Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

"Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert for Disney's 1946 live action and animated movie Song of the South, sung by James Baskett.^[1] For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won the Academy Award for Best Original Song^[1] and was the second Disney song to win this award, after "When You Wish upon a Star" from Pinocchio (1940).^[1] In 2004, it finished at number 47 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs, a survey of top tunes in American cinema.

"Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah"
Song by James Baskett
Recorded	1946
Genre	Jazz scat
Length	2:19
Composer	Allie Wrubel
Lyricist	Ray Gilbert

According to Disney historian Jim Korkis, the word "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" was reportedly invented by Walt Disney, who was fond of nonsense words used in songs such as "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" from Cinderella (1950) and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from Mary Poppins (1964).^[2] Ken Emerson, author of the 1997 book Doo-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 with Song of the South, with the song being removed from soundtracks in the company's theme parks and associated resorts in the United States.^[4]

Notable versions

The Walt Disney Company never released a single from the soundtrack.

• Johnny Mercer & the Pied Pipers had a No. 8 hit with their rendition of the song in December 1946. The flip side of the record was "Everybody Has a Laughing Place", from the same movie and by the same composers.^[5] As a result, Mercer had to correct listeners who mistakenly assumed that he wrote it.^[6]
• The Modernaires with Paula Kelly – this reached the No. 11 spot in the Billboard charts in 1946.^[7]
• Sammy Kaye & His Orchestra – this also reached the No. 11 spot in the Billboard charts in 1946.^[8]

Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans version

"Zip-a-Dee Doo-Dah"
Single by Bob 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
"Zip-a-Dee Doo-Dah" (1962) "Why Do Lovers Break Each Other's Heart" (1962)

Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, a Phil Spector-produced American rhythm and blues trio from Los Angeles, recorded "Zip-a-Dee Doo-Dah" using the Wrecking Crew^[9] 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."^[10] The song also marked the first time his Wall 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 the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 7 on the Hot R&B Singles chart.^[12] Their song also peaked at number 45 in the UK 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 the Philles Records label.

Personnel

This version was sung by the following people:^[13][14]

• Bobby Sheen – lead vocals
• Darlene Love – background vocals (and ad-libs)
• Fanita James – background vocals