I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)
Encyclopedia
"I Wan'na Be Like You" is a song from Walt Disney
's 1967 film, The Jungle Book
. The song was sung by Louis Prima
and written by songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman
.
Richard Sherman said he and his brother aimed for a jazz
sound, with a Dixieland
-like melody. The instrumentals were originally recorded by Prima - who also played the trumpet - and his band, Sam Butera
& The Witnesses, but the music was replaced by one written by the film's composer, George Bruns
, and orchestrated by Walter Sheets. The "scat
dialogue" between Baloo and King Louie was the result of two recording sessions. Louis Prima recorded first, with the intent that Baloo - played in his recording by Butera - would simply repeat what Louie scatted, but Phil Harris
decided not to imitate Prima's recording and made up his own. The song was released the same date as the motion picture itself.
recorded a version for their Film Parade album in 1970 and also released the song as a single. On the 1990 collection "Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films," the song appears on "Medley Two" as recorded by Los Lobos, who play the song occasionally in their live shows. On 4 May 1994 Phish
performed a truly Phish-styled version at The Metropolis Concert Hall in Montreal, Quebec. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
did a cover of this song on the Swingers
soundtrack, even though the song does not appear in the film. The band later released the song on their 1999 album, This Beautiful Life
. Voodoo Glow Skulls
recorded a ska
version of the song for the 2002 Japanese-Exclusive album Dive into Disney
. The Jungle Book 2
, released in 2003, featured the band Smash Mouth
on the soundtrack singing this song. In the Australian version, Nikki Webster
covers the song, which is also featured on her Best of
album. A version by the Turnpike Cruisers appeared on the second Blood on the Cats LP
. The 2005 album En Vivo by Gabriel Ríos
contains a cover of the song. In 2007, a pop rock
cover was recorded by the Jonas Brothers
for Disneymania 5
. Los Lobos
recorded a version for the tribute album Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films; this version also appeared on the compilation album Just Another Band From East L.A. - A Collection
.
In 2010, Portsmouth based band 'The Founders Of'' covered the song in a funk/punk version of the song included on their set lists from the 31st March. The band continue to welcome praise from peers and fans alike for the distinct, snappy take on the song.
Also in 2010, Amsterdam based British singer Lucy Woordward recorded a version on her third album " Hooked!"
In The Jungle Book 2
, a remix version of this song is played in the end credits.
British pop singer Paolo Nutini
performed "I Wanna Be Like You" at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival
.
On 23 October, 2010 X Factor
contestant, Katie Waissel pleased the judges with her surprise selection of the song.
London based electro-rap-swing group The Correspondents rap over "I Wanna Be Like You".
. It showed children copying everything their parents did (for example, boys putting shaving cream on their faces, girls dressing up in their mothers' best clothes and both genders washing the car), and "I Wan'na Be Like You" is playing throughout the advertisement, but it stops when a girl puts a crayon to her mouth in imitation of her mother smoking. It stops with the voiceover saying, "If you smoke, your children are more likely to."
In 2010, "I Wan'na Be Like You" was used as the inspiration for a house music track by Abeer Sheikh. It was released on Dantze Records, Germany and its remix by Talal & Zoi reached the Beatport top 10 charts.
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 1967 film, The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book (1967 film)
The Jungle Book is a 1967 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Released on October 18, 1967, it is the 19th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It was inspired by the stories about the feral child Mowgli from the book of the same name by...
. The song was sung by Louis Prima
Louis Prima
Louis Prima was a Sicilian American singer, actor, songwriter, and trumpeter. Prima rode the musical trends of his time, starting with his seven-piece New Orleans style jazz band in the 1920s, then successively leading a swing combo in the 1930s, a big band in the 1940s, a Vegas lounge act in the...
and written by songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman
Sherman Brothers
The Sherman Brothers are an American songwriting duo that specialize in musical films, made up of Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman ....
.
Richard Sherman said he and his brother aimed for a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
sound, with a Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
-like melody. The instrumentals were originally recorded by Prima - who also played the trumpet - and his band, Sam Butera
Sam Butera
Sam Butera was a tenor saxophone player best noted for his collaborations with Louis Prima and Keely Smith. Butera is frequently regarded as a crossover artist who performed with equal ease in both R & B and the post-big band pop style of jazz that permeated the early Vegas nightclub...
& The Witnesses, but the music was replaced by one written by the film's composer, George Bruns
George Bruns
George Bruns was a composer of music for film and television who worked on many Disney films. He was nominated for four Academy Awards for his work.-Career:...
, and orchestrated by Walter Sheets. The "scat
Scat singing
In vocal jazz, scat singing is vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables or without words at all. Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice.- Structure and syllable choice...
dialogue" between Baloo and King Louie was the result of two recording sessions. Louis Prima recorded first, with the intent that Baloo - played in his recording by Butera - would simply repeat what Louie scatted, but Phil Harris
Phil Harris
Harris and Faye married in 1941; it was a second marriage for both and lasted 54 years, until Harris's death. Harris engaged in a fistfight at the Trocadero nightclub in 1938 with RKO studio mogul Bob Stevens; the cause was reported to be over Faye after Stevens and Faye had ended a romantic...
decided not to imitate Prima's recording and made up his own. The song was released the same date as the motion picture itself.
Cover versions
Pinky and PerkyPinky and Perky
Pinky and Perky is an animated children's television series first broadcast by the BBC in 1957, revived in 2008 as a CGI animation.-Original series:...
recorded a version for their Film Parade album in 1970 and also released the song as a single. On the 1990 collection "Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films," the song appears on "Medley Two" as recorded by Los Lobos, who play the song occasionally in their live shows. On 4 May 1994 Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
performed a truly Phish-styled version at The Metropolis Concert Hall in Montreal, Quebec. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is a contemporary swing revival band from southern California. Their notable singles include "Go Daddy-O", "You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight ", and "Mr. Pinstripe Suit". The band played the Super Bowl XXXIII half-time show in 1999.The band was originally formed in Ventura,...
did a cover of this song on the Swingers
Swingers (1996 film)
Swingers is a 1996 comedy-drama film about the lives of single, unemployed actors living on the 'eastside' of Hollywood, California during the 1990s swing revival...
soundtrack, even though the song does not appear in the film. The band later released the song on their 1999 album, This Beautiful Life
This Beautiful Life
This Beautiful Life is the fourth studio album released by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in 1999.-Track listing:All songs written by Scotty Morris, except where noted.# "Big and Bad" - 4:15# "I Wanna Be Like You" - 3:40...
. Voodoo Glow Skulls
Voodoo Glow Skulls
Voodoo Glow Skulls are an American ska punk band formed in 1988 in Riverside, California by brothers Frank, Eddie and Jorge Casillas and their longtime friend Jerry O'Neill...
recorded a ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
version of the song for the 2002 Japanese-Exclusive album Dive into Disney
Dive into Disney
Dive into Disney is a Japanese album containing rock/ska renditions of various Disney songs, such as Mickey Mouse Club March, Hakuna Matata, and It's a Small World, performed by various artists. All of the songs are recorded in English....
. The Jungle Book 2
The Jungle Book 2
The Jungle Book 2 is a 2003 American animated film produced by the DisneyToons studio in Sydney, Australia and released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution. The theatrical version of the film was released in France on February 5, 2003, and released in the United States on February...
, released in 2003, featured the band Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth is an American rock band from San Jose, California. The band was formed in 1994, and was originally composed of Steve Harwell, Greg Camp, Paul De Lisle and Kevin Coleman as lead vocals, guitar, bass and drums respectively...
on the soundtrack singing this song. In the Australian version, Nikki Webster
Nikki Webster
Nikki Webster is an Australian pop performer. She is best known for her starring role in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony and her single "Strawberry Kisses".-Recording career:...
covers the song, which is also featured on her Best of
The Best of Nikki Webster
The Best of Nikki Webster is the fourth album by Australian singer Nikki Webster released in Australia on November 29, 2004 by Gotham Records...
album. A version by the Turnpike Cruisers appeared on the second Blood on the Cats LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
. The 2005 album En Vivo by Gabriel Ríos
Gabriel Rios
Gabriel Ríos is a Puerto Rican musician currently residing in Brooklyn.-Biography:As a child Ríos was member of his church choir, and in addition to this early exposure to music his father also taught him to play the guitar. After finishing his studies at the Academia del Perpetuo Socorro high...
contains a cover of the song. In 2007, a pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
cover was recorded by the Jonas Brothers
Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers are an American boy band. The band gained its popularity from the Disney Channel children's television network. From the shore region of New Jersey, the band consists of three brothers: Paul Kevin Jonas II , Joseph Adam Jonas , and Nicholas Jerry Jonas...
for Disneymania 5
DisneyMania 5
Disneymania 5 is the 5th installment in the Disneymania series. Its was released on March 27, 2007. The album features 4 of the stars from High School Musical: Vanessa Hudgens, Lucas Grabeel, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu and from High School Musical: The Concert, Drew Seeley among others. The album...
. Los Lobos
Los Lobos
Los Lobos are a multiple Grammy Award–winning American Chicano rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as cumbia, boleros and norteños.-History:The...
recorded a version for the tribute album Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films; this version also appeared on the compilation album Just Another Band From East L.A. - A Collection
Just Another Band from East L.A. - A Collection
Just Another Band from East L.A. – A Collection is a compilation album by Los Lobos released in 1993.-Disc one:#"Volver, Volver" Just Another Band from East L.A. – A Collection is a compilation album by Los Lobos released in 1993.-Disc one:#"Volver, Volver" Just Another Band from East L.A. – A...
.
In 2010, Portsmouth based band 'The Founders Of'' covered the song in a funk/punk version of the song included on their set lists from the 31st March. The band continue to welcome praise from peers and fans alike for the distinct, snappy take on the song.
Also in 2010, Amsterdam based British singer Lucy Woordward recorded a version on her third album " Hooked!"
In The Jungle Book 2
The Jungle Book 2
The Jungle Book 2 is a 2003 American animated film produced by the DisneyToons studio in Sydney, Australia and released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution. The theatrical version of the film was released in France on February 5, 2003, and released in the United States on February...
, a remix version of this song is played in the end credits.
British pop singer Paolo Nutini
Paolo Nutini
Paolo Giovanni Nutini is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. His father is of Italian descent, from Barga, Tuscany, although both his parents are Scottish, his family having been in Scotland for three generations....
performed "I Wanna Be Like You" at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
.
On 23 October, 2010 X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
contestant, Katie Waissel pleased the judges with her surprise selection of the song.
London based electro-rap-swing group The Correspondents rap over "I Wanna Be Like You".
Uses in popular culture
In 2009, "I Wan'na Be Like You" was used in a British anti-smoking public information filmPublic information film
Public Information Films are a series of government commissioned short films, shown during television advertising breaks in the UK. The US equivalent is the Public Service Announcement .-Subjects:...
. It showed children copying everything their parents did (for example, boys putting shaving cream on their faces, girls dressing up in their mothers' best clothes and both genders washing the car), and "I Wan'na Be Like You" is playing throughout the advertisement, but it stops when a girl puts a crayon to her mouth in imitation of her mother smoking. It stops with the voiceover saying, "If you smoke, your children are more likely to."
In 2010, "I Wan'na Be Like You" was used as the inspiration for a house music track by Abeer Sheikh. It was released on Dantze Records, Germany and its remix by Talal & Zoi reached the Beatport top 10 charts.