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The Waiting Ukulele Chords – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. This song uses the chords: G, D/F#, A D, Bmin. You can change the key for free, as needed.
The Waiting Ukulele Chords – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
INTRO:
G D/F# A D G D/F# A x2
VERSE 1:
Oh Ababy, don’t it feel like Gheaven right Dnow?Don’t it Afeel like something from a Gdream?D Yeah, AI‘ve never known nothing Gquite like DthisDon’t it Bminfeel like tonight might never be again?Baby, Gwe know better than to try and pretend
Honey, Ano one could’ve ever told me ’bout thisI said yeah, yeah (yeah, yeah)Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
CHORUS 1:
The GwaitD/F#ing is the Asus4hardest DpartGEvery D/F#day you see Asus4one more cardYou Gtake it on D/F#faith, you Asus4take it to the DheartThe GwaitD/F#ing is the Asus4hardest Dpart
G D/F# Asus4 D
VERSE 2:
Well, Ayeah, I might have chased a couple Gwomen DaroundAll Ait ever got me was GdownD Yeah, Athen there were those that Gmade me feel DgoodBut Bminnever as good as I feel right nowBaby, Gyou’re the only one that’s ever known how
To Amake me wanna live like I wanna live nowI said yeah, yeah (yeah, yeah)Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
CHORUS 2:
The GwaitD/F#ing is the Asus4hardest DpartGEvery D/F#day you get Asus4one more yardYou Gtake it on D/F#faith, you Asus4take it to the DheartThe GwaitD/F#ing is the Asus4hardest Dpart
G D/F# Asus4 D
BRIDGE:
Oh, Bmindon’t let it kill you baby, don’t let it get to youDon’t let it kill you baby, don’t let it get to youAI‘ll be your bleeding heart, DI‘ll be your crying foolGDon’t let this go too far, F#don’t let it get to you
SOLO:
A G D x3
Bmin G A
AYeah, yeah (yeah, yeah)Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
CHORUS 3:
The GwaitD/F#ing is the Asus4hardest DpartGEvery D/F#day you get Asus4one more yardYou Gtake it on D/F#faith, you Asus4take it to the DheartThe GwaitD/F#ing is the Asus4hardest Dpart
G D/F# Asus4 D
Yeah the GwaitD/F#ing is the Ahardest part
G D/F# Asus4 D x4
Woah-GohD/F# Asus4 D G D/F# Asus4 It’s the hardest Gpart
G D/F# Asus4 D
G D/F# Asus4
Woah-GohD/F# Asus4 D It’s the hardest part
G D/F# Asus4 D …fade out…
Check out more ukulele songs here.
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“The Waiting” History:
📀 Basic Facts
- Title: The Waiting
- Artist: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- Released: April 20, 1981 (as a single)
- Album: Hard Promises (1981)
- Genre: Folk rock / jangle pop
- Length: ~4:00
- Label: Backstreet / Geffen
- Writer: Tom Petty
- Producer: Tom Petty & Jimmy Iovine
📈 Chart Success
- Reached #19 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
- Hit #1 on the Billboard Rock Tracks chart and stayed there for six weeks during summer 1981.
🎸 Musical Style
- The song features jangly guitars, an upbeat tempo (~119–120 BPM), and a bright major-key sound that’s catchy and energetic.
- Its rhythm and melodic hook make it a staple of classic rock radio and one of the Heartbreakers’ signature songs.
🎤 Theme & Meaning
- At its core, The Waiting captures the emotional challenge of anticipation — especially in love and in life — with the repeated, memorable line “the waiting is the hardest part.”
- Petty said the song is about waiting for your dreams or goals and not knowing if they’ll ever happen — a feeling both universal and optimistic.
🧠 Inspiration & Writing
- Petty reportedly got the idea for the song’s title from a Janis Joplin quote (“I love being onstage, and everything else is just waiting”), which stuck with him and inspired the central refrain.
- Though he wrote the chorus relatively quickly, Petty said finishing the rest of the song took weeks of work.
🎶 Legacy & Influence
- “The Waiting” has been covered by artists including Linda Ronstadt, Natalie Imbruglia, and Jon Pardi.
- It has appeared in pop culture — for example, on The Simpsons — and remains a fan favorite in live performances.
🎤 Live & Cultural Moments
- The song was often featured in the Heartbreakers’ concerts, including performances like the 1985 Wiltern showfeatured in official live releases.
- Its relatable theme of anticipation has helped it remain emotionally resonant with listeners decades after its release.
