Happy Feet (song)
| "Happy Feet" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Song by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra with the Rhythm Boys | |
| Published | 1930 by Ager, Yellen & Bornstein, Inc. |
| Recorded | February 10, 1930[1] |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:00 |
| Label | Columbia W149810 |
| Composer | Milton Ager |
| Lyricist | Jack Yellen |
"Happy Feet" is a song with music by Milton Ager and lyrics by Jack Yellen, first published in 1930. It was originally introduced in the Universal Pictures revue film King of Jazz (1930), where it was performed by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra with the Rhythm Boys.
Background
In film, the song was introduced in one of the musical-dancing sequences. It begins with the verse and chorus sung by the Rhythm Boys (featuring future multimedia star Bing Crosby in his onscreen debut) with the Sisters G reprising the chorus in German. The rest of "Happy Feet" sequence contains the latter's dance show along with the Russell Markert Girls. A memorable "rubber legs" solo was danced by Al Norman.[2]
According to the labels on the shellac records, the target dance for the song was a foxtrot.[1]
Notable recordings
| Date | Main recording artist | Vocalist(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 10, 1930 | Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra | The Rhythm Boys | Featuring Bing Crosby, Harry Barris and Al Rinker. | [1] |
| April 9, 1930 | Leo Reisman and his Orchestra | Lew Conrad | ||
| May 8, 1930 | Frankie Trumbauer's Orchestra | Smith Ballew | ||
| May 9, 1930 | Jack Hylton and his Orchestra | Pat O’Malley | ||
| May 26, 1930 | The Mariners Trio | |||
| October 7, 1930 | The Revelers | |||
| October 14, 1930 | Cab Calloway and his Orchestra | Cab Calloway | ||
| October 3, 1933 | Horace Henderson and his Orchestra | Henry Allen | ||
Kermit the Frog performed the song in Episode 209 of The Muppet Show.[3] Kermit's rendition is preserved on a number of recordings, including 2002's The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, and More.[4]
References
- 1 2 3 "Jack Yellen – Discography of American Historical Recordings".
- ↑ "The Happy Feet of Al "Crazy Legs" Norman". Travalanche. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
- ↑ Adams, Erik (April 3, 2012). "The Muppet Show: "Episode 209: Madeline Kahn"/"Episode 210: George Burns"". A.V. Club. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
- ↑ "The Muppets – The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem, And More (The 25th Anniversary Collection)". Discogs. Retrieved March 28, 2025.