If you have been with us for awhile here at Word & Song, you may remember that I’ve written about the writer of our Sometimes a Song before. With the multi-talented Anthony Newley, Leslie Briscusse wrote and produced a hit play on Broadway and on London’s East End called “The Roar of the Greasepaint and the Smell of the Crowd.” The memorable song from that play was a huge hit on the airwaves for Newley, “Who Can I Turn To?” You can see Newley’s tour-de-force performance of that song here. We really don’t write songs like this or see performances like this anymore. Don’t get me going on why this is true. (And of course I’m talking in general terms, admitting of the occasional exceptions to the rule.)
But today I am presenting another song by Leslie Briscusse, one that evidently was hated by many of the folks who worked on the film version of the stage-play, “Dr. Doolittle,” for which the song had been written. I recall reading the preposterous story of Dr. Doolittle in the fifth grade and loving it. But somehow the story never had been translated to the big screen, and for reasons which in hindsight look obvious: to do a non-animated version of a story which covers several continents and involves filming with “actors” from the animal kingdom, not to mention a slew of special effects (in those pre-tech days), well big money was needed. And as it turned out, “Dr. Doolittle” did kind of bomb at the box office in the US, though it recouped about three quarters of the then-astronomical production budget of $9M with a successful showing in the UK.
Because of that big budget that needed to be recovered, Columbia Broadcasting invested in massive publicity for the film, and against very stiff competition it landed in the running for several Academy Awards in a year when many strong contenders were not nominated. I’m not sure if we call that beating the odds or cheating them, in fact. Our song as “performed” — hardly sung at all! — by Rex Harrison beat out songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Andre Previn, and genuine Number 1 hits songs by Lulu (from “To Sir with Love”), Nancy Sinatra (“You Only Live Twice,” from James Bond), and Simon and Garfunkle (“Mrs. Robinson,” from The Graduate). And there were more! This is one time when I believe, though I love “Talk with the Animals,” that better songs were available for the Academy Award. Sometimes, life just ain’t fair.
Having said all that, I have always found “Talk to the Animals” to be a charming song, very fitting for the story it was written for. Despite its having to be “talked” as well as sung (sort of) — and not every singer would or could perform such a piece — the song has a real melody and IS a real song, if perhaps only in the novelty category. Today I listened to several renditions, from Rex Harrison’s to Sammy Davis, Jr.’s, to Louis Armstrong’s, to Bobby Darrin’s, to Bing Crosby’s, and more! But below are my two favorites. Feel free to nominate others in the comments.
And I have to admit, don’t you? that the idea of being able to talk with the animals is about as fanciful as it gets? Our fellow creatures are not mute, for the most part, but they “talk” in ways which we can’t always understand. But it is fun to consider what they might say to us, if they could only find the words.
The last of the great crooners!
Der Bingle.
Word & Song by Anthony Esolen is an online magazine devoted to reclaiming the good, the beautiful, and the true. We publish six essays each week, on words, classic hymns, poems, films, and popular songs, as well a weekly podcast for paid subscribers, Poetry Aloud or Anthony Esolen Speaks. Paid subscribers also receive audio-enhanced posts and access to our full archive and to comments and discussions. We value all of our subscribers, and we thank you for reading Word and Song!
I talk with the animals all the time. :)
Der Bingle had such a smooth way about him! It feels like he is enjoying the whimsy of this song as much as we are. Thanks for sharing this light-hearted bit.