Disney and America
Taking a short break from paper writing...The Ballad of Davy Crockett
Theme song of some 1950s Disney movie. Davy Crockett is a hero in American history; he sacrificed during the Battle of Alamo in 1836 when Texas was fighting for independence from Mexico. He used to be a House of Representatives congressman from Tennessee, and after he was done with politics decided to travel west and got himself involved in the Texas Revolution.
I began reading a little about this after a lecture on 'Remember the Alamo!' and realising how hopelessly ignorant I was regarding this part of American history. And more and more I realise with significant interest that Disney concepts are extremely tied in with American history and ideals, and without actually being American it is super difficult to sense it without just buying into the whole Disney fantasy thinking that it is uniquely Disney.
The lyrics of this Disney song makes this super obvious! I actually have this in my music collection and I didn't even know until today :P
The Ballad of Davy Crockett
Born on a mountain top in Tennessee,
Greenest state in the land of the free,
Raised in the woods so he knew ev'ry tree,
Kilt him a b'ar when he was only three.
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!
Fought single-handed through the Injun War
Till the Creeks was whipped an' peace was in store,
An' while he was handlin' this risky chore,
Made hisself a legend forevermore.
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!
He give his word an' he give his hand
That his Injun friends could keep their land,
An' the rest of his life he took the stand
That justice was due every redskin band.
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!
He went off to Congress an' served a spell,
Fixin' up the gover'ment an' laws as well,
Took over Washin'ton so we heered tell,
An' patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell.
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!
When he come home his politickin' done,
The western march had just begun,
So he packed his gear an' his trusty gun,
An' lit out grinnin' to follow the sun.
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!
His land is biggest an' his land is best,
From grassy plains to the mountain crest.
He's ahead of us all meetin' the test,
Followin' his legend into the West.
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!
King of the wild frontier!
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