February 9, 2016

Ukulele lesson for 'Surrender' by Cheap Trick

Notes

Had this tune in my head and wanted to learn it… so I did! Note, the tabs below are in the key of G – which is quite simply a decision made because the chord shapes work out well with the various riffs. I couldn’t even tell you which key the actual song is in (I believe it may be B, but don’t quote me on that).

In the tabs below, I mapped out each measure to precisely four generalized strums. Obviously, you’ll want to get into a groove and adopt a strumming pattern that works for you – which may translate into more or less than these 4 precise strums. The key with the ukulele approach to this song (in my opinion) is to capture the accent on the correct string – usually one of the top two strings – to match the melody at that part of the song.

Audio of me playing

For context while using the tabs below, here’s a clip of me playing. Even in my delicate whispering, I butchered the chorus lyrics. Forgive me.

For easy reference, you can jump to these points in the recording to match the tabs below:

Verse, part 1

"Mama told me, yeah she told me..."

---5--5--3--2------0--0--2--0-----3--3--3--3----(2)--
---3--3--3--3------2--2--2--2-----3--3--2--0-----3---    x 2
---2--2--2--2------2--2--2--2-----0--0--0--0-----2---
---0---------------2--2-----2-----0--0-----------0---
   G               D              C              G

Verse, part 2

"Just the other day I heard..."

---3--3--3--3------0--0--0--0------------0-----0--2--2--2---
---2--3--3--3------2--3--3--3------3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3---
---0--0--0--0------2--2--2--2------2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2---
---0--0--0--0------2--2--2--2------0--0---------------------
   C               D               G

---3--3--3--3------0--0--0--0------2----
---2--3--3--3------2--3--3--3------3----  stay on normal G for 8 counts
---0--0--0--0------2--2--2--2------2----
---0--0--0--0------2--2--2--2------0----
   C               D               G

Chorus

"Mommy's alright..."

--(2)------------(0)-------------0--0--0--0-----3--3--3--3----
---2--3--3--3-----2--3--3--3-----2--3--3--3-----2--0--0--0----
---2--2--2--2-----4--4--4--4-----2--2--2--2-----0--0--0--0----
---0--0--0--0-----0--0--0--0-----2--2--2--2-----0--0--0--0----
   G              Em             D              C

"Surrender..."

--(2)---------------0--2--2--2-----0--0--0--0-----3--3--3--3----
---2--3--3--3-------3--3--3--3-----2--3--3--3-----2--0--0--0----
---2--2--2--2-------4--4--4--4-----2--2--2--2-----0--0--0--0----  stay on C for a bit, then to post-chorus
---0--0--0--0-------0--------------2--2--2--2-----0--0--0--0----
   G                Em             D              C

Post-Chorus

---5--5--5--5------5--5--5--5---
---3--3--3--3------5--5--5--5---  repeat
---2--2--2--2------6--6--6--6---
---0--0--0--0------0--0--0--0--- 
   G               D