Learn to Play “My Funny Valentine” on Ukulele with Victoria Vox

BY VICTORIA VOX | FROM THE SPRING 2026 ISSUE OF UKULELE MAGAZINE

“My Funny Valentine” is a show tune from 1937, written for the musical Babes in Arms by Richard Rodgers (music) and Lorenz Hart (lyrics). In 1954, jazz trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker released his version of the song on his album Chet Baker Sings, and it became his signature song through his recordings and live performances.

Because “My Funny Valentine” has seen so many reinterpretations, the actual chord changes are sometimes a little unclear. This lesson is based on Baker’s version, which is slightly different from what one would find in The Real Book with trumpeter Miles Davis’ changes. I’ve also written the melody closer to what Baker sings, as he took considerable liberties with the original recording from the musical.

Baker’s version is recorded in the key of C minor, but I’ve arranged this in A minor, for ease on the ukulele and to suit my vocal range. In this song, the AABA form is used more harmonically than melodically, as the second A section’s melody starts a minor third higher. The song then shifts to the relative major (the key of C) in the B section and, unlike some other versions, Baker fully returns to the minor key in the last A section and stays there, emphasizing his melancholic sound.

Similar to my previous song arrangement of the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby”, we’ll be looking at a descending minor line cliché here, implied in the chord changes as a harmonic walkdown beneath the repetitive melody. In this case, the walkdown moves chromatically from the root: A (over the Am chord), G# (Am[maj7]), G (Am7), and F# (Am6). As the melody stays on similar notes through each four-measure phrase, it’s possible to clearly hear the change in chord color with the addition—or alteration—of just one note. After the F#, the descending line continues to F, landing on an F major chord.

In jazz, one of the most common harmonic building blocks is the ii–V–I progression, and it shows up here in both minor and major forms. In this arrangement, the minor version is Bm7b5–E7–Am. This brings us back to our harmonic “home,” and you can hear it in both the A and B sections of the tune.

At the end of the second A section, however, the harmony begins to lean in a different direction. By shifting from a minor ii–V–i to a major ii–V–I, the song subtly changes color as it moves from A minor into C major—a classic jazz move that makes the key change feel effortless and natural.

The chord diagrams here give a straightforward way to play the tune, but they are just suggestions. You can also try substituting some of the chords for different inversions (some alternate voicings appear in measures 23–24). This is a nice way to expand your chord knowledge and work up the neck.

For strumming, I’m using left-hand muting in between every strum, or “thrumb” (a downward strum with the pad of my thumb), for a relaxed jazz rhythm. This keeps it mellow while providing rhythmic momentum.

I hope you enjoy playing this classic tune as much as I do. Its gender-free lyrics make it accessible to all—and perfect for your unperfect, funny valentine.

Due to copyright restrictions, we are unable to post notation or tablature for this musical work online. If you have a digital or physical copy of the Spring 2026 issue of Ukulele magazine you will find the music on pages 30-31.