The Disney Song Encyclopedia - fieldi

12 “THE BALLAD OF SMITH AND GABRIEL JIMMYBOY”
countries, including more than twenty different versions in France, and it
was the top-selling song in Japan for a while. Billy Cotton, the Cliff Adams
Singers, Eddie Fisher, the Wellingtons, Eddy Arnold, the Kentucky Headhunters,
the Four Mosquitos, and Mannheim Steamroller were among the
others who recorded the ballad in the States. Disney legend has it that
Bruns and Blackburn quickly wrote the song at the last minute because the
episode was running short and they needed something to make the show fit
into the television time spot.
“The Ballad of Smith and Gabriel Jimmyboy” is the folk ballad written
by Bob Russell for the movie Smith! (1969), about a western rancher who
defends a Native American youth. Songwriter Russell sings the narrative
number over the opening credits of the film, telling the tale of the Indian
boy Gabriel Jimmyboy, who is falsely accused of murder, and the cattleman
Smith, who comes to his defense. The seemingly genial song has a dark
undercurrent of foreboding in the music, which foreshadows the disturbing
events of the movie.
“The Bare Necessities” is the Oscar-nominated song of low-down, lowkey
philosophy by Terry Gilkyson that was featured in the animated movie
The Jungle Book (1967). Baloo the Bear (voice of Phil Harris) sings to the
man-cub Mowgli (Bruce Reitherman) about taking the easy road in life and
looking for creature comforts as the two friends cavort through the Indian
jungle. The lively number is in the form of a Dixieland jazz tune and is
filled with opportunities for vocal and instrumental improvisation. Harris’s
recording enjoyed some popularity, as did one by Louis Armstrong, and
years later there were notable records by Harry Connick Jr. in 1995, the
Jazz Networks in 1996, Bowling for Soup in 2005, Steve Tyrell in 2006, and
Kerry Butler in 2008. A bluegrass rendition of the song was recorded by
Mike Toppins, Glen Duncan, Billy Troy, Jim Brown, James Freeze, and
David Chase. The song is heard in the animated television series Jungle
Cubs (1996), and in the video sequel The Jungle Book 2 (2003), it is reprised
by Baloo (voice of John Goodman), Mowgli (Haley Joel Osment),
and Shanti (Mae Whitman).
“Barking at the Moon” is a country-flavored song about finding happiness
with the home you have, written by Rilo Kiley for the animated movie
Bolt (2008). While the television canine star Bolt travels across the country
with the alley cat Mittens and the hamster Rhino, Jenny Lewis sings the