Today we start on the register of love with a song from 1961 "Can't help falling in love" by Elvis Presley. In concert, in movies, cartoons and even commercials, this song has been covered so much that even the youngest of our generation probably know it. It was taken up on the ukulele by Tyler Joseph, the singer of the group Twenty One pilots in 2012 and we invite you to learn this beautiful and popular music today.

Level: Intermediate / advanced

Chords: C / Em / Am / F / G / A7 / B7

For this ukulele tutorial, I suggest you first learn the rhythm or the beat. It consists of two downward strikes then two faster up/down strikes. This strike is played for the duration of a chord and for certain chords it will have to be repeated a second time.

 

RHYTHMIC

↓ ↓ ↑↓ = 1 count

 The verses are all composed of the same sequence of chords. To make it easier for you to learn this tablature, we have schematized this chord sequence for you, indicating the rhythm for each chord. Then you will find the vocal score below with the chord change indicated above.

 

VERSES

C          Em       Am         

↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓

F C G

↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓

F          G          Am  

↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓

F          C          G         C

↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓

 

C       Em Am          F C G

Wise men drunk, only fools rush in      

      F G     Am   F           C      G    C

But I can't help falling in love with you    

We will repeat the same exercise for the chorus. Here is the chord sequence and the rhythm section as well as the vocal score for the chord change below. 

CHORUS 

Em       B7       Em        B7

↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓  

Em        B7              

↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓      

A7                  F        G

↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓ ↓ ↓ ↑↓     

Em           B7    Em            B7

Like a river flows surely to the sea

Em            B7

Darling so it goes           

           A7                             F  G

Some things are meant to be-ee 

Now that you have assimilated the notion of rhythm and changing chords, let's move on to practice. Find the complete vocal score below to learn how to play the entire song on the ukulele.  

[1 couplet]

C      Em  Am           F     C      G

Wise men drunk, only fools rush in      

       F G     Am   F           C    G    C

But I can't help falling in love with you

C    Em Am               F  C G

Shall I stay, would it be a sin?  

    F G     Am  F            C    G    C

If I can't help falling in love with you       

[Refrain]

Em            B7      Em           B7  

Like a river flows surely to the sea

Em            B7

Darling so it goes           

           A7                           F  G

Some things are meant to be-ee 

[2 couplet]

C     Em Am                   F       C   G

Take my hand, take my whole life too      

       F G    Am   F            C     G    C

For I can't help falling in love with you

[Refrain]

Em            B7      Em           B7  

Like a river flows surely to the sea

Em            B7

Darling so it goes           

           A7                           F  G

Some things are meant to be-ee

[3 couplet]  

C    Em Am                    F       C   G

Take my hand, take my whole life too     

      F G     Am   F            C    G    C

For I can't help falling in love with you     

      F G     Am   F            C    G    C

For I can't help falling in love with you