Disney Sing Along Songs Vol. 3: You Can Fly ReviewÂ
Theme Song by Brian Setzer and owned Walt Disney Records
Theme Song by Patrick DeRemer and owned by Walt Disney Records
The next volume of Sing Along Songs is where the show truly came into its own and established the formula that it would use for the next 10 years. From now on all the songs will be a part of a particular theme. In this case the theme is transportation, locations, and movement. Also this is where Mr. Owl starts to get co hosts and the co host for this episode is Professor Ludwig Von Drake. I would like to say that the show did this to try something new, but it was most likely the fact that they were running out of stock footage of Mr. Owl and the class so they decided to use other hosts from various Disney featurettes including Prof. Von Drake, but this is still the Mr. Owl saga. Now without any further ado let’s fly away to Disney’s Sing Along Songs Volume 3 You Can Fly!
You Can Fly
Prof. Von Drake is introduced and the scene shifts to what seems like an airport’s control tower which is fitting given the title song is You Can Fly. Prof. Von Drake brings the footage up on the monitor and the title song begins. While not exactly a popular Disney song You Can Fly is certainly the most iconic from the movie because of the great flying visuals that accompany it. Since flying is the greatest milestone of travel it’s no surprise why this song is the title song.
Von Drake introduces the next song by saying that traveling by sea is also an option. This leads to the song from the vastly underrated Bedknobs and Broomsticks. It’s Angela Lansbury and David Tomlinson how can you go wrong? This is a song that captures what it’s like to go “bobbing along on the bottom of the beautiful briny seaâ€.
The scene then shifts to Von Drake in a jungle in safari get up and introduces the classic type of transportation called the march by running away from a potential elephant stampede. The song is an obscure song from Jungle Book and it is a good song that showcases the elephant group mentality of this world and introduces the many characters that Mowgli interacts with.
I’ve Got No Strings
The scene then shifts to Italy where Pinocchio is letting the world know that his movement is no longer bound by strings. The song fits the theme of movement and is another good song from Pinocchio, but is obscure as well.
Little Black Raincloud
Now Von Drake makes a very amusing joke about how Pooh just can’t accept the fact that he can’t fly and he basically cheats by pretending to be a black rain cloud. This is an okay song I guess. It fits the theme and isn’t a really well known song. It’s not the best part of the episode, but it serves the show fine.
Now we go to my favorite song in the video. This is the main song to Wind in the Willows. This is a very catchy song and is always entertaining showing Toad’s love of life and his manias.
After the ruckus Von Drake finally admits that the “show has gone to the dogsâ€. Then it cuts to the song that doesn’t fit the theme very well if at all. But I will say that it is showcasing a good song from a classic film.
Step in Time
Next we move to one of the best choreographed sequences in a Disney film. Step in Time is a big song and number and is one of the first songs of this scale to be in the Sing Along series. Unfortunately it doesn’t perform all of the song only the main section of it on the rooftops. It doesn’t go into the section where the sweeps are dancing around the Banks home. Apparently it was such an entertaining segment that it made Prof. Von Drake dance on his desk.
When I See an Elephant Fly
Another song from Dumbo makes it on to this episode’s lineup. It turns out that this is my favorite song from Dumbo. Before the crows were considered racist for absolutely no reason these were some of the coolest Disney characters anyone had seen up to that point. The song is catchy, fun and a lot clever lyrics and is a perfect choice for the last song seeing as it ties directly to the title song and fits the theme.
You Can Fly Reprise
There has been a little subplot with Professor Von Drake building a set of Da Vinci wings so he can fly. I never understood why the Disney ducks have never been able to fly. Anyway he finally finishes his wings and is going to attempt to fly. Does he succeed? Watch the episode to find out! Then it goes into the reprise of You Can Fly which is a great way to officially close the show.
Final Thoughts
This episode took the elements of the previous two volumes together to establish a formula that would serve them over the years. From here on out the shows would only get better and better. If there’s one problem with this episode it’s that there weren’t a lot of really great fairly well known songs only a couple. It’s great to see some obscure songs, but a little familiarity and balance would have been more appreciated. That all changes next time where I take a look at Volume 4 The Bare Necessities.
Sorry not all the videos are from the sing along because to be honest I couldn’t find them.
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