Don't Shoot the Hooey to Me, Louie
Encyclopedia
"Don't Shoot the Hooey to Me, Louie" is a song from the musical Over Here!
, which opened on Broadway
at the Shubert Theatre (Broadway)
on March 6, 1974. The song was written by Robert B. Sherman
and Richard M. Sherman
, and is sung by the train porter played by Samuel E. Wright
. In the story, the Porter cannot seem to get a break; not by coincidence, the Porter is African-American. Years later, Samuel E. Wright
sang the, now famous, Academy Award winning song, "Under the Sea
" from Walt Disney
's animation film The Little Mermaid.
Over Here!
Over Here! is a musical with a score by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman and book by Will Holt. The original Broadway production was directed by Tom Moore and choreographed by Patricia Birch, with scenic design by Douglas W. Schmidt and costumes by Carrie F...
, which opened on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Shubert Theatre (Broadway)
Shubert Theatre (Broadway)
The Shubert Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 225 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan, New York, United States.Designed by architect Henry Beaumont Herts, it was named after Sam S. Shubert, the second oldest of the three brothers of the theatrical producing family...
on March 6, 1974. The song was written by Robert B. Sherman
Robert B. Sherman
Robert Bernard Sherman is an American songwriter who specializes in musical films with his brother Richard Morton Sherman...
and Richard M. Sherman
Richard M. Sherman
Richard Morton Sherman is an American songwriter who specializes in musical film with his brother Robert Bernard Sherman....
, and is sung by the train porter played by Samuel E. Wright
Samuel E. Wright
Samuel E. Wright is an American film and theater actor and singer who is best known as the voice of Sebastian in Disney's The Little Mermaid, for which he provided the main vocals to "Under the Sea", which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. He also voiced Kron in Disney's CGI film...
. In the story, the Porter cannot seem to get a break; not by coincidence, the Porter is African-American. Years later, Samuel E. Wright
Samuel E. Wright
Samuel E. Wright is an American film and theater actor and singer who is best known as the voice of Sebastian in Disney's The Little Mermaid, for which he provided the main vocals to "Under the Sea", which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. He also voiced Kron in Disney's CGI film...
sang the, now famous, Academy Award winning song, "Under the Sea
Under the Sea
-Parodies:In 1991, this song was parodied by musician Tom Smith with his song, "On The PC". This song was re-written in 1999 as "PC99".The song was parodied on the TV show Kappa Mikey where Mikey tries to convince a squid to live on land with him....
" from Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
's animation film The Little Mermaid.
Historical context with regard to racism in the 1940s
- Over Here! director, Tom Moore believed that Sam should sing the song with an angry attitude. However this was not how the songwriters intended the song to be performed. Robert ShermanRobert B. ShermanRobert Bernard Sherman is an American songwriter who specializes in musical films with his brother Richard Morton Sherman...
insisted that the angry lyrics should be sung while smiling. Sam, he suggested, would have only been allowed to have raised his objection if he "wore a grin". A black person in the 1940s would have only hinted his protest and wouldn't have dared to make waves. Eliciting the help of a ranking Black U.S. Army general, ShermanRobert B. ShermanRobert Bernard Sherman is an American songwriter who specializes in musical films with his brother Richard Morton Sherman...
had the general sit through a rehearsal of the show. He convinced Moore to have Sam play the part "his way", (with a smile on his face). When the show was over, he asked the General if there was anything wrong with what he saw. The general replied, "No. That's exactly how it was!"
External links
Literary Sources
- Sherman, Robert B. Walt's Time: from before to beyondWalt's Time: from before to beyondWalt's Time: from before to beyond is a 252-page autobiographic, full color book by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. It was edited by Imagineers Bruce Gordon, David Mumford and Jeff Kurtti and was published in 1998 by Camphor Tree Publishers who are out of Santa Clarita, California...
. Santa Clarita: Camphor Tree Publishers, 1998.