What’s the Score? The Unheard Music Cues of Carl Stalling

The Warner Bros. cartoons reissued as “Blue Ribbon” titles are a popular topic of intrigue among classic animation historians and aficionados. First initiated in 1943, Warners selected and re-released older cartoons without their main title containing the artist credits and Carl Stalling’s music lopped off—often from the original negatives—and replaced with a generic placeholder title. Understandably, these original film elements are sought after; several main title sequences survive today, but a few are still elusive.

In rare cases, some original music cues exist in varying forms but not with their matching picture element. Some examples:

THE GOOD EGG (Jones, 1939; sourced from the CD release, The Carl Stalling Project: Music from Warner Bros. Cartoons 1936-1958.)

THE EARLY WORM GETS THE BIRD (Avery, 1940; sourced from a 1939 gag reel filmed at the Schlesinger studio):

THE MOUSE-MERIZED CAT (McKimson, 1946; sourced from the CD release, The Carl Stalling Project: Music from Warner Bros. Cartoons 1936-1958.)

MOUSE MENACE (Davis, 1946, original title music partially heard from a Latin American dub).

TWEETIE PIE (Freleng, 1947, original title music sourced from an older TV print).

Thankfully, now we can determine precisely what music cues Carl Stalling incorporated in the credits of several Warners cartoons in their original release. Daniel Goldmark pored through each music cue sheet examined and approved by the ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers). Daniel displayed each song listed in his dissertation, excluding Stalling’s original compositions that functioned as a bridge between popular tunes or original music heard throughout much of the film, intended for research in writing his book Tunes for ‘Toons: Music and the Hollywood Cartoon.

With Daniel’s permission, I will now answer the burning question: What music cues did Stalling use in specific Warners cartoons before they were given the Blue Ribbon treatment? The cartoons, with their accompanying songs and runtime, are listed here, indicating how long each song played under its title sequence.

DON’T LOOK NOW (Avery, 1936): “Sweethearts Forever” from the 1932 Warners feature Crooner (Irving Caesar/Cliff Friend, 0.25 secs, continues into main action)

HE WAS HER MAN (Freleng, 1937): “He Was Her Man” (Mort Dixon/Allie Wrubel, 1.03 secs, continues into main action)

PIGS IS PIGS (Freleng, 1937): “When My Dreamboat Comes Home” (Dave Franklin/Cliff Friend, continues into main action)

I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU (Avery, 1937): “I Only Have Eyes for You” from the 1934 Warners musical Dames (Al Dubin-Harry Warren, 0.20 secs)

THE FELLA WITH THE FIDDLE (Freleng, 1937): “The Fella With the Fiddle” (Charlie Abbott, 0.10 secs)

AIN’T WE GOT FUN (Avery, 1937): “Ain’t We Got Fun” (Raymond B. Egan-Gus Kahn-Richard A. Whiting, 0.05 secs)

SWEET SIOUX (Freleng, 1937): “Indian Dawn” (J. S. Zamecnik, 0.11 secs)

PLENTY OF MONEY AND YOU (Freleng, 1937): “With Plenty of Money and You” from Gold Diggers of 1937 (Al Dubin-Harry Warren, 0.10 secs, sung during film)

A SUNBONNET BLUE (Avery, 1937): “Put On Your Own Grey Bonnet” (Stanley Murphy/Percy Wenrich, 0.08 secs)

I WANNA BE A SAILOR (Avery, 1937): “Song of the Marines” from the 1937 Warners feature The Singing Marine (Al Dubin-Harry Warren, 0.08 secs)

THE LYIN’ MOUSE (Freleng, 1937): “How Could You” from the 1937 Warners feature San Quentin (Al Dubin-Harry Warren, 0.54 secs, continues into main action)

SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN (Freleng, 1937): “September in the Rain” from the 1937 Warners feature Melody for Two (Al Dubin-Harry Warren, 0.14 secs, plays during film)

MY LITTLE BUCKAROO (Freleng, 1938): “My Little Buckaroo” from the 1937 Warners B-Western The Cherokee Strip (MK Jerome/Jack Scholl, 0.08 secs)

THE SNEEZING WEASEL (Avery, 1938): No popular tune was utilized, possibly an original cue by Carl Stalling.

NOW THAT SUMMER IS GONE (Tashlin, 1938): “Now That Summer is Gone” (Seymour Simons, 0.05 secs, possibly bridges into original composition by Stalling)

THE ISLE OF PINGO PONGO (Avery, 1938): “My Isle of Golden Dreams” (Walter Blaufuss/Gus Kahn, 0.04 secs) + “Song of the Marines” (Al Dubin-Harry Warren, 0.16 secs)

KATNIP KOLLEGE (Howard/Dalton, 1938): “We’re Working Our Way Through College” from the 1937 Warners musical Varsity Show (Johnny Mercer-Richard A. Whiting, 0.51 secs, continues into main action)

A FEUD THERE WAS (Avery, 1938): “Arkansas Traveler” (Traditional, 0.11 secs)

HAVE YOU GOT ANY CASTLES? (Tashlin, 1938): “Have You Got Any Castles, Baby?” from the 1937 Warners musical Varsity Show (Mercer-Whiting, 0.08 secs, sung later in film)

LITTLE PANCHO VANILLA (Tashlin, 1938): “The Lady of Spain” (Tolchard Evans, 0.14 secs)

JOHNNY SMITH AND POKER-HUNTAS (Avery, 1938): “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean” (Thomas A. Beckett/David T. Shaw, 0.48 secs, continues into main action)

YOU’RE AN EDUCATION (Tashlin, 1938): “You’re an Education” written for Gold Diggers of Paris but unused in the feature (Al Dubin-Harry Warren, 0.12 secs, later sung in the film)

THE MICE WILL PLAY (Avery, 1938): “Three Blind Mice” (Traditional, 0.08 secs)

DOG GONE MODERN (Jones, 1939): “Oh, Where Has My Little Dog Gone” (Traditional, no runtime listed in dissertation)

ROBIN HOOD MAKES GOOD (Jones, 1939): “Song Without Words” (Felix Mendelssohn, 0.26 secs, continues into main action)

A DAY AT THE ZOO (Avery, 1939): “Animal Fair” (Traditional, 0.16 secs)

PREST-O CHANGE-O (Jones, 1939): No popular tune was utilized, possibly an original cue by Carl Stalling.

THUGS WITH DIRTY MUGS (Avery, 1939): “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby” from the 1938 Warners feature Hard to Get (Johnny Mercer-Harry Warren, 0.08 secs)

HOBO GADGET BAND (Hardaway/Dalton, 1939): “Junk Town Gadget Band” (Pinto Colvig, 0.09 secs, sung in the cartoon)

DANGEROUS DAN MCFOO (Avery, 1939): No popular tune was utilized, possibly an original cue by Carl Stalling.

SIOUX ME (Hardaway/Dalton, 1939): “I Want My Share of Love” (Sammy Cahn/Saul Chaplin, 0.20 secs, listed as cue no. 3)

THE LITTLE LION HUNTER (Jones, 1939): No popular tune was utilized, possibly an original cue by Carl Stalling. 

FAGIN’S FRESHMAN (Hardaway/Dalton, 1939): “We’re Working Our Way Through College” from the 1937 Warners musical Varsity Show (Johnny Mercer-Richard A. Whiting, 0.09 secs, sung later in film)

SNIFFLES AND THE BOOKWORM (Jones, 1939): “Rosamunde” (Franz Schubert, 0.13 secs)

THE CURIOUS PUPPY (Jones, 1939): “Concert in the Park” (Dave Franklin/Cliff Friend, 0.10 secs)

BUSY BAKERS (Hardaway/Dalton, 1940): “Jolly Bakers” (Pinto Colvig, 0.08 secs, heard and sung later in film)

SNIFFLES TAKES A TRIP (Jones, 1940): “Let the Rest of the World Go By” (Ernest R. Ball/J. Keirn Brennan, 0.10 secs)

TOM THUMB IN TROUBLE (Jones, 1940): “Vienna Life” (Johann Strauss, 2.39 secs, continues into main action)

CIRCUS TODAY (Avery, 1940): “It Looks Like a Big Night Tonight” (Egbert Van Alstyne/Harry Williams, 0.22 secs, continues into main action)

LITTLE BLABBERMOUSE (Freleng, 1940): “Itiskit Itaskit (A-Tisket A-Tasket)” (Traditional, 0.08 secs)

THE EGG COLLECTOR (Jones, 1940): “Rosamunde” (Franz Schubert, 1.30 secs, continues into main action)

STAGE FRIGHT (Jones, 1940): Original music cue – Goldmark’s dissertation only says “Stage Fright.”

WACKY WILDLIFE (Avery, 1940): “Indian Dawn” (Charles O. Roose/J. S. Zamecnik, 0.37 secs, continues into main action)

OF FOX AND HOUNDS (Avery, 1940): “A-Hunting We Will Go” (Traditional, 0.07 secs)

THE FIGHTING 69½TH (Freleng, 1941): “You’re In the Army Now” (Isham Jones/Tell Taylor/Ole Olson, 0.08 secs)

SNIFFLES BELLS THE CAT (Jones, 1941): “Three Blind Mice” (Traditional, 0.43 secs)

THE CAT’S TALE (Freleng, 1941): “Me-Ow” (Mel B. Kaufman/Harry D. Kerr, 0.09 secs)

GOOFY GROCERIES (Clampett, 1941): “You You Darlin’” from the 1940 Warners B-feature Tear Gas Squad (M. K. Jerome/Jack Scholl, 0.08 secs)

TOY TROUBLE (Jones, 1941): “Iola” (Charles L. Johnson/James O’Dea, 0.12 secs)

HOLLYWOOD STEPS OUT (Avery, 1941): “El Mostacho” (Leopoldo R. Nuñez, listed in cue sheets as “L. Rojo,” 0.47 secs, continues into main action)

THE WACKY WORM (Freleng, 1941): “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano” (Leon René, 0.09 secs)

INKI AND THE LION (Jones, 1941): “Ruy Blas Overture” (Felix Mendelssohn, 0.08 secs)

SNOWTIME FOR COMEDY (Jones, 1941): “Sidewalk Serenade” (James Cavanaugh-John Redmond-Frank Weldon, 1.14 secs, continues into main action)

THE BRAVE LITTLE BAT (Jones, 1941): No popular tune was utilized; possibly an original cue by Carl Stalling

THE BUG PARADE (Avery, 1941): “Garden of the Moon” from the eponymous 1938 Warners feature (Al Dubin-Johnny Mercer-Harry Warren, 1.02 secs, continues into main action)

THE CAGEY CANARY (Avery/Clampett, 1941): “Yankee Doodle” (Traditional, 0.08 secs, listed as cue 3, possibly combines original cue)

RHAPSODY IN RIVETS (Freleng, 1941): No popular tune was utilized; possibly an original cue by Carl Stalling

HOP, SKIP AND A CHUMP (Freleng, 1942): “You’re The Cure For What Ails Me” from the 1936 Warners feature The Singing Kid (Harold Arlen-E. Y.Harburg, 0.06 secs, listed as cue 3, possibly combines original cue)

HORTON HATCHES THE EGG (Clampett, 1942): “Humpty Dumpty” (Traditional, 0.12 secs)

DOUBLE CHASER (Freleng, 1942): “Three Blind Mice” (Traditional, 0.05 secs) + “Me-Ow” (Mel B. Kaufman, 0.04 secs), + “Oh, Where Has My Little Dog Gone” (Traditional, 0.2 secs) – totals 11 secs

THE SQUAWKIN’ HAWK (Jones, 1942): “Someone’s Rocking My Dreamboat” (Leon René-Otis René-Emerson Scott, 1.43 secs, continues into main action)

FOX POP (Jones, 1942): “Tica-Ti Tica-Ta” (Louis Prima, 0.12 secs)

THE SHEEPISH WOLF (Freleng, 1942): “William Tell Overture” (Gioachino Rossini, 0.21 secs)

THE HEP CAT (Clampett, 1942): “Five O’Clock Whistle” (Josef Myrow-Kim Gannon-Gene Irwin, 0.28 secs)

A TALE OF TWO KITTIES (Clampett, 1942): “Three Little Kittens” (Traditional, 0.11 secs, continues into main action)

MY FAVORITE DUCK (Jones, 1942): “Moonlight Bay” (Edward Madden/Percy Wenrich, 0.42 secs, continues into main action)

PIGS IN A POLKA (Freleng, 1943): “Hungarian Dance No. 7” (Johannes Brahms, 0.56 secs, continues into main action)

THE FIFTH-COLUMN MOUSE (Freleng, 1943): “Three Blind Mice” (Traditional, 0.13 secs)

FLOP GOES THE WEASEL (Jones, 1943): “Mammy’s Little Coal Black Rose” (Raymond Egan/Richard A. Whiting, 0.34 secs, continues into main action)

THE UNBEARABLE BEAR (Jones, 1943): “Big Fat Mama” (Lucky Millinder/Stafford Simon, 0.13 secs)

GREETINGS, BAIT! (Freleng, 1943): “Keep Cool Fool” (Josef Myrow/Doc Rhythm, 0.11 secs)

THE ARISTO-CAT (Jones, 1943): “For You” from the 1937 Warners feature The King and the Chorus Girl (Werner R. Heymann/Ted Koehler, 0.12 secs)

HISS AND MAKE UP (Freleng, 1943): “It Can’t Be Wrong” from the 1942 Warners feature Now Voyager (Kim Gannon/Max Steiner, 0.12 secs)

FIN ‘N’ CATTY (Jones, 1943): “I’m Ridin’ For a Fall” from the 1943 Warners feature Thank Your Lucky Stars (Frank Loesser/Arthur Schwartz, 1.12 secs, continues into main action)

INKI AND THE MINAH BIRD (Jones, 1943): “Goombay Drum” (Charles Lofthouse-Stanley Adams-Schuyler Knowlton, 0.25 secs, continues into main action)

AN ITCH IN TIME (Clampett, 1943): “As Time Goes By” (Herman Hupfeld, 0.12 secs)

TICK TOCK TUCKERED (Clampett, 1944): “When My Dreamboat Comes Home” (Dave Franklin/Cliff Friend, 1.10 secs, continues into main action, much like its original Porky’s Badtime Story)

SWOONER CROONER (Tashlin, 1944): “As Time Goes By” (Herman Hupfeld, 0.12 secs)

DUCK SOUP TO NUTS (Freleng, 1944): “A-Hunting We Will Go” (Traditional, 0.12 secs)

SLIGHTLY DAFFY (Freleng, 1944): “You Go To My Head” (J. Fred Coots/Haven Gillespie, 0.12 secs – same as its original, Scalp Trouble)

FROM HAND TO MOUSE (Jones, 1944): “Hickory Dickory Dock” (Traditional, 0.13 secs)

GOLDILOCKS AND THE JIVIN’ BEARS (Freleng, 1944): “Long Long Ago” (Thomas Haynes Bayley, 0.12 secs)

LOST AND FOUNDLING (Jones, 1944): “Time Waits For No One” from the 1944 Warners feature Shine On, Harvest Moon (Cliff Friend/Charles Tobias, 0.11 secs)

BOOBY HATCHED (Tashlin, 1944): “She Broke My Heart in Three Places” (Milton Drake-Al Hoffman-Jerry Livingston, 0.12 secs)

THE STUPID CUPID (Tashlin, 1944): “Don’t Sweetheart Me” (Cliff Friend/Charles Tobias, 0.12 secs, Daffy sings in film)

ODOR-ABLE KITTY (Jones, 1945): “How Sweet You Are” from the 1943 Warners feature Thank Your Lucky Stars (Frank Loesser/Arthur Schwartz, 0.14 secs)

LIFE WITH FEATHERS (Freleng, 1945): “Listen to the Mockingbird” (Alice Hawthorne, 0.12 secs)

AIN’T THAT DUCKY (Freleng, 1945): “I Go For You” from the 1944 Warners feature Shine On, Harvest Moon (Kim Gannon/M. K. Jerome, 0.15 secs)

FRESH AIREDALE (Jones, 1945): “They Gotta Quit Kickin’ My Dog Around” (Webb M. Oungst/Cy Perkins, 0.10 secs)

PECK UP YOUR TROUBLES (Freleng, 1945): “I Go For You” from the 1944 Warners feature Shine On, Harvest Moon (Kim Gannon/M. K. Jerome, 0.16 secs)

DAFFY DOODLES (McKimson, 1946): “All the Time” (Sunny Skylar, 0.14 secs)

THE EAGER BEAVER (Jones, 1946): “Violin Concerto, Opus 64” (Felix Mendelssohn, 0.40 secs, continues into main action)

WALKY TALKY HAWKY (McKimson, 1946): “Buzz Buzz Buzz (Will You Be My Honey?)” (Jimmy Lunceford/Alice Simms/ Al Trace, 0.19 secs)

FAIR AND WORM-ER (Jones, 1946): “Some Sunday Morning” from the 1945 Warners feature San Antonio (Ray Heindorf/MK Jerome/Ted Koehler, 0.15 secs)

ROUGHLY SQUEAKING (Jones, 1946):“Hey Doc” (Edgar Sampson/K. Gannon, 0.14 secs)

ONE MEAT BRAWL (McKimson, 1947): “Chittlin’ Switch” (Barbara Belle/Anita Leonard/Lucky Millinder, 0.17 secs)

THE GOOFY GOPHERS (Davis, 1947): “Let’s Sing a Song About Susie” (Mack Gordon/Will Grosz, plays during one sequence)

THE GAY ANTIES (Freleng, 1947): “The Fountain in the Park (While Strolling Thru’ the Park One Day)” (Ed Haley, 0.14 secs)

SCENT-IMENTAL OVER YOU (Jones, 1947): “It Had To Be You” (Isham Jones-Gus Kahn, 0.15 secs)

BIRTH OF A NOTION (McKimson, 1947): “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby” from the 1938 Warners feature Hard to Get (Johnny Mercer-Harry Warren, 0.16 secs)

ALONG CAME DAFFY (Freleng, 1947): “I’d Be Lost Without You” (Sunny Skylar, 0.14 secs)

INKI AT THE CIRCUS (Jones, 1947): “Sabre and Spurs” (John Philip Sousa, 0.14 secs)

THE FOXY DUCKLING (Davis, 1947): “Sing a Song of Sixpence” (Traditional, 0.12 secs)

LITTLE OPRHAN AIREDALE (Jones, 1947): “Oh, Where Has My Little Dog Gone” (Traditional, 0.14 secs)

TWO GOPHERS FROM TEXAS (Davis, 1948): “My Texas Home” from the 1937 Warners B-Western The Devil’s Saddle Legion (MK Jerome/Jack Scholl, 0.15 secs)

WHAT’S BREWIN’, BRUIN? (Jones, 1948): “A Solid Citizen of the Solid South” from the 1946 Warners feature The Time, The Place and the Girl (Leo Robin/Arthur Schwartz, 0.15 seconds)

THE SHELL-SHOCKED EGG (McKimson, 1948): “Rip Van Winkle” (George Handy-Howard Leeds-Bob Levinson, 0.14 secs)