Song of the South is a 1946 feature film by Walt Disney, based on the Uncle Remus cycle of stories by Joel Chandler Harris. It was one of Disney's earliest feature films to combine live action footage with animation and was the first Disney feature film to hire live actors in lead roles. The live actors provide a sentimental frame-story, in which Uncle Remus relates the folk tales of the adventures of Brer Rabbit and his friends; these anthropomorphic animal characters appear in animation.
The setting is the U.S. South, in a 'dream time' perhaps shortly after the American Civil War, which folklorist Patricia A. Turner characterizes as happening
- 'during a surreal time when Blacks lived on slave quarters on a plantation, worked diligently for no visible reward and considered Atlanta a viable place for an old Black man to set out for.'
The feel-good, nonsense lyric hit song from the film was 'Zip-a-dee-doo-dah':
- 'Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder.
- It's the truth, it's act'ral
- Ev'rything is satisfact'ral'
James Baskett, the leading black actor in the film, was reportedly unable to attend the premiere in Atlanta, Georgia. as no hotel within reach of the theater would rent him a room. James Baskett won a special Oscar for his portrayal. Hattie McDaniel also appeared in an Aunt Jemima-like 'mammy' role.
Buffs enjoy identifying in joke references to Song of the South in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
The Splash Mountain attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World feature the animated characters and songs from this film. Some deem this as strange, as most of the young attendees to the parks have never have had an opportunity to view the film.
American country music band Alabama had a hit song called "Song of the South."External link