How to play “I’m Yours” on the Ukulele

Happiness, beach, love… An anthem for ukulele players. If you ask me how to describe the song we’re about to learn to play today on the ukulele, those would be the words that I would use for it. Welcome to the tutorial on how to play “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz on your ukulele!

I’m Yours: Jason Mraz’s biggest hit so far

I’m Yours is a well-recognized and contagious song that gained its popularity way before its actual release back in 2008 by the American singer-song writer Jason Mraz, as the first single of his 3^rd album called “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things”. Mraz played this song as a demo in gigs during his 2004-2005 tours and saw the impact the song was having in the crowds.

The window was already opened, so he took the chance and released it years later without knowing the song was going to break chart records and was actually on its wat to become his biggest US hit single to date.

He needed only 4 chords (without including a C# added in the middle of the song) and a very contagious rhythm with lots of mutes to climb the stair of the charts and reach the number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it spent more than 76 weeks, breaking the record for the “longest carting song on the chart” at that time. Since then, the song has become an anthem for ukulele players because of its reggae / Hawaiian style and today has gained more than 1 billion streams on Spotify. 1,311,375,814 to be exact.

For those who still aren’t familiar with I’m Yours, here’s the song so you can check it out before I give you the chords and rhythm to master it on your ukulele.

Ukulele tutorial

You have several options to master I’m Yours on your ukulele; an easy version in open C and the actual version used by Jason Mraz starting in B. Let’s review them both right now!

Easy version

For all the beginners out there, we can offer you 4 easy and very used chords for the song: C – G – Am – F, plus a D chord in the middle of the song to create momentum. Play the C – G – Am – F in loop for the entire song and you’ll have it! Now… for the rhythm, we can give you 2 options depending on which one fits the most to your current level. You can start playing this song using the island strum to get  used to the lyrics and then jump to the easy “reggae” feel by adding mutes in the bats 1, 2, 3 and 4, making you play only in the upstroke beats.

Read more: How to master the Left-Handed muting on your ukulele

Here are the easy chords and rhythm for this song:

Hard version

If you’re tired of playing the same C – G – Am – F chords in every song you want to play on your ukulele, here’s the hard version with the same chords Jason Mraz used for I’m Yours. Spoiler alert: BAR CHORDS!

To master the original version for I’m Yours you’ll need 4 chords: B – F# – G#m and the E chord, plus a C# used in the middle of the song to create momentum. Play the B – F# – G#m – E chords in loop and you’ll have the song almost ready. Now… for the rhythm: if you want to play the song exactly like the original, you can’t use the island strum, right? You’ll need to use 16^th notes and mix your playing between mutes and strums to make the reggae feel.

If you want to learn more about music reading, check our Beginning Music Reading Course.

 

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Here are the hard chords and rhythm for this song:

Now that you mastered the chords and rhythms, let’s play the complete song. I’m going to put both chord versions separated with a slash:

I’m Yours Lyrics and chords

Verse:

C/B

Well, you done done me in, you bet I felt it

G/F#

I tried to be chill but you’re so hot that I melted

Am/G#m                                                 F/E

I fell right through the cracks, and I’m trying to get back

C/B

Before the cool done run out I’ll be giving it my best test

G/F#

And nothing’s gonna stop me but divine intervention

Am/G#m                                 F/E

I reckon it’s again my turn to win some or learn some

 

Chorus:

CB                G/F#

But I won’t hesitate no more,

Am/G#m           F/E

No more, it cannot wait I’m yours

 

Interlude: C/B – G/F# –  Am/G#m – F/E

 

Verse:

C/B

Well open up your mind and see like me

G/F#

Open up your plans and damn you’re free

Am/G#m                                                F/E

Look into your heart and you’ll find love love love love

C/B

Listen to the music of the moment people dance and sing

G/F#

We are just one big family

Am/G#m                                          F/E                            D/C#

It’s your god forsaken right to be loved, loved, loved, loved

 

Chorus:

C/B             G/F#

So, I won’t hesitate no more,

Am/G#m          F/E

No more, it cannot wait I’m sure

C/B                   G/F#                  Am/G#m

There’s no need to complicate our time is short

F/E

This is our fate, I’m yours

 

Bridge: 

C/B – G/F# –  Am/G#m – F/E

-d-do do you but do you, d-d-do but you want to come one

Scooch one over closer dear and I will nibble your ear

Bap bap bap woooooo ho ho ooooh

 

Verse:

C/B

I’ve been spending’ way too long checking’ my tongue in the mirror

G/F#

And bending’ over backwards just to try to see it clearer

Am/G#m

But my breath fogged up the glass

F/E

And so I drew a new face and laughed

C/B

I guess what I’m a saying’s there isn’t no better reason

G/F#

To rid yourself of vanity and just go with the seasons

Am/G#m

It’s what we aim to do

F/E

Our name is our virtue

 

Chorus:

CB                G/F#

But I won’t hesitate no more,

Am/G#m           F/E

No more, it cannot wait I’m yours

 

Verse:

C/B

Well open up your mind and see like me

G/F#

Open up your plans and damn you’re free

Am/G#m                                                               F/E

Look into your heart and you’ll find, that the sky is yours

 

So please don’t, don’t please don’t

– There’s no need to complicated –

Cause our time is short

This is, this is, this is our fate

I’m yours

 

Outro: C/B – G/F# –  Am/G#m – F/E

 

How did you do? Let me know in the comments below!

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Keep on the hard work and happy strumming!