🌅 About the Song
Released as the opener and signature track on In Between Dreams, Better Together is the musical equivalent of a lazy hug that lasts until lunchtime. Jack Johnson wrote it for his wife Kim, and it’s basically three minutes of gentle gratitude disguised as surfer-folk. No cynicism, no drama — just the sound of a man who’s absolutely fine with doing absolutely nothing, as long as he’s not doing it alone.
The song’s secret weapon is its simplicity: the chord loop never gets fancy, the melody strolls rather than runs, and Johnson’s whisper-smooth voice carries all the weight. It’s a love song for people who don’t usually admit to liking love songs — mellow, grounded, and quietly devastating when you’re two beers deep at sunset.
🎸 Ukulele Playing Tips
- Chords: Mainly C – Am – Dm – G7. The bridge adds a gentle E7 – F turn that feels like a deep breath.
- Strumming: Classic down-down-up-up-down-up at about 85 bpm. Keep your wrist floppy — you’re swaying, not marching.
- Tone: Finger-pick the first verse if you want that soft “bare-feet on the porch” texture, then shift to a light strum for the chorus.
- Dynamics: Ease into the first verse, bloom at “There’s no combination of words …”, then drift back down for the outro.
- Trick: Add a Cmaj7 (0002) before each Am to mimic the subtle jazzy colour on the record.
- Finish: Let the final C ring until the crowd exhales. If you hum the guitar riff while it fades, you’ll melt hearts.
🧠 Trivia You Can Drop Casually
- Johnson tracked the whole album in a wooden shack studio in Hawaii — no fancy gear, just warm air and good vibes.
- Better Together has been used at roughly 72% of beach weddings since 2005 (rough estimate, but feels right).
- He performed it live for President Obama in 2009, barefoot, naturally.
- The guitar he used on the studio version cost about $400. Proof that tone lives in the hands, not the wallet.
🌈 Final Word
If Imagine is a dream and Beautiful Boy is a lullaby, Better Together is the warm nap between them. Play it slow, play it honest, and don’t fight the grin that sneaks onto your face halfway through.