TEDDY BEARS' PICNIC

Created on 14/02/2005
Latest update on 25/02/2023

Artist: Edison Symphony Orch.
Author: John W. Bratton
Label: Edison
Year: 1908

As an instrumental, copyrighted the year before, still in the slipstream of President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt's affair with bears: On a hunting spree near Onward, Mississippi, the president was offered to finish off a tied up and visibly beaten up pup, which he refused. He was of course caricatured by gun lobbied press, but his refusal to shoot won the hearts of many future female voters, triggering a brilliant idea on the side: a New York toy manufacturer started a line of so-called 'Teddy Bears', an absolute bestseller making it 'the father of all pet toys' on the spot.

Covers:

1908:

Royal Regiment Band

1908:

Arthur Pryor's Band

1920:

Conway's Band

1928:

Will Dodge [as Polar Bears Picnic]

1932:

Henry Hall [first vocal version (lyrics: Jimmy Kennedy), millionseller UK; later used in tv-series The Singing Detective]

1946:

Harry Babbitt

1948:

Frank DeVol

1950:

Josef Locke

1950s:

Kenny Ball

1950s:

Rosemary Clooney

1963:

Jackie Lynton

1965:

Lords [without Rob De Nijs]

1967:

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

1973:

Dave Van Ronk

1980:

Jim Kweskin

1983:

Jerry Garcia

1998:

Paragon Ragtime Orch. [following resurfaced Arthur Pryor songsheet]

2003:

Bad Manners

Later Jimmy Kennedy also wrote lyrics to Red Sails In The Sunset.

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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