(Theatrical cartoons since 1931;
Packages syndicated to TV since 1950s)
[Originally theatrical cartoons produced by Leon Schlesinger
beginning in 1931, the cartoons aired on various Children's TV
series ever since.
Although most people remember the signature THEME as being
"Merrily We Roll Along" (adapted from the nursery tune of the
same name) it is not as well known that there were two other
compositions used for "Merrie Melodies" Main Titles previously.
By 1937, both cartoon series "Merrie Melodies" and "Looney Tunes"
(which see) had adapted their final, most familiar signature
tunes that would be associated with them for decades.]
[This cheerful little earful of a tune was Arlen
and Koehler's first breakthrough hit. It evolved from a
little "pickup" vamp introduction Arlen ad-libbed when he
substituted as a rehearsal pianist for a Vincent Youmans
musical.
With the encouragement of friends, he developed the fragment
into a full melody; Then composer Harry Warren introduced
Arlen to Ted Koehler who wrote a lyric for the tune and the
song was complete. But it had no attachment to a show yet.
The boys were in their mid 20's, and eager to place songs.
They got a break when singing star Ruth Selwyn hired them
to provide several songs for her new revue on Broadway.
"Get Happy" found a place in Selwyn's 1930 revue called
"The Nine-Fifteen Review." Although the show itself failed,
"Get Happy" emerged as a hit - and Harold Arlen referred
to it ever after as that "noisy song." It helped them get
more work as writers of syncopated "rhythm songs" in the
early days of their career.
So it was natural for "Merrie Melodies" cartoons to adapt
this jazzy new song as their signature the following year.]
Composers: music by Harold Arlen (ASCAP)
[professional name of Hyman Arluck], and
lyric by Theodore K. ("Ted") Koehler (ASCAP)
1978 Publisher: Remick Music Corp. (ASCAP)
2005 Publishers: Remick Music Corp. (ASCAP)
c/o Warner Bros. Inc.
of Los Angeles, CA; and
S. A. Music Co. (ASCAP)
of Smithtown, NY
Composition Date: 1930.
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recordings:
[Tobias was a co-writer of the final signature THEME
"Merrily We Roll Along", which see below; It is not known if
this song was connected to a film or cartoon, but given the
publishers Bourne & Remick, as well as the writers involved,
that seems quite likely...]
Composers/Adapters: Charles Tobias (ASCAP)
Gerald Marks (ASCAP), and
Sidney Clare (ASCAP)
1978 Publishers: Bourne Co. (ASCAP), and
Remick Music Corp. (ASCAP)
2005 Publishers: Bourne Co. (ASCAP)
of New York, NY; and
Remick Music Corp. (ASCAP)
c/o Warner Bros. Inc.
of Los Angeles, CA
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recordings:
[aka: "Merrie Melodies (Open/Closing Theme)";
aka: "That's All, Folks";
The title of this song matches a George S. Kaufman - Moss Hart play
which premiered on Broadway on September 9th, 1934. Although this
song is apparently not related, it was published in February of
the following year...so there may have been a indirect cultural
connection.
The Kaufman and Hart play was a somewhat serious look backward
at the careers of several creative people, reflecting on their
idealistic youths and ironic ways their lives turned out - and had
some unflattering parallels with several famous careers of the
1930s including that of Dorothy Parker and George Gershwin who
were not amused; The play did not have a long run on Broadway.
(In 1981 Stephen Sondheim wrote a kind of musical descendant to
the Kaufman - Hart, play treating the subject in a more successful
manner, using the same title.)
This song and the Broadway play were apparently not consciously
connected; Co-writer Eddie Cantor (who was known as "old banjo
eyes") was a big radio and film star who had a comedy series on
NBC; Perhaps something about the title of the play inspired
the madcap composition of this tune adapted from the melody of
the well-known nursery rhyme tune.
The 1953 film "The Eddie Cantor Story" featured this song for which
Eddie Cantor is given credit as a co-writer (although the amount
of his creative contribution is unknown; it was common practice
in those days for some stars to demand a piece of royalty action
when they promoted a song -- all part of show business of the time.)
The imaginative arrangement as a cartoon signature by Warner Bros.
staff arranger Carl W. Stalling (together with the Looney Tunes
signature) are a high standard by which cartoon signature THEMEs
are judged, even today.]
[based loosely on the Nursery Tune "Merrily We Roll Along"]
Composers/Adapters: Charles Tobias (ASCAP),
Murray Mencher (ASCAP), and
Eddie Cantor (ASCAP)
[professional name of Isidore Iskowitz]
1978 Publisher: [T. B.] Harms, Inc. (ASCAP)
2000 Publishers: [T. B.] Harms, Inc. (ASCAP)
c/o Warner Bros. Inc.
of Los Angeles, CA;
Ched Music Corp. (ASCAP),
of Naples, FL; and
Eddie Cantor Music (ASCAP),
of New York, NY
Published Copyright Date: Feb. 14, 1935; EP 46 607.
Published Renewal Date: Feb. 14, 1962; R 290 953.
Unpublished Revised Version: Nov. 19, 1956; Eu 457 377.
Recordings: