Beginner tabs
Top Uke Tabs
Editor's Pick
Strumming
5 Chords used in the song: Am, G, C, Gsus4, Fadd9
←
View these chords for the Baritone
Transpose chords:
I was scared of dentists and the dark,
I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations,
Oh all my friends are turning green,
You're the magicians assistant in their dreams.
Ooh, ooh ooh
Ooh, and they come unstuck
Lady, running down to the riptide,
taken away to the dark side,
I wanna be your left hand man.
I love you when you're singing that song and,
I got a lump in my throat 'cause
you're gonna sing the words wrong
There's this movie that I think you'll like,
this guy decides to quit his job and heads to New York City,
this cowboy's running from himself.
And she's been living on the highest shelf
Ooh, ooh ooh
Ooh, and they come unstuck
Lady, running down to the riptide,
taken away to the dark side,
I wanna be your left hand man.
I love you when you're singing that song and,
I got a lump in my throat 'cause
you're gonna sing the words wrong
I just wanna, I just wanna know,
If you're gonna, if you're gonna stay,
I just gotta, I just gotta know,
I can't have it, I can't have it any other way
Strum once and hold:
I swear she's destined for the screen,
Closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you've ever seen, oh
Lady, running down to the riptide,
taken away to the dark side,
I wanna be your left hand man.
I love you when you're singing that song and,
I got a lump in my throat 'cause
you're gonna sing the words wrong
Lady, running down to the riptide,
taken away to the dark side,
I wanna be your left hand man.
I love you when you're singing that song and,
I got a lump in my throat 'cause
you're gonna sing the words wrong
Lady, running down to the riptide,
taken away to the dark side,
I wanna be your left hand man.
I love you when you're singing that song and,
I got a lump in my throat 'cause
you're gonna sing the words wrong
I got a lump in my throat 'cause you're gonna sing the words wrong.
⇢ Not happy with this tab? View 22 other version(s)
Tab comments (128)
Filter by:
first ever song i ever learned i love this so much thank you (DDUDU or DDUUDU)
17 Jun 2025
Hi! The exact strum pattern for this is the classic rock strum (for everyone who doesn't play guitar that's DD UDU) once for Am once for G and then 2 for C and that pattern of 1 1 2 basically loops for the entire song
02 Jun 2025
Deleted account
DD-UDU is perfect as it's the strumming pattern used by Vance Joy in the song :)
12 Oct 2024
Deleted account
If you want it to sound like the song put a capo on the 1st fret
28 Feb 2024
My most recent pay test was for a 12-hour-per-week internet job for $9,500. For months, my sister's friend has been making an average of 15,000, and she puts in about 20 hours every week. As soon as I gave it a try, I was shocked at how simple it was.
Do this instead————————————>>> paycash710.blogspot.com/
Do this instead————————————>>> paycash710.blogspot.com/
30 Jul 2023
It is surely not just me who struggles to understand how the strumming pattern of DD UDU sounds anything like what VJ does. Please explain: am I just terrible at strumming, or does he use a different pattern? I'm so confused.
24 Jun 2023
In order to play this the best what you wanna play is, first the strumming pattern is DDUDUDUDUDUDUDUCUAOPAJ for the chords G, C and Am is wrong, this is a glitch in the matrix, it is all a scheme, I am THE Vance Joy i made the song and the chords are L J I Pm and A minor
23 Jun 2023
My most recent pay test was for a 12-hour-per-week internet job for $9,500. For months, my sister's friend has been making an average of 15,000, and she puts in about 20 hours every week. As soon as I gave it a try, I was shocked at how simple it was.
Do this instead————————————>>> https://www.apprichs.com
Do this instead————————————>>> https://www.apprichs.com
16 Jun 2023
@HeyCatalonia I had this same question when I first started playing with a capo. If you have a capo and you put it on the first fret, you treat the second fret, or the one bellow it, as the first fret. So basically you move all chords down one fret but play them the same. I hope this makes sense and answers your question :)
01 Mar 2023
hey so how many times do you play each chord? How do you play w/ a capo? Like if I'm playing A minor that's my finger on the first fret or the second fret?
26 Feb 2023
This is so amazing and only my first attempt at uke but why does it say both Am and C on top of one another. Am I supposed to do both at the same time?
13 Feb 2023
if you just kinda strum what feels right it should work out- listen to the song and just match it if you're not sure. usually down strums sound fuller.
05 May 2022
hey, in the part of i just wanna, stay with the same chords, it sound better. I just wanna i just wanna know, if you're gonna if youre gonna stay. am G. C. AM. G. F
14 Jan 2022
D DUUDU
It will feel weird at first, but the more practice you do, it will feel like second nature.
It will feel weird at first, but the more practice you do, it will feel like second nature.
15 Feb 2021
f add 9 is 1st fret 3rd string only. G sus 4 is 2and fret 2and string 3rd feet 3red string 3red fret 4th string. so in total 3 fingers
19 Nov 2020
ok so dd udu is the strummping pattern but I like to throw an up strum in the space so its ddu udu theres still a tiny hesitation but it's less I just find it easier if my hand keeps going then I'm less likely to mess up
18 Nov 2020
All of the people I know (including me) learned playing the Ukulele with that song! It's awesome and easy!
15 Aug 2020
what the heck is fadd9? I know what gsus4 is but I don't know the other one. Confused?????
14 Apr 2020
It says the chords are Am G C and F but then it adds like Gsus4 and Fadd9.
20 Feb 2020
At the “if you’re gonna if you’re gonna stay” verse of the song, add an F chord at the “stay” part it sounds nicely put into it
20 Jan 2020
DD-UDU at the beginning. Repeat this pattern twice on C.
DDU-UDU for chorus. Repeat this pattern twice on C.
Picking pattern before "I just wanna know...":
String 3: 2-4 (Hammer)
String 2: 0-3 (Hammer)
String 3: 2
String 2: 0
Gsus4, change to F.
Strumming pattern for all of "I just wanna know..." is DDU-UDU and is repeated twice on each chord.
Hope this helps!
DDU-UDU for chorus. Repeat this pattern twice on C.
Picking pattern before "I just wanna know...":
String 3: 2-4 (Hammer)
String 2: 0-3 (Hammer)
String 3: 2
String 2: 0
Gsus4, change to F.
Strumming pattern for all of "I just wanna know..." is DDU-UDU and is repeated twice on each chord.
Hope this helps!
25 Apr 2019
i got confused because i have no idea what gsus4 means or fadd9. otherwise its perfect
16 Apr 2019
For the strumming pattern I use DDUUDU. I find it works with a lot of songs if you change the speed od the strumming.
02 Mar 2019
@09ver09 D=Down and U=Up T=Tap. Hope this helped! I was also confused about the letters but I figured it out. :)
18 Feb 2019
for the
verse I play
DD UDU
down down. up down up
chorus I usually play
DxUUxU
down chuck up up chuck up
verse I play
DD UDU
down down. up down up
chorus I usually play
DxUUxU
down chuck up up chuck up
21 Jan 2019
I do DD UDU for the verses and the chorus but DDU UDU x2 for the bridge but in the bridge on the part where it says I swear she destined for the screen closest thing to Michelle phifer that you’ve ever seen oh I play single down strums
10 Jan 2019
I feel a little stupid, but i've no idea how mnany times each chord has to be played...
24 Oct 2018
Why are there xx's everywhere if I am logged in? It is super annoying!
17 Aug 2018
When I want to print there are X’s on the sheet how do I stop this? And where is the note ‘F’ used?
20 Jul 2018
Deleted account
why is it so famous?
12 Jul 2018
This is a rlly good song. i like playing it cuz its easy and good for beginners like me :)
12 Jul 2018
This is a great rendition of ‘Riptide’ , and I really enjoyed it! It is great for beginners, and it was one of the first songs I played as a beginner. Keep on strumming! -ukebywaves
13 Jun 2018
If you strum one last time at the end with c it sounds more complete in my opinion
25 Nov 2017
Top Tabs & Chords by Vance Joy, don't miss these songs!
About this song: Riptide
No information about this song.
Join our Community!
