The Ugly Duckling

by Frank Loesser
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The Ugly Duckling

Easy
Frank Loesser135 BPM
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Lyrics

There (Gm)once was an (C7)ug ly (F)duck ling (F#dim)with (C7)feath ers all stub by and (F)brown.

And the (Gm)oth er (C7)birds in (F)so man y (F7)words said (Gm7)“Quack!

get (A7)out of (Dm)town.

Get out,

get out,

get (C7)out of (F)town."

And he (Bb)went with a (F)quack and a (Gm7)wad dle and a (F)quack, in a (C7)flur ry of ei der (F)down.

That (Gm)poor lit tle (C7)ug ly (F)duck ling (F#dim)went (C7)wan der ing far by and (F)near.

But at (Gm)ev ’ry (C7)place they (F)said to his (F7)face “Now, (Gm7)quack!

get (A7)out of (Dm)here.

Get out,

get out,

get (C7)out of (F)here."

And he (Bb)went with a (F)quack and a (Gm7)wad dle and a (F)quack, and a (C7)ver y un hap py (F)tear.

That

(Bb)All through the Win ter time he (Bb)hid him self a way, a (Bb)shamed to show his face, a (G)fraid of what oth ers might say.

(Bb)All through the win ter in his (C)lone ly clump of weed, till the flock of swans spied him there and (C7)ver y soon a greed “You’re a (Bb)ver y fine swan in (C)deed.”

(F#dim7)I’m (Gm)not such an (C7)ug ly (F)duck ling, (F#dim)no (C7)feath ers all stub by and (F)brown.

For in (Gm)fact these (C7)birds in (F)so man y (F7)words said

“The (A7)best in (Dm)town.”

The best,

the best,

the (C7)best in (F)town.

Not a (Bb)quack, not a (F)quack, not a (Gm7)wad dle or a (F)quack, but a (F)glide and a whis tle and a (C)snow y white back and a (C7)head so no ble and (F#dim7)high.

Say (Gm)who’s an (C7)ug ly (F)duck ling?

(C)Not (Bb)I!

The Ugly Duckling by Frank Loesser

Easy piano arrangement in the key of Bb at 136 BPM. Difficulty: easy. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

About “The Ugly Duckling”

What key is "The Ugly Duckling" in?
"The Ugly Duckling" by Frank Loesser is in the key of Bb with a tempo of 136 BPM. Difficulty: easy.
Is "The Ugly Duckling" easy to play on piano?
Yes — this arrangement is rated easy, meaning it uses simple chord patterns and a manageable tempo. Most beginners can play through it in 1-3 practice sessions using our color-coded notes.
Can I play "The Ugly Duckling" without reading sheet music?
Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
How long does it take to learn "The Ugly Duckling" on piano?
1–3 short practice sessions for the basics; 2–3 weeks to perform confidently with both hands.
What other songs by Frank Loesser can I play here?
Try "ON A SLOW BOAT TO CHINA", "I'VE NEVER BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE", "Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat (from 'Guys and Dolls')". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

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