It’s a brand new week and we bring you another fun folk song with this Sweet Betsy from Pike ukulele tutorial. Sweet Betsy from Pike is an American ballad with funny lyrics about a couple named Betsy and Ike. Also, it is one of the songs from our recently-released book called 21 Easy Ukulele Folk Songs. So don’t forget to buy your copy here and learn how to play carefully selected folk songs on ukulele.

SWEET BETSY FROM PIKE UKULELE TUTORIAL

Certainly, this Sweet Betsy from Pike ukulele tutorial comes complete with chords and lyrics, strumming pattern and melody tabs. You’ll need to know ten chords for this video tutorial. However, Jenny plays the song in two keys – key of G and key of C – plus a turnaround to switch keys. If you want to play in just one key, you’ll need just six chords.

SWEET BETSY FROM PIKE UKULELE CHORDS

Firstly, Jenny plays the first few verses in the key of G. And the chords for this key are G, D7, C, A7, Em and Bm. Most of these chords are easy except for Bm which is a bit more tricky. But Jenny shows a tip on how to play this if you’re having difficulty forming the chord. Next, Jenny plays a turnaround clip that entails these chords: Dm, G7 and C. Then Jenny switches to the key of C for the next verses and the chords you’ll need for this second part are C, G7, F, D7, Am and Em. By the way, Jenny plays the melody tab in both keys so don’t miss those parts as well.

Meanwhile, don’t forget to subscribe here to receive weekly newsletters including music sheet of the featured ukulele tutorial for the week. Or contact us to request music sheet for any of the songs featured in previous video tutorials.

Additionally, Jenny does a Facebook live session for the weekly ukulele tutorials. So like us on Facebook and join the live lesson for Sweet Betsy from Pike ukulele tutorial later this week. If the live session schedule does not suit you, worry not as a video recording will be available on the videos section of our page.

SONG HISTORY

For a bit of history, a man named John A. Stone wrote the lyrics of Sweet Betsy from Pike in the 1850s. He published Sweet Betsy from Pike as well as many other songs about the California Gold Rush era in a collection book entitled Put’s Golden Songster. Stone went by the name “Old Put” hence the title of the songbook. He also released an earlier songbook collection called Put’s Original California Songster. On the other hand, the melody of the song was derived from an English song known as Villikins and his Dinah.