Once Upon A Time

· by Charles Strouse

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Lyrics

(C)Once up on a (Cmaj7)time

a (C)girl with (Am)moon light in her eyes

(F)put her hand in (C)mine

and said she loved me (Fmaj7)so.

But (F)that (G7)was (Am)once up on a time,

ver y long a (C)go.

(Cmaj7)Once up on a hill

we (C)sat be (Am)neath a wil low tree,

(F)count ing all the (C)stars

and wait ing for the (Fmaj7)dawn.

But (F)that (G#dim7)was (Am)once up on a time.

Now the tree is (Cmaj7)gone.

(Dm7)How (G7)the (Cmaj7)beeeze

(Dm7)ruf fled (G7)through her (Cmaj7)hair,

(Bm7)how we (E7)al ways (Am)laughed as (Am7)though to (G7)mor row was n’t there.

We were (C)young and (G7)did n’t have a (C)care.

Where

did it (G7)go?

(Cmaj7)Once up on a time

the (C)world was (Am)sweet er than we knew.

(F)Ev ’ry thing was (C)ours,

how hap py we were (F)then.

But (F)some (G#dim7)how (Am)once up on a time

(G7sus)nev er (G7)comes a (C)gain.

(C)Once up on a (Cmaj7)time

it (C)seemed the (Am)world was paint ed gold.

(F)And there was a (C)man,

and oh, I loved him (Fmaj7)so.

The (F)world (G7)was (Am)beau ti ful to see

ver y long a (C)go.

(Cmaj7)On a night like this

we (C)saw the (Am)ris ing of the moon.

(F)All the sil ver (C)stars

like neck lac es were (Fmaj7)strung.

We (F)spoke (G#dim7)of (Am)such im por tant things.

We were ver y (Cmaj7)young.

(Dm7)O (G7)pen (Cmaj7)hearts,

(Dm7)noth ing (G7)to con (Cmaj7)ceal;

(Bm7)ev ’ry (E7)lit tle (Am)thought was (Am7)so ex (G7)cit ing to re veal.

All our (C)dreams we (G7)knew would soon be (C)real.

Where

did they (G7)go?

(Cmaj7)Once up on a time

the (C)world was (Am)sweet er than we knew.

(F)Ev ’ry thing was (C)ours,

how hap py we were (F)then.

But (F)some (G#dim7)how (Am)once up on a time

(G7sus)nev er (G7)comes a (C)gain.

Once Upon A Time by Charles Strouse — Easy Piano for Kids

This page shows “Once Upon A Time” by Charles Strouse in our color-coded kid songbook view — every note is colored by pitch (red C, orange D, yellow E, green F, blue G, purple A, pink B) and the lyrics sit directly under each note, so children can sing along while they play. The song is in the key of C at 68 BPM, a comfortable easy-level arrangement perfect for first-time learners.

Tips for parents & teachers

Start at 50% tempo using the BPM control. Speed up only when your child can play through without stopping.
Turn on the metronome from the top bar to build steady rhythm.
Use the segmented OFF / C / 1 button to toggle note labels on the staff and keys — kids learn note names faster with letters showing.
Tap a measure number on the timeline to jump to a specific section for repeat practice.

Frequently asked questions

Is "Once Upon A Time" good for a child learning piano?: Yes — this color-coded arrangement is designed for ages 4-12. Each note is colored by pitch so kids match colors to keys, no music reading required. Lyrics sit under every note for sing-along play.
What age can start with "Once Upon A Time"?: Children as young as 4 can follow the color-coded notes. By age 6-7 most kids can play through the song themselves with light guidance. Parent help is recommended for the first few sessions.
Do we need a piano teacher to use this?: No — the color-coded format is designed to be self-explanatory. Parents with no music background can supervise. Teachers can also use it as an introductory lesson tool.
Can we print the sheet music?: Yes — tap "Download Sheet Music" above for a free printable PDF with the same color-coded notes that appear on screen.
What other Charles Strouse songs work for kids?: Try "YOU'RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE", "I THINK I'M GONNA LIKE IT HERE", "MAYBE". All play with color-coded notes; pick a familiar tune to keep kids engaged.