sure why I don’t understand this, but is this arrangement meant to be played with the lower tuning or just regular?

  22. Woodshed July 26th, 2011 8:55 am

    krabbeteigh: He’s tuned f Bb D G (roughly).

  23. dizzel86 August 3rd, 2011 9:45 am

    I’ve been wanting to learn how to play this song ever since I’ve heard it. I finally have my own Uke, and look at what I stumbled upon. My wish came true! :D Thanks!

  24. rik August 19th, 2011 8:02 am

    im sorry i still don’t nderstand D7

  25. Woodshed August 20th, 2011 7:17 am

    dizzel86: You’re welcome!

    rik: What don’t you understand about it?

  26. minimerrald August 27th, 2011 6:18 pm

    now i’ve been tuning my ukulele for quite some time. and read. and listen. the sound isn’t right like his, and the strumming isn’t right (used your strumming patterns help) and nothing adds up with his strumming.

    overall = i don’t know when to switch chords cause it seems in my strumming it’s in the middle, and in his its in the end of 1234.

    i’m so lost

  27. gary richards October 20th, 2011 1:43 pm

    The uke playing is great, Marian’s dancing is sweet, innocent and MAGNIFICENT

  28. Woodshed October 21st, 2011 7:29 am

    gary: I wouldn’t call the uke playing ‘great’. Characterful, perhaps.

  29. aure November 16th, 2011 10:19 am

    oh thanks so much

  30. Minimerrald November 16th, 2011 7:22 pm

    now i’ve been tuning my ukulele for quite some time. and read. and listen. the sound isn’t right like his, and the strumming isn’t right (used your strumming patterns help) and nothing adds up with his strumming.

    overall = i don’t know when to switch chords cause it seems in my strumming it’s in the middle, and in his its in the end of 1234.

    i’m so lost

  31. Gabby December 30th, 2011 6:58 pm

    I just bought my roommate an uke for Christmas! She has never played an instrument before but I know she wants to learn how to play this song. Is there anything I can buy her or show her that could be helpful for her to learn this song?

    Or is this not a good beginner’s learning song?

    I apologize for all of the questions. I love music but I can be musically challenged when it comes to the technical part of it. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!

  32. Andrew December 31st, 2011 5:32 am

    Gabby- the suggested strumming isnt exactly right. i suggest that ur roommate get a feel for the strumming here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EMVCMxasEY&feature=related

    the tab seems to be a bit off from the way he plays it, but it does kinda work. its not too hard to learn for a beginner, the only thing i think your roomie would struggle with is switching to G7 and D7

  33. Andrew December 31st, 2011 5:41 am

    Gabby- forgot to mention, i’d get a tuner for your roommate.

  34. giusi January 22nd, 2012 11:56 am

    Hi everyone!!

    The video has been removed for this page, I got everything from here http://ukulelehunt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/YouAlwaysHurt.pdf.

    I am totally new to this instrument and to music as well. I am following the instruction using d-dududu.

    but for me is not clear when i have to change the accords. Shall I play the d-dududu for each of them?

    How can I play the D7? 2223? So i will use all my four fingers: first three on the second fret and the fourth on the third fret, right?

    thank you very much to anyone that will help me.

  35. jen April 29th, 2012 4:22 am

    I’m totally hearing DDU UDU for the strumming pattern…. am I just crazy…

  36. Katie May 10th, 2012 12:49 am

    So are you saying he is playing it with a different tuning but you have tabbed it ask that we can play it with standard tuning? Sorry if I’m being completely inept…

  37. Woodshed May 16th, 2012 10:48 am

    Katie: You can do it either way. But if you use standard tuning it’ll be in a different key to his version.

  38. easty May 29th, 2012 8:27 pm

    i agree with jen, it drives me mad… HEPL!!!? whats the true pattern?

  39. Solar July 6th, 2012 3:59 am

    To play it in standard tuning the chords are Bb major, D min, G min, Eb major, 2310 chord (sorry don’t know what it is), and C7.

    You probably can figure out where they fit by substituting these chords with what they have in the pdf file.

  40. Sickman July 29th, 2012 5:33 am

    love this song and BLUE VALENTINE !!!!

  41. Jess September 10th, 2012 3:17 pm

    i actually figured out the chords of it on the guitar, but i forgot, and now i think i wana learn it on the uke.

  42. aline van aerschot October 20th, 2012 11:56 pm

    Have you ever made any video of this song? It would be so great to have a newer version (the link is no more valid) and a good version, made by you!

  43. Woodshed October 22nd, 2012 7:57 am

    aline: No plans to do a video, I’m afraid.

  44. Ellie January 16th, 2013 12:30 pm

    I’m pretty sure the strumming pattern for this (not including the intro) is actually D-DUDUD. It seems to fit much better.

  45. Ellie January 16th, 2013 1:06 pm

    Actually ignore that, it seems that D-DU-UDU fits perfectly.

  46. Woodshed January 16th, 2013 10:06 pm

    Ellie: Thanks. Both those should work just fine.

  47. Jasmine June 11th, 2013 5:55 am

    I covered this, making a few changes. maybe a girl’s voice can put a new spin to it :

    ) By the way thank you so much for creating this website and writing up all these chords, truly this website is the whole reason I can *somewhat* play my beloved uke!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMVWLyazEaI

  48. Woodshed June 11th, 2013 4:58 pm

    Jasmine: Excellent work! Thanks very much for the kind words.

  49. trebor June 27th, 2013 2:47 pm

    how come he plays left hand in this video, and right hand in the movie???

  50. Woodshed June 28th, 2013 10:50 pm

    trebor: He’s playing right handed in that video.

  51. trebor June 29th, 2013 12:07 am

    yeah, youù,re right Woodshed! sorry, i’ve lost my head!

  52. Keane December 19th, 2013 11:28 pm

    Hi, at which point during the strumming do you swtich Cords? Im very confused on this point

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