Tonight You Belong to Me by Eddie Vedder - Ukulele Chords
Verse 1
I [D]know (I know) you be- [D7]long
To [G]somebody [Gm]new
But to- [D]night
You be- [A]long to [D]me [A7]
Verse 2
Al- [D]though (although) we're a- [D7]part
You’re a [G]part of my [Gm]heart
But to- [D]night
You be- [A]long to [D]me [D7]
Bridge
Way [Gm]down by the stream
How [Gm]sweet it would seem
Once [D]more just to [E7]dream in
The [A]moonlight [A7]
Verse 3
[A7]My honey I [D]know
With the [D7]dawn
That [G]you will be [Gm]gone
But to- [D]night
You be- [A]long to [D]me [Gm]
But to- [D]night
You be- [A7]long to [D]me
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The Story Behind the Song
“Tonight You Belong to Me” has a long life across nearly a century of pop music, and the version associated with Eddie Vedder is actually a reinterpretation of a much older song.
The song was originally written in 1926 by composer Lee David with lyrics by Billy Rose. It became a hit in the 1950s when the sister duo Patience and Prudence recorded a soft, innocent version in 1956. That recording turned it into a nostalgic standard, often associated with youthful longing and tender, almost childlike romance.
The song re-entered popular culture in films and television over the decades, often used to evoke innocence or ironic sweetness, most famously in “The Jerk” (1979), where the duet version became a comedic yet oddly sincere romantic moment.
Eddie Vedder later revived the song in a stripped-down, ukulele-based arrangement during his solo work, especially on the album Ukulele Songs. His interpretation removes the 1950s pop sheen and replaces it with an intimate, hushed vulnerability. Accompanied only by minimal instrumentation, Vedder’s version feels like a private confession rather than a staged performance.
What makes the song endure is its emotional simplicity. Across all its versions, it captures the fragile feeling of wanting someone completely, even if only for a fleeting moment, whether sung as a duet, a nostalgic pop recording, or a quiet modern reinterpretation.