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  • The Doors – Riders on the Storm (Tabs)

    The Doors – Riders on the Storm (Tab)Download

    Here’s one for everyone who is into The Doors: Riders on the Storm.

    Intro: The intro has hardest part of the whole song: the long legato line in bar 7. I’ve cut it much shorter than the original, but it’s still a challenge. Particularly since it needs to be played smoothly as it’s intended to evoke rain.

    Verse: Nothing much to worry about here. I’ve included the little twangy guitar riff in the first and third verses (e.g. bar 13). You can mix and match that with the straight chords in the second verse however you like.

    Solo: This is loosely based on the original guitar solo. Feel free to come up with your own version. But I recommend using lots of hammer-ons and pull-offs with a few bluesy bends to keep the feel of the original.

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  • Where Everybody Knows Your Name (Cheers Theme)(Tabs)

    Where Everybody Knows Your Name (Cheers Theme)(Tab)Download

    Here’s my take on Cheers theme in tribute to George Wendt. I thought I’d done this one years ago (with it being one of the best theme tunes of all time) but it seems not.

    The tune starts out simple enough. Next, things get jazzy in bars 7-9. Then it’s right to the top of the neck for the chorus. Things get decidedly fiddly up there. I did try out shifting the whole section down an octave. It works but it didn’t have the same joyful hit it has in the original.

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  • Pearl Jam – Better Man (Tabs)

    Pearl Jam – Better Man (Tab)Download

    I don’t think I’ve ever anticipated an album more than I did Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy. At the time, I was disappointed it wasn’t as exciting as Ten and Vs. But in hindsight, it’s clear they were transitioning into being a band that would be around for decades. And that’s reflected in Better Man, which wasn’t even released as a single but has become one of their most enduring and popular songs.

    This one is pretty straightforward. Even the riff and the verse are almost identical. But I have shifted a couple of notes from the g-string to the A-string to create a bit of contrast.

    The first half of the song is all fingerpicking. After bar 44, there’s a lot more strumming going on. And it’s after that change that the biggest challenge of the song crops up: the transition from C to D at the end of bar 46. I found it tricky to barre across the second fret and hit the E-string, 3rd fret.

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  • Red Hot Chili Peppers – Otherside (Tabs)

    Red Hot Chili Peppers – Otherside (Tab)Download

    RHCP’s Otherside fits nicely on the uke. Just some fast melody notes to deal with. And the easiest solo in guitar history.

    Intro: A combination of the bass and guitar parts to create a little bit of counterpoint.

    Chorus: A simple melody and familiar chord shapes make this section an easy one.

    Verse: A bit more tricky with a more rapid melody requiring some alternate picking.

    Bridge: I’ve cut this section down to just the melody part in the second half. It’s the toughest section to play. The melody switches between the g-string and the A-string (where you play the A-string, 5th fret).

    Solo: A short and easy solo.

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  • Doris Day – Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (Tabs)

    Doris Day – Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (Tab)Download

    Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps started life as Quizás, Quizás, Quizás written by Osvaldo Farrés. Since then, it’s been covered by people as varied as Bing Crosby, Cake and Andrea Bocelli. But the most famous is Doris Day’s version. Which I based this arrangement on.

    Intro: Starting off with the cool, staccato riff. First an octave up. Then in first position (where it’s played when it crops up later in the song).

    Verse: I like to be a little late to some notes in the verse. Particularly the Gm chord at the start of bar 9. This matches the lyrics about hesitation and stalling.

    Chorus: The chorus shifts up the fretboard and is much more strident. I’ve thrown in a couple of licks in bars 17 and 21 that you can change to your own tastes.

    Solo: And feel free to come up with your own version of the solo, too. In this solo, I’m using the G natural minor scale. Plus some chromatic notes in bar 28 to lead into the C minor chord.

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  • Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen in Love (Tabs)

    Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen in Love (Tab)Download

    Intro: Well worth learning the opening even if you don’t bother with the rest of it. It’s the easiest part of the song.

    Verse: Here’s where things get tricky. A lot of quick alternate picking to deal with. Make sure you’re fretting the E-string with you pinky for the G minor chord in bar 11. That’ll mean you’re in position for the quick hammer-on and pull-off between bars 12 and 13.

    Chorus: The trickiest part of the song comes in the transition between the Ab and the Eb. You can make it easier by releasing the Ab chord rather than letting it ring. That’ll give you time to prepare your index finger on the A-string, 1st fret.

    Break: Just the second half of the intro played a few times. Build up the volume here to increase the pull back to the chorus.

    Outro: A key change right at the end. Which does make it trickier to play. The upside is you can just slow it down and call it ritardando and people will think you’re fancy.

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  • Outkast – Hey Ya (Tabs)

    Outkast – Hey Ya (Tab)Download

    Here’s my take on Outkast’s Hey Ya! which was ably covered by the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra back in the day.

    Verse: The big challenge with this arrangement is the speed. The second verse in particular needs some quick alternate picking.

    The other thing to watch out for is the bars of 2/4 that crop up on the G chord in the verse and chorus.

    Chorus: I’ve arranged the chorus a couple of ways. The first half (bars 8 to 13) is just strumming it through (with the exception of a little bit of picking in bar 12).

    Then in the second half (bars 14-19) I add in the synth riff. It’s more tricky to play but the chorus feels incomplete without it. It’s your choice which way to play it.

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  • Quantum Leap Theme (Tabs)

    Mike Post – Quantum Leap Theme (Tab)Download

    The Quantum Leap theme was written by Mike Post who also wrote (previously tabbed) themes for Magnum P.I. and The A-Team.

    I love the 80s cheese of the theme. And it’s fun to play on uke too. I particularly enjoy the end of the B section (bars 17-22).

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  • Stealers Wheel – Stuck in the Middle with You (Tabs)

    Stealers Wheel – Stuck in the Middle with You (Tab)Download

    Stuck in the Middle with You is just strumming almost all the way through. Just a bit of fingerpicking on the “please-e-e-e-e-ease” bits and in the solo.

    And the fretting hand isn’t too much of a challenge either. There’s a fair amount of bouncing up and down the neck but it’s set against the open g and C strings for most of the song. The solo is a little challenging, but you’re free to change that up to suit your own playing.

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  • Stereophonics – Handbags and Gladrags (The Office Theme)(Tabs)

    Stereophonics – Handbags and Gladrags (The Office Theme)(Tab)Download

    Handbags and Gladrags was written by, lead singer of Manfred Mann, Mike d’Abo in the sixties. But it wasn’t until the song was used as the theme to The Office (UK) and Stereophonics released a version that it became a hit. And it’s that version I based this arrangement on.

    Intro: The first four bars are the sweet oboe melody. Then the bluesier piano riff comes in bar 5 (which is my favourite part).

    Verse: The verse melody itself is very simple. The tricky part is quickly moving all the way up the neck for the piano riff. If you don’t fancy that, you can always sub in the oboe line for the piano line.

    Chorus: Also needs a few jumps around the neck but they’re not so big and quick. There’s a big stretch at the start of bar 16 to watch out for.

    Solo: The big brass solo is just three notes played over and over again.

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