4 Chord Progression for Many Songs Played on Ukulele

Although Barry introduces two more complicated strum patterns in this song, you may feel free to simplify the strum pattern to Down Down Down Down,

Ukulele Strum Pattern 1

Ukulele Strum Pattern 2

Stand by Me Lyrics and Chord
Credited to Barry Clevenger on Youtube as Ukulele Barry

Key of C

 

[Verse 1]

               C                         Am                         

When the night, has come    and the land is dark

               F                 G7                   C               

And the moon is the only light we’ll see

           C                                 Am              

No, I won’t be afraid, no, I    won’t be afraid

             F                 G7                   C               

Just as long as you stand, stand by  me.  So darlin’, darlin’

 

[Chorus 1]

C                         Am         

Stand by me,   oh     stand by me,

                   F         G7                    C          

Won’t you stand,      stand by me,  stand by  me.

 

[Verse 2]

            C                               Am                    

If the sky that we look upon      should tumble and fall

               F                            G7                  C            

Or the mountain  should crumble to the sea

               C                              Am           

I won’t cry,  I won’t cry, no, I  won’t shed a tear

               F               G7                     C        

Just as long as you stand,  stand by   me.  And darling, darling

 Repeat the Chorus!

History of the Song Stand by Me

“Ben E. King, lead singer of The Drifters, wanted to write a song to honor his wife-to-be, Betty. He drew inspiration from the 1905 gospel hymn “Stand by Me,” by Charles Albert Tindley, which in was based on the words of Psalm 46:2: “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.”47

“In 1960, King sang the first verses to legendary producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who added the famous doo-wop bass line and worked out the rest of the lyrics.

“After The Drifters turned the song down, King released it solo the following year. The tune climbed to the Top 10 in the United States and went on to be covered by more than 400 artists, including John Lennon, Otis Redding and, most surprisingly, Muhammad Ali.” Kimberly Elkins

“When the 1986 film of the same title featured the original recording, the song amassed an even greater worldwide following, cementing its status as a wedding standard. And a national treasure: “Stand by Me” was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.” Kimberly Elkins in Guideposts