The Ugly Bug Ball

by Burl Ives
Loading song
Fetching song
1
—
Download Sheet & MIDIPlay on Guitar

Other arrangements of The Ugly Bug Ball

Pick a learning view.

Lyrics

Once a (G7)lone ly cat er pil lar sat and (Dm7)cried,

to a (C)sym pa thet ic (G7)bee tle by his (C)side,

“I’ve (Cdim)got no (Dm7)bo dy to hug

I’m (G7aug)such an (C)ug ul ly bug!” Then a (G7)spi der and a dra gon fly re (Dm7)plied

“If you’re (C)se ri ous and (Em)want to win a (Am)bride,

(Ab7)come a long with us (C)to the glo ri ous (G7)an nu al Ug ly Bug (C)Ball.” Come (C7aug)on, let’s (F)crawl, got ta crawl, got ta crawl to the Ug ly Bug (C)Ball, to the (Gm6)ball, to the (A7)ball, and a hap py time we’ll (D7)have

there,

one and (C)all, (C7)at the (F)Ug ly Bug (C)Ball.

Once a (G7)lone ly cat er pil lar sat and (Dm7)cried,

to a (C)sym pa thet ic (G7)bee tle by his (C)side,

“I’ve (Cdim)got no (Dm7)bo dy to hug

I’m (G7aug)such an (C)ug ul ly bug!” Then a (G7)spi der and a dra gon fly re (Dm7)plied

“If you’re (C)se ri ous and (Em)want to win a (Am)bride,

(Ab7)come a long with us (C)to the glo ri ous (G7)an nu al Ug ly Bug (C)Ball.” Come (C7aug)on, let’s (F)crawl, got ta crawl, got ta crawl to the Ug ly Bug (C)Ball, to the (Gm6)ball, to the (A7)ball, and a hap py time we’ll (D7)have

there,

one and (C)all, (C7)at the (F)Ug ly Bug (C)Ball.

Once a (C)Ball.

The Ugly Bug Ball — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along

11 people have learned this song

Free karaoke for "The Ugly Bug Ball" by Burl Ives: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of C, 100 BPM.

Tip: Press play and sing the melody on top of the piano. If the original key (C) sits too high or low for your voice, use the transpose control to shift the accompaniment into a comfortable range — the backing moves with you. Need a pitch reference? Tap the mic icon to bring the vocal melody in.

Try other practice modes:

About “The Ugly Bug Ball”

Can I sing "The Ugly Bug Ball" karaoke-style with the lyrics on screen?
Yes — Karaoke mode puts the lyrics of "The Ugly Bug Ball" on screen a line at a time and lights up each word in time, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word and the chord shown just above. The piano backing plays underneath in C, and you can transpose it to fit your voice.
What key is the piano accompaniment for "The Ugly Bug Ball" by Burl Ives in?
The backing track is in C at 100 BPM. If that doesn't sit in your vocal range, use the live transpose control to shift up or down semitones — the accompaniment moves with the new key automatically.
Can I sing over "The Ugly Bug Ball" with this accompaniment?
Yes — that's exactly what it's built for. The vocal melody is muted by default so you can sing freely. Need a pitch reference? Tap the mic icon to bring the melody back in at a lower volume.
Is this a karaoke version of "The Ugly Bug Ball"?
Effectively yes — it's the piano-only backing for "The Ugly Bug Ball", with no vocals. You can also slow it down to practice tricky verses, then bring it back to full tempo.
Can I use "The Ugly Bug Ball" as a backing track for my instrument?
Absolutely. Singers, guitarists, violinists, wind players, and instrumental practice in general all work — the piano holds the harmony so you can carry the melody on whatever instrument you play.
Can I download the accompaniment for "The Ugly Bug Ball"?
Yes — registered users can download MIDI + MusicXML (open in any notation software). PDF sheet music is also available for the full arrangement.
Who wrote "The Ugly Bug Ball"?
"The Ugly Bug Ball" was originally performed by Burl Ives. This piano accompaniment is an arrangement of that song, designed for sing-along and play-along use.
Is there a karaoke version of "The Ugly Bug Ball" with lyrics?
Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "The Ugly Bug Ball" by Burl Ives. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
Can I change the key of "The Ugly Bug Ball" to match my voice or capo?
Yes. The original is in C, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
Can I slow "The Ugly Bug Ball" down to learn the words and chords?
Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.

More songs you might like

Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly), Burl Ives
C

Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)

Burl Ives

Very Easy100 BPM
Moonlight Rose, Naoko Ikeda
G

Moonlight Rose

Naoko Ikeda

Advanced96 BPM
The Most Wonderful Day Of The Year, Burl Ives
C

The Most Wonderful Day Of The Year

Burl Ives

Easy180 BPM
Red Dragonfly, Lynda Lybeck-Robinson
C

Red Dragonfly

Lynda Lybeck-Robinson

Advanced100 BPM
Artist's Life, John Thompson
C

Artist's Life

John Thompson

Advanced120 BPM
A Haunted House, Edna Mae Burnam
C

A Haunted House

Edna Mae Burnam

Advanced90 BPM
I Got U (featuring Jax Jones), Duke Dumont
C

I Got U (featuring Jax Jones)

Duke Dumont

Medium120 BPM
Only You, Yazoo
A

Only You

Yazoo

Medium104 BPM
Camel Ride, Jamie Jones
C

Camel Ride

Jamie Jones

Advanced84 BPM
Petite Etude, William Gillock
A

Petite Etude

William Gillock

Advanced100 BPM
Exaltation, Ronald Bennett
C

Exaltation

Ronald Bennett

Advanced126 BPM
Wilderness Morning, Jennifer Linn
C

Wilderness Morning

Jennifer Linn

Advanced84 BPM