Recorded 1946 | ||
Writer(s) Composer: Allie Wrubel
Lyricist: Ray Gilbert | ||
"Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert from the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie Song of the South, sung by James Baskett. For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and was the second in a long line of Disney songs to win this award, after "When You Wish upon a Star" from Pinocchio (1940). In 2004 it finished at number 47 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.
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For many years the song was part of an opening theme medley for the Wonderful World of Disney television program and it has often been used in other TV and video productions by the studio. It is one of many popular songs that features a bluebird ("Mr. Bluebird on my shoulder"), epitomized by the "Bluebird of Happiness," as a symbol of cheer.
The song is influenced by the chorus of the pre-Civil War folk song "Zip Coon", a "Turkey in the Straw" variation: "Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day". The term "Zip Coon" is now considered racist as it plays on a derogatory slang term for African Americans.
Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans version
Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, a Phil Spector-produced American rhythm and blues trio from Los Angeles, recorded a cover version of "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" using the Wrecking Crew in late 1962. According to the Beatles' George Harrison: "When Phil Spector was making 'Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah', the engineer who's set up the track overloaded the microphone on the guitar player and it became very distorted. Phil Spector said, 'Leave it like that, it's great.' Some years later everyone started to try to copy that sound and so they invented the fuzz box." The song also marked the first time his Wall of Sound production formula was fully executed.
Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans took their version of the song to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1963. Their song also peaked at number 45 in the UK Singles Chart the same year. The song was included on the only album the group ever recorded, Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, issued on the Philles Records label.
Track listings
- "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" – 2:40
- "Flp and Nitty" - 2:20
Johnny Mercer versions
Johnny Mercer had a no. 8 hit with his rendition of the song in 1947. As a result, Mercer had to correct listeners who mistakenly assumed that he wrote it.