Toronto Mike

Teddy Bear Picnic

When I was a toddler, one of my go-to albums was There's a Hippo in My Tub by Anne Murray. My favourite cuts were "Animal Crackers" and "Teddy Bears' Picnic". For the longest time I thought that last one was an Anne Murray original.

I was way wrong. The music behind "Teddy Bears' Picnic" was written by John Walter Bratton in 1907 and the lyrics were added by Jimmy Kennedy in 1932.

Here's the first recording with lyrics, in 1932 by Henry Hall and His Orchestra with Val Rosing on vocals.

It's been recorded dozens and dozens of times. Here's Bing Crosby singing it in 1950.

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