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Disney Sing Along Songs Vol. 3: You Can Fly Review

 Theme Song by Brian Setzer and owned by Walt Disney Records

ThemeSong by Patrick DeRemer and owned by Walt Disney Records 

The next volume of Sing Along Songs is where theshow truly came into its own and established the formula that it would use forthe next 10 years. From now on all the songs will be a part of a particulartheme. In this case the theme is transportation, locations, and movement. Alsothis 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 totry something new, but it was most likely the fact that they were running outof stock footage of Mr. Owl and the class so they decided to use other hostsfrom various Disney featurettes including Prof. Von Drake, but this is stillthe Mr. Owl saga. Now without any further ado let’s fly away to Disney’s SingAlong Songs Volume 3 You Can Fly! 

Professor Ludwig Von Drake in his original profession doing what he's supposed to be doing hosting and has a PHD in Art and Music!

Part 1

Part 2

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 titlesong is You Can Fly. Prof. Von Drake brings the footage up on the monitor andthe title song begins. While not exactly a popular Disney song You Can Fly iscertainly 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. 

The Beautiful Briny

Von Drake introduces the next song by saying that traveling by sea is also an option. This leads to the song from the vastlyunderrated Bedknobs and Broomsticks. It’s Angela Lansbury and David Tomlinsonhow 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 sea”. 

Colonel Hathi’s March

The scene then shifts to Von Drake in a jungle insafari get up and introduces the classic type of transportation called themarch 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 isletting the world know that his movement is no longer bound by strings. Thesong fits the theme of movement and is another good song from Pinocchio, but isobscure as well. 

Little Black Raincloud

Now Von Drake makes a very amusing joke about howPooh 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 theepisode, but it serves the show fine. 

Merrily Song

Now we go to my favorite song in the video. This isthe main song to Wind in the Willows. This is a very catchy song and is alwaysentertaining showing Toad’s love of life and his manias. 

He’s a Tramp 

After the ruckus Von Drake finally admits that the“show has gone to the dogs”. Then it cuts to the song that doesn’t fit thetheme very well if at all. But I will say that it is showcasing a good songfrom a classic film. * This song was removed from later releases which is why it's not in the videos.

Step in Time

Next we move to one of the best choreographedsequences in a Disney film. Step in Time is a big song and number and is one ofthe first songs of this scale to be in the Sing Along series. Unfortunately itdoesn’t perform all of the song only the main section of it on the rooftops. Itdoesn’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 Drakedance on his desk. 

When I See an Elephant Fly 

Another song from Dumbo makes it on to thisepisode’s lineup. It turns out that this is my favorite song from Dumbo. Beforethe crows were considered racist for absolutely no reason these were some ofthe coolest Disney characters anyone had seen up to that point. The song iscatchy, fun and a lot clever lyrics and is a perfect choice for the last songseeing as it ties directly to the title song and fits the theme. 

You Can Fly Reprise

There has been a little subplot with Professor VonDrake building a set of Da Vinci wings so he can fly. I never understood whythe Disney ducks have never been able to fly. Anyway he finally finishes hiswings and is going to attempt to fly. Does he succeed? Watch the episode tofind out! Then it goes into the reprise of You Can Fly which is a great way toofficially close the show.

Final Thoughts

This episode took the elements of the previous two volumes together to establish a formulathat would serve them over the years. From here on out the shows would only getbetter and better. If there’s one problem with this episode it’s that thereweren’t a lot of really great fairly well known songs only a couple. It’s greatto see some obscure songs, but a little familiarity and balance would have beenmore appreciated. That all changes next time where I take a look at Volume 4The Bare Necessities.