The ‘Davy Crockett’ mini-series was a popular show that featured in the ‘Disneyland Series.’ If you’ve ever wanted to hear all the ballads from the show strung together in one mix, this is the rendition you’ve been looking for.
‘Davy Crockett’ is a five-part series that appeared in 1954 on ABC. Each episode lasted one hour and starred Fees Parker as Davy. Actor Buddy Ebsen played Davy’s friend on the show ‘George Russel.’
Disney actually combined the first three episodes together to make a feature film titled ‘Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.’ The final two episodes comprised the movie ‘Davy Crockett and the River Pirates.’
Perhaps the most famous part of the mini-series and movie was the song, ‘The Ballad of Davy Crockett.’ With lyrics that sang, ‘Born on a mountain top in Tennessee, greenest state in the land of the free, raised in the woods, so he knew every tree!’
The song was written by George Bruns and Thomas W. Blackburn and was played on the first episode of ‘Disneyland’ in 1954. The star of the show, Fess Parker, performed the song on a log cabin set dressed in his costume.
The most famous performance of the song is by ‘The Wellingtons,’ but every version of the song charted in 1955 in ‘Billboard Magazine.’ The song sold over 10 million copies and contributed to the success of Disneyland.
The song and the show created what is referred to as the ‘Crockett Craze.’ Merchandise was produced in bulk, and every kid wanted the coveted coonskin cap. The power of music helped shape the spirit of Disney’s Frontierland and the character of Davy Crockett.
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