“I’ve Been Working On the Railroad” is the first song I learned how to play on the ukulele. My grandfather, who actually worked on the railroad, taught it to me when I was just six years old.
This song is a great song to learn if you are just beginning to play ukulele. The chords are simple to play (scroll down farther for the chords). For a strumming pattern, I recommend just starting out with down-strums at first. As you get more comfortable, add some up-strums.
Chords Used in “I’ve Been Working On the Railroad”
C major
C7
F major
G major
G7
D7
E7
“I’ve Been Working On the Railroad” Chords
C
C7
I’ve been working on the railroad
F
C
all the livelong day
C
C7
I’ve been working on the railroad,
D7
G7
just to pass the time away
G7
C
Can’t you hear the whistle blowing?
F
E7
Rise up so early in the morn
F
C
Can’t you hear the captain shouting,
C
G
C
“Dinah blow your horn!”
C
F
Dinah won’t you blow, Dinah won’t you blow,
G
C
Dinah won’t you blow your horn, your horn?
C
F
Dinah won’t you blow, Dinah won’t you blow,
G
C
Dinah won’t you blow your horn?
C
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah,
C
G7
Someone’s in the kitchen I know,
C
F
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah,
C
G
C
Strummin’ on the old banjo
C
Fee fi fiddle-y-i-o,
C
G7
fee fi fiddle-y-i-o-o-o-o,
C
F
Fee fi fiddle-y-i-o,
C
G7
C
G
C
strummin’ on the old banjo
