During the pandemic of 2020-2021 an initial list of 20 old timey songs I wanted to sing grew to these 132 traditional and folk songs, spirituals, shanties, gospel, country, bluegrass and work songs from the American, English, Irish, Scottish, Hawaiian and other traditions, all from 1926 and earlier, compiled by a fellow beginner. Yes. I have much to learn. And ain’t that great.

The first songs I learned on the ukulele were the ones I use in daily prayer, found now in Fr. Steve’s Three-Finger Chord Ukulele Hymns (ISBN 978-1-937081-65-2, IDJC Press, 2018, 2019).

I call them Three-Finger Chords because they are formed using only the index, middle, and ring fingers of the left hand (or the right hand for left-handed ukers). I have not given up on the more difficult chords, but this lets me play these songs in the meantime.

If you are a total beginner, see the back cover for eight suggested steps, one at a time. The best advice I was given from the beginning was play every day for at least fifteen minutes. The Trappist monk Thomas Merton contended that we can concentrate on anything difficult for a quarter hour. When learning a new chord and find yourself pushed to your limit, stop; and come back to it the next day.

All of these songs are believed to be in the public domain. Lyrics to many of the songs have been altered. Most of the songs include a link to a video, most from YouTube, to play with and learn the tune, some suggesting the use of a Capo.