James Baskett, “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” | Controversial Tunes 😈🎶

In the 13^th edition of Controversial Tunes (2022), we explore the controversy behind the song, “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” by James Baskett. 

Bring on the controversy! Controversial Tunes 😈🎶 is a column that provides background information and insight into songs that raised eyebrows and totally stirred the pot.  The records that grace Controversial Tunes are old and new alike, with all genres of music welcome.  In the 13^th edition of Controversial Tunes (2022), we explore the controversy behind the song, 🎵 “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” by 🎙 James Baskett.

Theme & Lyrics ✍ 

“Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay / My oh my, what a wonderful day / Plenty of sunshine headin’ my way / Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!” Surely, SURELY, there’s nothing the slightest bit controversial about 🎵 “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah”, one of the greatest, happiest, and most memorable Disney songs of all time, is there? YES, there’s ample controversy! To be fair, most of the controversy surrounds the film “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” appears in – 🎦 Song of the South (1946) – but even the song has a degree of sketchiness.

Focusing on the main controversy, Song of the South has long been that one film that Disney wished it had never made.  Why? Simply put, racial insensitivity. There have been several instances of racism in early Disney films, and to be fair, Disney has addressed them.  That said, when the entire film can be considered racially insensitive, particularly with 🎙 James Baskett (Uncle Remus) playing into stereotypes, well, that film and almost anything attached with it won’t see the light of day ever, at least in the United States.  It can’t be erased – they produced it, and to be fair, the south was something else – but Disney plans to ‘avoid it like the plague.’ The bright side, of course, is the Academy Award this happy, optimistic song penned by 🎼✍ Ray Gilbert and 🎼✍ Allie Wrubel received, deservingly.  And Baskett, of course, sings it superbly.

Still, the nonsensical chorus may be influenced by a problematic source… Debi Simons does a spectacular job expanding on this potential dark side of a beloved, optimistic song. Long story short, “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” might have a ‘dash of minstrel song’ within its ingredient list – YIKES! Minstrel shows were problematic because white men performed in blackface – something that DOES NOT fly these days. The culprit is 🎵 “Ole Zip Coon”, which has an offensive slur in its title and, like “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” playful, nonsensical lyrics.  Remember, “Ole Zip Coon” predated “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.”  To be fair, there are loose ends here.  Was “coon” consistently used offensively and insensitively in “Ole Zip Coon” or were they simply referring to a raccoon and NOT perpetuating racial stereotypes? Did “Ole Zip Coon” have much/any influence on “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah?” It seems that’s the case but there’s no definitive evidence. Still, when a simple children’s song prompts this much discussion, that song is probably much more complicated than we all originally thought.

Final Thoughts 💭 

So, how controversial is 🎵 “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah”? Again, it’s mostly the film, Song of the South that earns the controversial stamp.  Still, it’s hard not to question “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” particularly the more digging you do, and considering the time historically.  Also, as stated, Disney isn’t absolved of incorporating racism into their earliest works – just saying! At a minimum, consider this food for thought.

🎙 James Baskett • 🎵 “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” • 🏷 Disney • 🗓 1946

James Baskett, “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah”: Controversial Tunes 😈🎶 No. 13 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner, cottonbro, Darkmoon_Art,  TheDigitalArtist, Disney, inna mikitas, Isabela Catão, Jonathan Nenemann, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, Tazz Vaughn, Victoria Borodinova, zzzvector]