Folk, Pop

Sunshine on My Shoulders Chords

John Denver Beginner Key of G 4 Chords 2 min read

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Sunshine on My Shoulders Chords – Guitar

John Denver’s gentle, reflective ballad about the simple joy of sunshine and love. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s peaceful mood.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Verse 2

G C

Sunshine almost all the time makes me high

G D

Sunshine almost always…

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Bridge

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

C G

If I had a tale that I could tell you

C G

I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile

C G

If I had a wish that I could wish for you

C D

I’d make a wish for sunshine all the while

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (G, C, D). Practice switching between G and C, as this is the most common transition in the song.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Sunshine on My Shoulders Chords – Ukulele

John Denver’s gentle, reflective ballad about the simple joy of sunshine and love. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s peaceful mood.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Verse 2

G C

Sunshine almost all the time makes me high

G D

Sunshine almost always…

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Bridge

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

C G

If I had a tale that I could tell you

C G

I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile

C G

If I had a wish that I could wish for you

C D

I’d make a wish for sunshine all the while

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (G, C, D). Practice switching between G and C, as this is the most common transition in the song.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Sunshine on My Shoulders Chords – Piano

John Denver’s gentle, reflective ballad about the simple joy of sunshine and love. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s peaceful mood.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Verse 2

G C

Sunshine almost all the time makes me high

G D

Sunshine almost always…

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Bridge

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

C G

If I had a tale that I could tell you

C G

I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile

C G

If I had a wish that I could wish for you

C D

I’d make a wish for sunshine all the while

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (G, C, D). Practice switching between G and C, as this is the most common transition in the song.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Sunshine on My Shoulders Chords – Banjo

John Denver’s gentle, reflective ballad about the simple joy of sunshine and love. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s peaceful mood.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Verse 2

G C

Sunshine almost all the time makes me high

G D

Sunshine almost always…

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Bridge

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

C G

If I had a tale that I could tell you

C G

I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile

C G

If I had a wish that I could wish for you

C D

I’d make a wish for sunshine all the while

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (G, C, D). Practice switching between G and C, as this is the most common transition in the song.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Sunshine on My Shoulders Chords – Mandolin

John Denver’s gentle, reflective ballad about the simple joy of sunshine and love. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s peaceful mood.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Verse 2

G C

Sunshine almost all the time makes me high

G D

Sunshine almost always…

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Bridge

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

C G

If I had a tale that I could tell you

C G

I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile

C G

If I had a wish that I could wish for you

C D

I’d make a wish for sunshine all the while

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (G, C, D). Practice switching between G and C, as this is the most common transition in the song.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

G · C · D · Em

Sunshine on My Shoulders Chords – Harmonica

John Denver’s gentle, reflective ballad about the simple joy of sunshine and love. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light touch and let the chords ring out to match the song’s peaceful mood.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Verse 2

G C

Sunshine almost all the time makes me high

G D

Sunshine almost always…

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Bridge

G C

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

G D

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

G C

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

G D

Sunshine almost always makes me high

Chorus

C G

If I had a day that I could give you

C G

I’d give to you a day just like today

C G

If I had a song that I could sing for you

C D

I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

C G

If I had a tale that I could tell you

C G

I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile

C G

If I had a wish that I could wish for you

C D

I’d make a wish for sunshine all the while

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (G, C, D). Practice switching between G and C, as this is the most common transition in the song.