The Ugly Duckling

First recorded: 1952

Origin: United States

Lyrics

There once was an ugly duckling,With feathers all stubby and brown.And the other birds in so many words said,"Quack, get out of town!"

Quack! Get out! Quack, quack, quack!Get out! Get out! Get out!

And he went with a quack and a waddle and a quackIn a flurry of eiderdown.

But a day in the autumn,When the leaves were turning brown,There in the old farmyardThe ducks all gathered round.And they heard the swan a-singing,And they raised their heads to see.And they saw before their eyesThis lovely swan was he!

History and Meaning

This song retells Hans Christian Andersen's 1843 fairy tale in miniature: a plain brown duckling, mocked and chased off, who grows up to be a swan. Frank Loesser wrote it in 1952 for the film Hans Christian Andersen, where Danny Kaye sang it.

Origins

The song is based on the famous Danish fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling" written by Hans Christian Andersen and published in 1843. However, these specific song lyrics were composed in 1952 by the celebrated American songwriter Frank Loesser. He wrote the song for the musical film Hans Christian Andersen, where it was famously performed by actor and singer Danny Kaye. The song's success helped introduce Andersen's nineteenth-century story to a global twentieth-century audience.

Meaning & Interpretation

The lyrics closely follow the narrative of Andersen's original story. It depicts a young bird who is rejected by his peers because of his plain, brown appearance. He is mocked and told to leave the farmyard. However, by the autumn, the duckling undergoes a dramatic transformation, growing into a beautiful white swan. The song serves as a gentle moral lesson about self-worth, patience, and the idea that true beauty develops over time.

Who wrote the song "The Ugly Duckling"?

The song's music and lyrics were written by the American composer Frank Loesser in 1952. The song was created specifically for the film Hans Christian Andersen starring Danny Kaye.

What is the moral of the story in "The Ugly Duckling"?

The story teaches a lesson about acceptance and inner beauty. It reassures children who may feel different or out of place that they will eventually find their place in the world, showing that initial appearances can be misleading and that personal growth takes time.