| "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" | |
|---|---|
| Song byJames Baskett | |
| Recorded | 1946 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:19 |
| Composer | Allie Wrubel |
| Lyricist | Ray Gilbert |
"Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed byAllie Wrubel with lyrics byRay Gilbert forDisney's1946live action andanimatedmovieSong of the South, sung byJames Baskett.[1] For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won theAcademy Award for Best Original Song[1] and was the second Disney song to win this award, after "When You Wish upon a Star" fromPinocchio (1940).[1] In 2004, it finished at number 47 inAFI's 100 Years...100 Songs, a survey of top tunes in American cinema.
According to Disney historian Jim Korkis, the word "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" was reportedly invented byWalt Disney, who was fond of nonsense words used in songs such as "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" fromCinderella (1950) and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" fromMary Poppins (1964).[2] Ken Emerson, author of the 1997 bookDoo-dah!: Stephen Foster And The Rise Of American Popular Culture, believes that the song is influenced by the chorus of the pre-Civil War folk song "Zip Coon", a "Turkey in the Straw" variation: "O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day".[3]
Since 2020, Disney has disassociated itself from the song due to the longstanding controversy over racial connotations associated withSong of the South, with the song being removed from soundtracks in the company's theme parks and associated resorts in the United States.[4]
The Walt Disney Company never released a single from the soundtrack.
| "Zip-a-Dee Doo-Dah" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byBob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans | ||||
| from the album Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah | ||||
| B-side | "Flip and Nitty" | |||
| Released | 1962 | |||
| Studio | Gold Star, Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:40 | |||
| Label | Philles | |||
| Songwriters | Allie Wrubel,Ray Gilbert | |||
| Producer | Phil Spector | |||
| Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, aPhil Spector-produced Americanrhythm and blues trio from Los Angeles, recorded "Zip-a-Dee Doo-Dah" usingthe Wrecking Crew[9] in late 1962. According tothe 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 thefuzz box."[10] The song also marked the first time hisWall of Sound production formula was fully executed.[11]
In 1963, Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans took their version of the song to number 8 on theBillboard Hot 100 chart and number 7 on theHot R&B Singles chart.[12] Their song also peaked at number 45 in theUK Singles Chart the same year.[1] The song was included on the only album the group ever recorded,Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, issued on thePhilles Records label.
This version was sung by the following people:[13][14]
