Do you still play the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah in your home?

[Fely the 1st]

Love the song. I remember my first trips to WDW we watched the Zip-a-dee-do-da- tip of the day on resort TV. Just thinking about that makes me sooooo happy.

 

[Her Dotness]

It's a cheery song that I used to have on vinyl years ago as a child and practically wore out.

However, I have qualms about playing it anymore, particularly after learning it's based on a minstrel show song.

The Uncle Remus Stories which were the basis for Song of the South were controversial from their publication in the late 1800s because Uncle Remus, though said to be a freeman and paid worker, was much too similar to the highly offensive happy old Black man working on a plantation stereotype.

I myself think Disney ought to quit using the song. It's not an excuse that most people probably have no idea what the song's origin is. That it's associated with a character type highly offensive to Black people should be sufficient to leave this one in the past when overt racism was sadly commonplace.

 

[Fely the 1st]

Love the song. I remember my first trips to WDW we watched the Zip-a-dee-do-da- tip of the day on resort TV. Just thinking about that makes me sooooo happy.

 

[goofyernmost]

Want to know the real irony about this discussion. We are talking about a song famously sung by a black man. A song that makes no mention about any race or status. Just a happy song describing one persons ability to see the good things that are there for free and do not cost anyone anything. Is the concern only about the fact that such a positive song was sung by a person of color? I wonder!

 

[Her Dotness]

Want to know the real irony about this discussion. We are talking about a song famously sung by a black man. A song that makes no mention about any race or status. Just a happy song describing one persons ability to see the good things that are there for free and do not cost anyone anything. Is the concern only about the fact that such a positive song was sung by a person of color? I wonder!

No, it's not, I don't think. And James Bassett portrayed Uncle Remus in a time when black actors couldn't get roles as anything but slaves or servants in movies--and were paid substantially less than white people who played servants, too.

Thanks to Dr. King and other prominent leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, we began as a nation to think more about actual manifestations of racism, and some years later, more about the damage done by the not-so-obvious racism (not obvious to white people, that is).

That the song derives from a minstrel show song does it for me. I'm old enough to remember minstrel show skits on comedy-variety tv shows of the 50s and 60s. They were seen as funny by Whites. Makes me shudder now to think how my family used to chuckle and laugh at their "Black" dialect (a cruel parody of actual dialects) and jokes that portrayed Blacks as uneducated and dimwitted. When we were fully aware the performers were Whites in blackface makeup.

While it's a cheerful tune with lighthearted lyrics, the associations with America's oppressive past render use of the song unsuitable today, IMO.

 

[wabbott]

The Johnny Mercer 1947 cover was the best, imo. Got to number 8 on the charts. Love the song, it raises goose bumps every time I hear it.

 

[goofyernmost]

No, it's not, I don't think. And James Bassett portrayed Uncle Remus in a time when black actors couldn't get roles as anything but slaves or servants in movies--and were paid substantially less than white people who played servants, too.

Thanks to Dr. King and other prominent leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, we began as a nation to think more about actual manifestations of racism, and some years later, more about the damage done by the not-so-obvious racism (not obvious to white people, that is).

That the song derives from a minstrel show song does it for me. I'm old enough to remember minstrel show skits on comedy-variety tv shows of the 50s and 60s. They were seen as funny by Whites. Makes me shudder now to think how my family used to chuckle and laugh at their "Black" dialect (a cruel parody of actual dialects) and jokes that portrayed Blacks as uneducated and dimwitted. When we were fully aware the performers were Whites in blackface makeup.

While it's a cheerful tune with lighthearted lyrics, the associations with America's oppressive past render use of the song unsuitable today, IMO.

I think you are putting way to much pressure on a song. I guess one can put evil on anything. I do not nor do I associate the song with slavery, in fact, the movie is depicted after the Emancipation Proclamation. It depicted an old wise black x-slave that was a much more sensitive human than all the rich white folks that surrounded him. It is that part the offends so many people. A black person smarter than a white person. Yet, even in the age it was filmed in, you own words were that blacks didn't get roles like that. The movie, didn't give him that "Amos and Andy" dialect and presented him as a kind, person that helped a young white boy get over his upset of his parents divorcing and telling him stories and examples of the way to direct his thoughts, a way that his parents could not.

I went to school over 50 years ago and you are the first person that I heard of that associates that song with slavery. There were a lot of things we did wrong back then, but we HAD come a long way in our thinking. We do, however, have a long way to go especially since we seem to have backed up a few steps lately. It seems a shame that a song, originally sung by a black man that is upbeat, happy and hopeful should be looked upon as something negative. That is the irony. There were sections of the movie that were stereotypical and probably offensive to some people now, but nothing about zip-a-dee-doo-dah is offensive

 

[Sweettears]

It's a cheery song that I used to have on vinyl years ago as a child and practically wore out.

However, I have qualms about playing it anymore, particularly after learning it's based on a minstrel show song.

The Uncle Remus Stories which were the basis for Song of the South were controversial from their publication in the late 1800s because Uncle Remus, though said to be a freeman and paid worker, was much too similar to the highly offensive happy old Black man working on a plantation stereotype.

I myself think Disney ought to quit using the song. It's not an excuse that most people probably have no idea what the song's origin is. That it's associated with a character type highly offensive to Black people should be sufficient to leave this one in the past when overt racism was sadly commonplace.

I believe that the only place you can hear it is Splash. I think it has been removed. From the BGM loops

 

[lukemorenus]

I thought it was a euphemism

 

[Her Dotness]

I believe that the only place you can hear it is Splash. I think it has been removed. From the BGM loops

I hope it has.

While I like the song itself, I think it has too much historical baggage to continue to play it publicly.

 

[BrianL]

I think you are putting way to much pressure on a song. I guess one can put evil on anything. I do not nor do I associate the song with slavery, in fact, the movie is depicted after the Emancipation Proclamation. It depicted an old wise black x-slave that was a much more sensitive human than all the rich white folks that surrounded him. It is that part the offends so many people. A black person smarter than a white person. Yet, even in the age it was filmed in, you own words were that blacks didn't get roles like that. The movie, didn't give him that "Amos and Andy" dialect and presented him as a kind, person that helped a young white boy get over his upset of his parents divorcing and telling him stories and examples of the way to direct his thoughts, a way that his parents could not.

I went to school over 50 years ago and you are the first person that I heard of that associates that song with slavery. There were a lot of things we did wrong back then, but we HAD come a long way in our thinking. We do, however, have a long way to go especially since we seem to have backed up a few steps lately. It seems a shame that a song, originally sung by a black man that is upbeat, happy and hopeful should be looked upon as something negative. That is the irony. There were sections of the movie that were stereotypical and probably offensive to some people now, but nothing about zip-a-dee-doo-dah is offensive

I do generally agree with your observations, however none of it really matters. Some people are offended by the movie/song, and it's not for us to tell them that they're wrong. This has to do with feelings - and it makes some people feel uncomfortable, regardless of the actual historic facts. Was the movie intended to be racist? Evidence points to no. Does it fail on many levels to give deserved weight to some of the subject matter? Yeah, I think that's fair. Should it be hidden from view forever becasue of that? That's Disney's call, and they'd rather not court the controversey. It's not a particularly relevant film these days anyway. Even while the movie isn't anything I much care about, the song on the other hand is special to me. I like it and continue to enjoy it - but I'm not responsible for exposing 60,000 people a day to it - 60,000 people with differing points of view. There's no "winning" here, and it's not a contest anyway.

Personally, I do think that things like words and songs only have the power that we give them, and that a better approach is to refuse to surrender that power. Of course, that's easy to say from my position. We still have a long way to go in other areas before these things can stop mattering. There's still too much hurt out there, too much potential for more, and the wrong messages can still perpetuate it.

 

[MEC004]

I love the song and thinks it’s important to teach the racial implications of the movie and the treatment. Can’t erase and hope it changes things. Teach the right thing.

I will tell you other things offend me more than the issues surrounding this. The main show, The Jetsons! I was shocked when I watched the first episode with my son and was appalled. Didn’t realize how sexist it was. Disney has its issues, but not like some of the other cartoons.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Awesome movie. I have always been floored that the PC crowd hate it. Movie does a great job of celebrating aspects of African- American culture. But apparently no one currently working for Disney knows anything (no surprise there) about African American history or historiography (studied US slavery/AA history in college).

 

[barkley]

My middle son is obsessed with Song of the South in general. We were gifted a version of it, so he has actually watched it. I am not offended by it in the least. We have had some amazing conversations regarding race, racism, and how far the film industry has come.

I have always felt that making something a teaching moment, instead of a controversy works better.

i have a copy of the movie. my soon to be 28 year old who majored in film sat down with us to watch it for the first time last year. he acknowledged the issues many (himself included) have with the film but he also pointed out what dh and i have always believed (but did not mention to him prior to viewing)-uncle remus is the ONLY positive male role model in the entire movie. the manner in which he is a surrogate parent and mentor to the young boy johnny is admirable.

 

[goofyernmost]

I do generally agree with your observations, however none of it really matters. Some people are offended by the movie/song, and it's not for us to tell them that they're wrong. This has to do with feelings - and it makes some people feel uncomfortable, regardless of the actual historic facts. Was the movie intended to be racist? Evidence points to no. Does it fail on many levels to give deserved weight to some of the subject matter? Yeah, I think that's fair. Should it be hidden from view forever becasue of that? That's Disney's call, and they'd rather not court the controversey. It's not a particularly relevant film these days anyway. Even while the movie isn't anything I much care about, the song on the other hand is special to me. I like it and continue to enjoy it - but I'm not responsible for exposing 60,000 people a day to it - 60,000 people with differing points of view. There's no "winning" here, and it's not a contest anyway.

Personally, I do think that things like words and songs only have the power that we give them, and that a better approach is to refuse to surrender that power. Of course, that's easy to say from my position. We still have a long way to go in other areas before these things can stop mattering. There's still too much hurt out there, too much potential for more, and the wrong messages can still perpetuate it.

Who are those people? I'm as liberal as they come and I know of no one that is "uncomfortable" about it. The part that bothers me is that the Brer Rabbit center piece is what the attraction is focusing on. That is the oral tradition passed down by African-Americans (slaves and x-slaves) of the southern US. It is black history and people have spun it as offensive instead of heritage. There is nothing in those stories except the thought that people can survive via wit instead of brawn. By making it sound awful, we are in affect cancelling a culture for fake reasons and no one seems to want to find out for themselves why that is wrong.

The movie did have some offensive stereotypical parts to it. But the Brer Rabbit stories in Splash Mtn. have nothing offensive in it at all. The movie was created around those stories that existed long before Walt Disney was born. He just used them and built the rest of the movie around them. The movie "Song of the South" can be and is offensive, in parts, to a culture, but nothing in the attraction should be seen as offensive. It does have some positive messages about life. Something that needs to be preserved. Music can only be offensive if we hear something offensive in the words or the direct connection. This song that we all knew by heart as children never conveyed that to us. It was only a good feeling.

 

[BrianL]

Who are those people? I'm as liberal as they come and I know of no one that is "uncomfortable" about it. The part that bothers me is that the Brer Rabbit center piece is what the attraction is focusing on. That is the oral tradition passed down by African-Americans (slaves and x-slaves) of the southern US. It is black history and people have spun it as offensive instead of heritage. There is nothing in those stories except the thought that people can survive via wit instead of brawn. By making it sound awful, we are in affect cancelling a culture for fake reasons and no one seems to want to find out for themselves why that is wrong.

The movie did have some offensive stereotypical parts to it. But the Brer Rabbit stories in Splash Mtn. have nothing offensive in it at all. The movie was created around those stories that existed long before Walt Disney was born. He just used them and built the rest of the movie around them. The movie "Song of the South" can be and is offensive, in parts, to a culture, but nothing in the attraction should be seen as offensive. It does have some positive messages about life. Something that needs to be preserved. Music can only be offensive if we hear something offensive in the words or the direct connection. This song that we all knew by heart as children never conveyed that to us. It was only a good feeling.

It's not so much the stories, but rather how it was presented. The voices for example are definitely a bit stereotypical, and also done by white performers. Now, I've always thought that Disney could revisit the Br'er Rabbit stories, make something that protrayed them in a more authentic way. They could have tied that to Splash Mountain too - but, honestly, I don't know tha tthere's a huge market for something like that.

You're really not wrong in your observations, but others see it differently. Who are they? Well, I don't know, but does it matter? Views evolve over time, and sometimes things fall by the wayside in favor of different standards.

 

[goofyernmost]

It's not so much the stories, but rather how it was presented. The voices for example are definitely a bit stereotypical, and also done by white performers. Now, I've always thought that Disney could revisit the Br'er Rabbit stories, make something that protrayed them in a more authentic way. They could have tied that to Splash Mountain too - but, honestly, I don't know tha tthere's a huge market for something like that.

You're really not wrong in your observations, but others see it differently. Who are they? Well, I don't know, but does it matter? Views evolve over time, and sometimes things fall by the wayside in favor of different standards.

Considering the time that they were written, it is probably a lot closer to reality then you think. It is just a southern drawl not over the top, just quite authentic. I'm not sure how you know that all the voices were done by white people and even if they were they might be southern. Also the story line actors, so to speak, were all animals there was no indication of race!

The problem is that you are upset with the movie and I don't disagree with a lot of that concern, however, we are talking about a song that makes no connection to race. It is just a song that was written for a movie with nothing but upward mood in mind. Being thankful for nature is something we all should strive for. Life is way to short to get all tied up in colors. That vast majority of people have never even seen the movie so bringing something that, for all intents and purposes, will never be seen by most people seems like an intentional effort to spin something innocent into something hurtful. Condemn the movie if we must, but to pinpoint a simple song into some guilt by association is not what we should be doing.

 

[wabbott]

My, my, my. The Dave Clark Five even covered it in 1664. It's on YouTube if you care to listen.

 

[wabbott]

This just cannot be!!! Bob B. Sox & the Blue Jeans even did a cover in 1962. Produced by Phil Spector.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_B._Soxx_&_the_Blue_Jeans

 

[BrianL]

Considering the time that they were written, it is probably a lot closer to reality then you think. It is just a southern drawl not over the top, just quite authentic. I'm not sure how you know that all the voices were done by white people and even if they were they might be southern. Also the story line actors, so to speak, were all animals there was no indication of race!

The problem is that you are upset with the movie and I don't disagree with a lot of that concern, however, we are talking about a song that makes no connection to race. It is just a song that was written for a movie with nothing but upward mood in mind. Being thankful for nature is something we all should strive for. Life is way to short to get all tied up in colors. That vast majority of people have never even seen the movie so bringing something that, for all intents and purposes, will never be seen by most people seems like an intentional effort to spin something innocent into something hurtful. Condemn the movie if we must, but to pinpoint a simple song into some guilt by association is not what we should be doing.

I mean, I do agree with you generally speaking, but there are those who don't and I can totally understand why Disney would take the actions that it is taking. I can't make others feel the same way about it.