Winnie the Pooh and his Hundred-Acre friends generally live very simple
lives and go about in the same clothes (or, in most cases, lack thereof)
day after day. However, one fun thing about the television series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is its expansive imaginative scope. Some episodes allow these plush pals to venture into more unconventional territory. In Cowboy Pooh, part of the Playtime series of Winnie the Pooh videos, we see three episodes along these lines, each spoofing a specific genre.
The Good, the Bad and the Tigger - This Western spoof, also included in the video Growing Up With Winnie the Pooh: It's Playtime With Pooh,
finds Pooh (Jim Cummings), Piglet (John Fiedler), Rabbit (Ken Sansom)
and Tigger (Paul Winchell) in Christopher Robin's (Tim Hoskins) bedroom
admiring his elaborate train set. When his mother calls him away, he
warns everyone not to play with the train while he's gone, but Tigger
can't resist, sparking a lengthy imaginative sequence set in the Old
West. Tigger is a train robber, Pooh is his unwitting accomplice, Piglet
is the sheriff determined to mete out justice however difficult that
may be, Rabbit and Eeyore are his faithful sidekicks and Gopher (Michael
Gough) is the grim judge eager to hand down a sentence for a
"swinging."
This episode is a lot of fun because of the way it
uses Western conventions, from dastardly villains to dusty,
half-deserted towns. The score seems Copeland-inspired, and the chase
sequences along the rickety railroad tracks prickle with excitement.
Lots of fun, too, are the outfits, complete with ten-gallon hats (and
one sombrero). Of course, this being Pooh, the story ends gently for all
concerned, but some pretty harrowing situations precede the satisfying
resolution that includes a lesson in forgiveness and fessing up to
wrongdoing.
Pooh Marks the Spot - I wish I'd watched this video a little sooner; I could have included its infectious pirate ditty in my list of nautical songs
for Talk Like a Pirate Day in September. "Yo ho, everyone knows a
pirate's life is free. Yo ho, wherever we go, pirates is what we'll be!"
Catchy. The pirates in question are Captain Piglet, Tigger, Pooh and
Gopher, who roam the Hundred-Acre Wood in a magnificent pirate ship on
wheels. I don't know who is responsible for the construction of
that contraption - though I suspect a collaboration between handyman
Gopher and creative Tigger - but I wish I had one. And someplace where I
could ramble around in it, of course.
Rabbit does not think so
highly of their pirate activities, especially once they start digging up
his garden in search of buried treasure, so he concocts a plan to trick
them and hopefully curtail their revelry. However, when a trippy dream
sequence leaves him with a boatload of guilt, Rabbit wonders if he went
too far. Aside from the brief dream, which is frankly pretty creepy,
this does not take place in a fantastical setting, but there are pirate
costumes aplenty as well as that remarkable ship. The conclusion
includes a cute twist that emphasizes the kindness and creativity of
these forest friends.
The Masked Offender - I'm pretty
sure that I've seen this before, but as Tigger's secret identity, the
Masked Offender, is all I remember, I wonder if I encountered it in
another episode or perhaps a book. The rest of the story doesn't seem
very familiar. In any case, this is another entertaining tale that seems
to draw from classic heroes like the Three Musketeers and Robin Hood.
Part of the episode occurs within a storybook Christopher Robin is
reading, and this is where we find the most elaborate costumes and
props, but Tigger doesn't do too badly in coming up with an outfit for
himself after the story inspires him to follow suit.
There's
humor in Tigger's choice of name, unintentionally changing "Defender" to
"Offender," since all of his attempts to "rescue" others only serve to
irritate them. Poor Piglet, roped into being his sidekick, doesn't know
how to tell Tigger his heroics are not welcome. This is another episode
that includes a mean-spirited practical joke orchestrated by Rabbit, but
in this case, he doesn't work alone. Owl (Hal Smith) is particularly
anxious to put a stop to Tigger's stunts. However, when a true emergency
beckons, will a chastened Tigger step up to the plate to finally be a
true hero? The storybook portions of this episode are great fun, but
it's the intense action sequence involving one of those impossibly steep
Hundred-Acre Wood canyons that really makes this episode.
Disney has released Winnie the Pooh Halloween specials before. Cowboy Pooh
includes none of those, but the three episodes, taken together, feel
Halloweenish because most of the characters spend the majority of their
time in costume. Thus, this is a particularly good video for October,
but any time of year, it may just inspire a creative playtime costume or
two.
Showing posts with label Cowboys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cowboys. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The Cowboy's Christmas Isn't Western But Is Well-Mannered
I have always gravitated toward the cowboy lifestyle, so I was intrigued when I happened upon the picture book The Cowboy’s Christmas
by Joan Walsh Anglund, who tends to stick more with poetry in most of
her books. While the title character certainly looks like a little
cowboy, I was rather disappointed to find that nothing he does in the
book is particularly cowboyish. Nonetheless, this is a cute Christmas
book encouraging children to be on their best behavior as Christmas
approaches.
This is a very simple book about a cowboy who is “Especially Busy” getting ready for Christmas. Those words are two of several that are capitalized for emphasis. Like many of Anglund’s books, this one has only about one sentence on each page. It’s about half the size of a typical picture book but nearly twice the size as Anglund’s tiny gift books, so it feels fairly spacious despite its small size.
As I was reading this for the first time, it became apparent to me that it was part of a series. I have not read any of Anglund’s other cowboy books, and I think it would be helpful to read at least the first one, as that apparently establishes this character as a bit of a troublemaker. The cowboy’s actions are meant to seem extraordinary because readers already know him as a scallywag. However, nothing he does in this book suggests that, and if it weren’t for the way the text was worded, I would have no reason to suspect that he is anything other than perfectly well-mannered.
This book does not provide any information about the bear, either. Where did he come from? How did they meet? Is he visible to everyone or just the cowboy? It’s really not clear. I do find the color scheme of this book interesting, though. While the cowboy and most of the background objects are black, the bear, the mice and a few other page elements are red. It’s only the two colors, so it’s pretty drab, but the stark contrast is interesting.
Because the cowboy’s darker past is only hinted at here, there’s not much dramatic tension to be found. Instead, it’s just a straightforward account of someone getting ready for Christmas. Given his diminutive height and the typical baby face that Anglund gives him, he definitely seems to be a child, but he also lives all alone, at least without human supervision. He does share his house with a jumbo-sized bear and a family of mice. Still, he comes across as an interesting sort of kid-adult hybrid.
The Cowboy’s Christmas was published in 1972, and it looks older than that. The red and black color scheme more than anything else is what makes it seem like a product of an earlier part of the century; the capitalized words seem quaint too. It’s a good sort of nostalgia, which is something you could say about most of Anglund’s books. While it would have been nice if this book had more of a western flavor to it, the cowboy’s determination to extend goodwill to others makes for a most agreeable tale.
This is a very simple book about a cowboy who is “Especially Busy” getting ready for Christmas. Those words are two of several that are capitalized for emphasis. Like many of Anglund’s books, this one has only about one sentence on each page. It’s about half the size of a typical picture book but nearly twice the size as Anglund’s tiny gift books, so it feels fairly spacious despite its small size.
As I was reading this for the first time, it became apparent to me that it was part of a series. I have not read any of Anglund’s other cowboy books, and I think it would be helpful to read at least the first one, as that apparently establishes this character as a bit of a troublemaker. The cowboy’s actions are meant to seem extraordinary because readers already know him as a scallywag. However, nothing he does in this book suggests that, and if it weren’t for the way the text was worded, I would have no reason to suspect that he is anything other than perfectly well-mannered.
This book does not provide any information about the bear, either. Where did he come from? How did they meet? Is he visible to everyone or just the cowboy? It’s really not clear. I do find the color scheme of this book interesting, though. While the cowboy and most of the background objects are black, the bear, the mice and a few other page elements are red. It’s only the two colors, so it’s pretty drab, but the stark contrast is interesting.
Because the cowboy’s darker past is only hinted at here, there’s not much dramatic tension to be found. Instead, it’s just a straightforward account of someone getting ready for Christmas. Given his diminutive height and the typical baby face that Anglund gives him, he definitely seems to be a child, but he also lives all alone, at least without human supervision. He does share his house with a jumbo-sized bear and a family of mice. Still, he comes across as an interesting sort of kid-adult hybrid.
The Cowboy’s Christmas was published in 1972, and it looks older than that. The red and black color scheme more than anything else is what makes it seem like a product of an earlier part of the century; the capitalized words seem quaint too. It’s a good sort of nostalgia, which is something you could say about most of Anglund’s books. While it would have been nice if this book had more of a western flavor to it, the cowboy’s determination to extend goodwill to others makes for a most agreeable tale.
Wednesday, January 15, 2003
Yodel Your Heart Out with Disney Cowboy Songs
When I was little, I had a collection of children’s tapes copied from
record albums borrowed from the library that I listened to over and over
and over again. Pardners, known to me until recently as Disney Cowboy Songs, is one of the few that still survives. It is also one of my favorites.
I am not a huge fan of country music, though I often enjoy it and listen to it frequently on long drives through rural Pennsylvania when it appears on three out of four radio stations. I am, however, a big fan of western music, a distinction which can be made here. I’m a big fan of John Denver, Michael Martin Murphy, and others who may be best categorized as western, and an album full of cowboy songs certainly fits that mold. And, of course, I’m a sucker for Disney, so this album was a winning combination for me when I was five and still is today.
Deep in the Heart of Texas: A nice interactive song, with a man singing the verses while a chorus of children (perhaps Mouseketeers?) chime in on the choruses. I once saw a Gary Larson Halloween special in which a group of cowboys exposed an alien in their midst when he was unable to clap along to this song correctly. Luckily, I never had that trouble; I must be a cowgirl at heart!
Cowboy Mickey: This one’s an album original, a ballad lauding Mickey as “the bravest mouse the West has ever known.” Mickey, Donald and Goofy all make appearances here, as do Minnie as Mickey’s sweetheart and Pete as the ornery villain determined to steal her heart. The “ki-ki-yippees” are nice practice for some real yodeling in The Song of the Screamin’ Cowboy.
The Old Chisholm Trail: This classic also offers ample opportunity for some “ki-yi-yippie-yippie-ay-yippie-ays,” but it’s a fairly dull song and the yodels aren’t going to have a whole lot of heart either. It’s all very smooth and metered, and again the man takes the verses while the kids take the choruses. One of the flatter selections.
Ride ‘Em Cowboy: The Disney trio are back, with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy alternating verses with the man as they list the joys and drudgeries of cowboy life. Light-hearted and including a bit of back-and-forth banter among the characters, this is a fun song.
Home on the Range: The perennial classic, and one of the most boring songs on the album. The man sings it as slow as he possibly can, to the point of it sounding mournful. (I tip my hat to the Chipmunks for coming up with a version of this song that manages to be very entertaining. Alvin, being difficult as always, hams up his performance of the song while crooning about cantaloupes who play out on the range, much to Dave’s dismay. The boys tire of Dave’s ranting before the song is complete, and they wander off to get themselves a cantaloupe. “That’s a dear little somethin’ to eat,” explains Simon, skewering Dave’s explanation of the difference between antelopes and cantaloupes. Classic.)
The Song of the Screamin' Cowboy: “Bury me thar with my battered guitar, / screamin’ my heart out fer you-hoo-hoo-hoo...” No question, this is my favorite, much to my brother’s displeasure. When I think of great yodeling songs, I usually think of John Denver (Calypso comes to mind first, which ironically has nothing to do with either mountains or cowboys). But first, I think of this old cowboy screaming his heart out for the gal he loves. This appears to be a Disney original; I read a comic book once in which Donald Duck had penned the tune, which had becomes a hit of Witch Doctor proportions. It’s both silly and sweet, and the voice is irresistible. Put on your best cowboy accent for this one and sing along. “The song of the screamin’ cowboy will haunt you all your days, / after I’ve kicked the bucket across them pearly gates...” The long string of yodels is made all the better by a Rockapella-esque treatment; the deep bass “yodel-odel-ay-he-hoos” are especially entertaining.
Partners: A sort of sappy song sung by one cowhand to another about how glad he is that they are partners. Their friendship has lasted through the ravages of time, and he is grateful. A slow and sweet song, it’s not at the top of my list, but it’s not at the bottom either.
Pecos Bill: A close second to The Song of the Screamin’ Cowboy. I don’t think Disney made this one up, but I could be wrong. Certainly it’s not the only song about Pecos Bill floating around. This upbeat tune described the folk hero in typical larger-than-life terms. “While reclinin’ on a cloud high over Texas, / with his gun he made the stars evaporate. / And when he saw those stars declinin’, / well, he left one brightly shinin’ / as the emblem of the Lone Star Texas State.” Once again there is also some pretty nifty yodeling. “Yippie-i-ay-i-ay, yippie-ie-oh-oh-oh-oh, for the toughest critter west of the Alamo.”
I'm An Old Cowhand (From The Rio Grande): Goofy is especially well equipped to sing this song about a misfit of a cowboy. He’s a happy fella, just not really what you might expect out of a guy who calls himself a cowhand. “I’m a cowboy who never saw a cow, / never roped a steer ‘cause I don’t know how, / and I sure ain’t fixin’ to start in now, yippie-ki-o-ki-ay.”
Git Along, Little Dogies: Another cowboy classic. Pretty straightforward; like most of the short and simple well-known tunes here, it’s fine but not very exciting.
A Cowboy Needs a Horse: Again Donald, Mickey, Goofy and the man trade off, and this time the kids join in. The song lists all of the things that a cowboy needs to survive but concludes that ultimately, a cowboy doesn’t need very much at all to make do in life.
Don't Fence Me In: Another one of my favorites, this is an upbeat song about a cowboy pleading to be allowed freedom from fences. “I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences, / gaze at the moon till I lose my senses, / I can't look at hovels and I can't stand fences. / Don't fence me in.”
Donald Duck, the Wrangler: I wonder if Donald’s feeling gypped that his song is the second-to-last in the album? Donald’s infamous temper is put to good use in this amusing song, where he is pinned as more of a villain than a hero. “You’ve never heard a more discouraging word / than when Donald Duck the Wrangler is about.”
Happy Trails: The perfect ending to the album, this gentle classic leaves the listener with a blessing and an invitation to return to the album whenever they want, which, for me, at least, is often. “Happy trails to you until we meet again.”
It may not be the most sophisticated album out there, but it is satisfying. So go out and grab a copy for your little cowboy, or the little cowboy you once were. You’ll be glad you did.
I am not a huge fan of country music, though I often enjoy it and listen to it frequently on long drives through rural Pennsylvania when it appears on three out of four radio stations. I am, however, a big fan of western music, a distinction which can be made here. I’m a big fan of John Denver, Michael Martin Murphy, and others who may be best categorized as western, and an album full of cowboy songs certainly fits that mold. And, of course, I’m a sucker for Disney, so this album was a winning combination for me when I was five and still is today.
Deep in the Heart of Texas: A nice interactive song, with a man singing the verses while a chorus of children (perhaps Mouseketeers?) chime in on the choruses. I once saw a Gary Larson Halloween special in which a group of cowboys exposed an alien in their midst when he was unable to clap along to this song correctly. Luckily, I never had that trouble; I must be a cowgirl at heart!
Cowboy Mickey: This one’s an album original, a ballad lauding Mickey as “the bravest mouse the West has ever known.” Mickey, Donald and Goofy all make appearances here, as do Minnie as Mickey’s sweetheart and Pete as the ornery villain determined to steal her heart. The “ki-ki-yippees” are nice practice for some real yodeling in The Song of the Screamin’ Cowboy.
The Old Chisholm Trail: This classic also offers ample opportunity for some “ki-yi-yippie-yippie-ay-yippie-ays,” but it’s a fairly dull song and the yodels aren’t going to have a whole lot of heart either. It’s all very smooth and metered, and again the man takes the verses while the kids take the choruses. One of the flatter selections.
Ride ‘Em Cowboy: The Disney trio are back, with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy alternating verses with the man as they list the joys and drudgeries of cowboy life. Light-hearted and including a bit of back-and-forth banter among the characters, this is a fun song.
Home on the Range: The perennial classic, and one of the most boring songs on the album. The man sings it as slow as he possibly can, to the point of it sounding mournful. (I tip my hat to the Chipmunks for coming up with a version of this song that manages to be very entertaining. Alvin, being difficult as always, hams up his performance of the song while crooning about cantaloupes who play out on the range, much to Dave’s dismay. The boys tire of Dave’s ranting before the song is complete, and they wander off to get themselves a cantaloupe. “That’s a dear little somethin’ to eat,” explains Simon, skewering Dave’s explanation of the difference between antelopes and cantaloupes. Classic.)
The Song of the Screamin' Cowboy: “Bury me thar with my battered guitar, / screamin’ my heart out fer you-hoo-hoo-hoo...” No question, this is my favorite, much to my brother’s displeasure. When I think of great yodeling songs, I usually think of John Denver (Calypso comes to mind first, which ironically has nothing to do with either mountains or cowboys). But first, I think of this old cowboy screaming his heart out for the gal he loves. This appears to be a Disney original; I read a comic book once in which Donald Duck had penned the tune, which had becomes a hit of Witch Doctor proportions. It’s both silly and sweet, and the voice is irresistible. Put on your best cowboy accent for this one and sing along. “The song of the screamin’ cowboy will haunt you all your days, / after I’ve kicked the bucket across them pearly gates...” The long string of yodels is made all the better by a Rockapella-esque treatment; the deep bass “yodel-odel-ay-he-hoos” are especially entertaining.
Partners: A sort of sappy song sung by one cowhand to another about how glad he is that they are partners. Their friendship has lasted through the ravages of time, and he is grateful. A slow and sweet song, it’s not at the top of my list, but it’s not at the bottom either.
Pecos Bill: A close second to The Song of the Screamin’ Cowboy. I don’t think Disney made this one up, but I could be wrong. Certainly it’s not the only song about Pecos Bill floating around. This upbeat tune described the folk hero in typical larger-than-life terms. “While reclinin’ on a cloud high over Texas, / with his gun he made the stars evaporate. / And when he saw those stars declinin’, / well, he left one brightly shinin’ / as the emblem of the Lone Star Texas State.” Once again there is also some pretty nifty yodeling. “Yippie-i-ay-i-ay, yippie-ie-oh-oh-oh-oh, for the toughest critter west of the Alamo.”
I'm An Old Cowhand (From The Rio Grande): Goofy is especially well equipped to sing this song about a misfit of a cowboy. He’s a happy fella, just not really what you might expect out of a guy who calls himself a cowhand. “I’m a cowboy who never saw a cow, / never roped a steer ‘cause I don’t know how, / and I sure ain’t fixin’ to start in now, yippie-ki-o-ki-ay.”
Git Along, Little Dogies: Another cowboy classic. Pretty straightforward; like most of the short and simple well-known tunes here, it’s fine but not very exciting.
A Cowboy Needs a Horse: Again Donald, Mickey, Goofy and the man trade off, and this time the kids join in. The song lists all of the things that a cowboy needs to survive but concludes that ultimately, a cowboy doesn’t need very much at all to make do in life.
Don't Fence Me In: Another one of my favorites, this is an upbeat song about a cowboy pleading to be allowed freedom from fences. “I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences, / gaze at the moon till I lose my senses, / I can't look at hovels and I can't stand fences. / Don't fence me in.”
Donald Duck, the Wrangler: I wonder if Donald’s feeling gypped that his song is the second-to-last in the album? Donald’s infamous temper is put to good use in this amusing song, where he is pinned as more of a villain than a hero. “You’ve never heard a more discouraging word / than when Donald Duck the Wrangler is about.”
Happy Trails: The perfect ending to the album, this gentle classic leaves the listener with a blessing and an invitation to return to the album whenever they want, which, for me, at least, is often. “Happy trails to you until we meet again.”
It may not be the most sophisticated album out there, but it is satisfying. So go out and grab a copy for your little cowboy, or the little cowboy you once were. You’ll be glad you did.
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