Published:
2026-01-12
Updated:
2026-01-12

Learning Ukulele with Curt

I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me)

"I Ain't Got Nobody" (sometimes referred to as "I'm So Sad and Lonely" or "I Ain't Got Nobody Much") is a popular song and copyrighted in 1915. It was first recorded by Marion Harris, and became a perennial standard, recorded many times over the following generations, in styles ranging from pop to jazz to country music.

Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-116

Main Category: Songs Main Instrument: Ukulele

Subjects: Chords

2026-01-12

I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me)

"I Ain't Got Nobody" (sometimes referred to as "I'm So Sad and Lonely" or "I Ain't Got Nobody Much") is a popular song and copyrighted in 1915. It was first recorded by Marion Harris, and became a perennial standard, recorded many times over the following generations, in styles ranging from pop to jazz to country music.

I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me)

Released: 1915

I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me) There are competing claims to the copyright, and thus who composed it is not clearly known.

Two copyrights from 1911 are attributed to Clarence Brandon and Billy Smythe, both St. Louis musicians. If true, this would be the first version of the words and music to "I Ain't Got Nobody". They claimed they published it that same year.

Chicago and Saint Louis ragtime pianist and blues composer Charles Warfield (1878–1955) claimed to have originally written the song and a copyright dated April 1914 attributes Warfield as the composer, David Young as the lyricist, and Marie Lucas as the arranger. This song is titled "I Ain't Got Nobody and Nobody Cares for Me". wikiwand

I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me) is in the The Daily Ukulele 365 Songs for Better Living book.

Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

Ukulele Chords

F7 E7 Eb9 D7 G7 F C Bb C7

These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

  • I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me) is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of F .
  • Start on Fifth ↓ M2.

Intervals Legend: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is A, Em is E, etc… m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • is up/ascending; is down/descending;

Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

A re-harmonization, in Red can be a simple, sticking pretty close to the original composer's intentions or complex and a whole new set of chord changes.

F7
/
E7
Eb9
D7
G7
G7
I
*VII7
bVI7
VI7
II7

F: F Ionian

G Mix : C A B C D E F G`

G G Mix

F Mix : F G A Bb C D Eb F`

*This is just a chromatic walk-down to the II7 chord.

F
G7
C7
F
F
I
II7
V
I

F Ionian

G Mix

C Mix/F Ion

The C Mixolydian scale: C D E F G A Bb C` contains the same notes as F Ionian: F G A Bb C D E F`

F7
/
E7
Eb9
D7
G7
G7
I
*VII7
bVI7
VI7
II7

F: F Ionian

G Mix : C A B C D E F G`

G G Mix

F Mix : F G A Bb C D Eb F`

*This is just a chromatic walk-down to the II7 chord.

G7
C
C
F7
II7
V
I7

F Mix

F7
Bb
Bb
D7
D7
C7
C7
I7
IV
II7

D Mix

F7
/
E7
Eb9
D7
G7
G7
I
*VII7
bVI7
VI7
II7

F: F Ionian

G Mix : C A B C D E F G`

G G Mix

F Mix : F G A Bb C D Eb F`

*This is just a chromatic walk-down to the II7 chord.

F
G7
C7
F
F
I
II7
V
I

G Mix

The Harmonic Analysis (HA)

A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.

NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet. Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.

Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …

The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as indicated in the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.

Reference Key

This is the key of the source leadsheet.

  • I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me) is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of F .

Harmonic Principles Used:

These are the harmonic principles used in I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me).

Nashville Number System (NNS)

Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.

At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.

Check the definitive book Nashville Number System

Scale Selection

Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or horizontal choices. And, really, only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.

The Ionian/Major and Mixolydian/Dominant scales. Seventh chords where a prominent harmonically in the first half of the 20th century (1900 to 1940s).

Scale Abbreviation Legend

Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Nat Min: Natural Minor, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor

Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues

Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian

Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6

Checkout the Lesson Series: Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.

RMA book cover QS1UKES book cover

Performance Notes

If playing guitar for this style the Freedie Green style of accompaniment is great. A four on the floor style of a chord a beat in a driving rhythmic style using partial seventh show, the Root, Third, and Fifth. Even at times just the Third and Sevenths.

Links & Resources