Israel Kamakawiwo’ole/Jason Castro – Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Chords)

I never thought I’d be putting this song on the blog. But, when I realised even Simon Cowell isn’t too hard-hearted and cynical to be won over by a song’s charm, I reconsidered my position. Despite the obligatory American Idol warblings, I thought Jason Castro made a pretty good stab at the song.

His version of the chords are simpler than Brudda IZ’s – particularly since the intro is missed off – which makes it ideal for beginners. The strumming pattern varies throughout the song, but good starting place is:

Down, down (pause)
Up, down, up
Up, down, up
Up, down, up

All that for each chord.

To answer Julie’s question it’s an Oscar Schmidt ukulele. I’d guess it’s an Oscar Schmidt OU5. One thing it’s definitely not is a guitar. Bloody Paula Abdul.

A big thanks to Jeff for alerting me to this performance.

UPDATE: A very IZ-inspired ukulele version turned up on Glee last night. Here’s a video: