Sunday, September 6, 2015

Disney Song #64: Old Yeller

To Listen: Click Here

The Facts:
  • Writers: Oliver Wallace (music), Hazel "Gil" George (lyrics)
  • Performer: Jerome Courtland
  • Year: 1957
  • Key:  D Major / E  Major 

Heard In: 
Old Yeller

Background / Personal Connection:
I vaguely remember seeing the classic movie Old Yeller as a kid.  SPOILER ALERT!  Yeller's young owner, Travis, is forced to shoot Yeller at the end after he sustains injuries from a wolf attack.  I wonder which movie in history is responsible for the most tissues being used -- it's probably a two horse (or dog) race between this movie and Titanic (another SPOILER ALERT -- the boat sinks in the end).  Titanic may have the edge because of all the teenage girls who went to see it 20 times in a row.  On the other hand, Yeller got of to a 40 year head start, so maybe it holds the tissue crown after all.  In any event, no Disney song countdown would be complete without the "Best Dog-gone Dog in the West."

2 comments:

  1. I haven't seen "Old Yeller" since 1986 but I've been thinking recently about checking it out again. I was eight years old at the time and definitely remember crying when they shot him. But here's a Disney movie throwback that may actually stump you. Do you recall seeing a 1984 movie called "Love Leads the Way" about the first seeing eye dog? The final scene is hyperemotional and got to me even more than "Old Yeller". About seven years ago I just had to revisit it and was forced to buy a VHS copy in the old Disney "clamshell" packaging from the 80s that I found on eBay. Just a tip.....old Disney movies in those original clamshells are not cheap to buy today. I made an exception for "Love Leads the Way" though.

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    Replies
    1. Haven't heard of that one -- sounds good, though, I'll keep it in mind.

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