🚂 About the Song
Released in 2014, Budapest was George Ezra’s breakout hit — a bluesy, baritone love song that somehow made everyone want to pack a bag and fall in love at a train station.
He wrote it after missing a trip to Budapest because he’d partied too hard the night before. The irony? The song he wrote about not going ended up taking him everywhere.
It’s warm, rhythmic, and ridiculously catchy. Ezra’s deep voice gives it a rootsy charm, but underneath it’s just a sweet promise — he’d give up everything for the person he loves. On uke, that simplicity really shines through.
🎸 Ukulele Playing Tips
- Strumming pattern: Laid-back folk groove — Down–Down–Up–Up–Down-Up around 90 bpm.
- Tone: Strum softly with your fingertips — this song’s about warmth, not flash.
- Dynamics: Keep it low in the verses, let it swell on “My house in Budapest…” — smooth, not loud.
- Optional touch: Add light palm muting on downstrokes to give it that “train rhythm” bounce.
- Sing tip: If your voice isn’t deep like Ezra’s, lean into tone and phrasing — gentle, steady, honest.
🧠 Trivia You Can Drop Casually
- George Ezra was just 19 when he wrote Budapest.
- He said he’d never even been to Budapest — it just sounded right.
- The song was recorded in one take at the end of a long session; the producers almost didn’t keep it.
- It went multi-platinum across Europe and made Ezra an international star — all from the song about missing a flight.
🌈 Final Word
Play Budapest like you’re sitting by a campfire somewhere foreign with no phone signal.
Keep it mellow, soulful, and just a touch wistful — it’s a song for dreamers who still haven’t unpacked.
If you can make it sound effortless, you’ve captured the whole spirit.
