🪶 About the Song
“Stuck in the Middle with You” is pure laid-back genius — a folk-rock shuffle about feeling out of place among phonies and clowns.
It’s witty, understated, and delivered with the kind of easy groove only the early ’70s could get away with.
Written by Gerry Rafferty (yes, the Baker Street guy) and Joe Egan, it’s basically a parody of Bob Dylan’s self-serious protest songs — but ironically, it ended up being Rafferty’s most effortlessly cool tune.
On ukulele, it’s everything you want: toe-tapping rhythm, clever lyrics, and that irresistible head-bob vibe.
It’s the song that turns any casual strum session into a full-on grin fest.
🎸 Ukulele Playing Tips
We’ll play it in D major — nice, open chords that sparkle on uke.
You’ll need D, G, A7, C, and F#m.
Verse progression: [D] – [G] – [A7] – [G]
Chorus: [C] – [F#m] – [G] – [D]
Tempo: around 100 bpm — easy swing.
Strumming pattern: down–down–up–up–down–up, relaxed and bouncy.
For that “acoustic shuffle” feel, accent the upstrokes and let your strumming hand stay loose.
Add the occasional chuck mute (soft palm tap) for a percussive edge.
Singing tip: Channel a bit of wry humour — half smile, half eye-roll.
You’re cool, unbothered, and mildly unimpressed by everyone around you.
💡 Trivia You Can Drop Casually
- Released in 1972, it hit #6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #8 in the UK.
- It was famously used in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs during that ear scene — changing the way everyone hears it forever.
- Gerry Rafferty left the band right after this album, but the royalties from this track funded his solo career.
- The song was recorded at Apple Studios (yep, The Beatles’ old haunt).
- Rafferty and Egan apparently wrote it after a particularly awkward record industry dinner — “clowns to the left, jokers to the right” was literal.
🌈 Final Word
“Stuck in the Middle with You” is irony with a groove — cynical lyrics wrapped in a smile.
On ukulele, it becomes the perfect balance of cheek and charm: the kind of song that gets everyone’s toes tapping while they smirk into their drink.
Play it easy, let the swing carry you, and if someone nearby starts dancing badly — that’s exactly the point.
