The Fountain in the Park
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"The Fountain in the Park", also known as "While Strolling Through (or Thru') the Park One Day", is a song by Ed Haley (1862–1932),[1] published in 1884 by Willis Woodward & Co. of New York, but dating from about 1880.[2] It is best known for the being the source of the tune that contains the lyric "While strolling through the park one day, in the merry merry month of May," and has been featured in numerous films, including Strike Up the Band (1940), in which it was sung by Judy Garland.
Apollo XVII (1972)
A few bars of The Fountain in the Park were sung on the Moon by NASA Astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan on the Apollo 17 mission. Schmitt started by singing "I was strolling on the Moon one day..." when Cernan joined in. Cernan kept with the original "merry month of May", however, while Schmitt sang "December", which was the actual date at the time. After a brief debate, Schmitt resumed, singing "When much to my surprise, a pair of bonny eyes..." until he could no longer remember the lyrics and began vocalizing the notes instead. Moments later, Capsule Communicator Robert A. Parker cut in from Houston, saying "sorry about that, guys, but today may be December."
Cartoons
- Mickey Mouse short The Nifty Nineties
- Tom and Jerry short Baby Puss
- Bugs Bunny short Elmer's Pet Rabbit
- Pepe le Pew episodes Scentimental Romeo and Heaven Scent
- The Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror III"
- The Real Ghostbusters episode "Very Beast Friends"
- Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for their 1962 album The Chipmunk Songbook
- Top Cat episode "The Missing Heir"
- The Flintstones episode "The Hot Piano"
- Used as background music in the Animaniacs episode "Potty Emergency"
- Sabrina: The Animated Series episode "Xabrina: Warrior Princess"
- Used instrumentally as a leitmotif whenever the eccentric old gentleman would unexpectedly appear in the Merrie Melodies short The Dover Boys (1942)
External links
- The Fountain in the Park sheet music from the Library of Congress.
- A Web site featuring background information on (and a MIDI version of) The Fountain in the Park.
- Ed Haley's filmography from the Internet Movie Database.
- Song lyrics, as performed on I Love Lucy
