🌍 About the Song
What started as a Coke advert in 1971 — “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” — turned into one of the most iconic feel-good songs ever. The tune was reworked (Coke removed, peace restored), and The New Seekers released I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) later that same year.
It hit #1 in the UK and #7 in the U.S., soundtracking an era that genuinely believed we could sing our way to global harmony. It’s camp, it’s sweet, and it’s impossible not to sway along.
It’s not ironic — it’s pure. A relic from when people earnestly believed in togetherness, daisies, and bell-bottoms. And honestly? The world could use a bit more of that energy.
🎸 Ukulele Playing Tips
- Chords:C – F – G7 – Am – Dm.
- Verse: C – F – G7 – C,
- Chorus: F – C – Dm – G7 – C.
- Strumming pattern: Bright and happy Down–Down–Up–Up–Down-Up at around 95 bpm.
- Tone: Light, open, and airy — this one should float.
- Dynamics: Start softly for the verses and swell into that big sing-along chorus.
- Harmony tip: Get people singing the “la-la-la” parts in the background — it’s basically mandatory.
- Performance trick: After the second chorus, drop your volume to almost nothing, then build it back up to full sunshine. It gives the illusion of an entire choir joining in.
🧠 Trivia You Can Drop Casually
- The original jingle was written by Bill Backer, a Coca-Cola ad exec, while stranded at an airport — he realised “a Coke and a smile” could fix a lot of moods.
- It became the most expensive commercial ever made at the time, featuring young people literally on a hill singing for peace.
- The single version removed the Coke references and sold over 12 million copies worldwide.
- Oasis later “borrowed” the melody for Shakermaker (1994) — Coke sued, and Oasis lost. Rock ‘n’ roll, baby.
🌈 Final Word
Play I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing like a communal campfire that accidentally started a movement.
Keep your strumming breezy, your smile wide, and your heart fully open.
It’s not meant to be ironic — it’s meant to be hopeful. And hope sounds bloody fantastic on a ukulele.
