When I’m Cleaning Windows chords

If you play the ukulele in England then everyone who sees you will ask if you can play When I’m Cleaning Windows.

If you are like most players, you will mumble embarrassedly at this point. This will partly be because you don’t really approve of George Formby and therefore didn’t learn the song, and partly because you now feel a bit of a fool for claiming to play the ukulele when you don’t know how to play this most obvious song.

The solution? Learn it. There are chords available online in various keys. I’m going to provide the version I find easiest, in C.

In the key of C

Intro part:

[C] I like cleaning windows to [D7] earn an honest bob.
[G] To a nosey parker it’s an interesting [C] job.

Note that you only strum the C at the end once… you hold that G for quite a while.

Verse:

[C] It’s a job that [C7] just suits me
A [F] window cleaner [D7] you will be
You’d [C] be surprised the [A7] things I see
[Ab7] When I’m cleanin’ [C] windows

The only tricky change there is Ab7. The easiest way to play this is to slide G7 up one fret and mute the g string with your thumb. Or press that g string down at the second fret, which gives you a nice-sounding diminished chord instead.

Obviously there are a bunch of verses following these chords. Each one details some vaguely suggestive incident he witnessed through a window. The first three lines always rhyme. Invent your own, kids. Or see the lyrics here (you can even scroll down for some extra verses).

Chorus:

[E7] In my profession I work hard
[A7] But I never stop
I’ll [D7] climb this blinking ladder
‘Til I [G] get right to the [G7] top

Nothing tricky there. He puts this in every 2 or 3 verses.

Enjoy playing this — hope it turns out nice for you.

This was posted 4 years ago. It has 28 notes.
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