The Teddy Bear's Picnic --famous song by John Walter Bratten written in 1907 with words by Jimmy Kennedy written in 1932
If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise
For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.
Ev'ry teddy bear who's been good
Is sure of a treat today.
There's lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play
Beneath the trees where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
Cause that's the way the teddy bears have their picnic
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better not go alone
It's lovely down in the woods today
But safer to stay at home
For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.
Picnic time for teddy bears
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today
Watch them, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday.
See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout;
They never have any care;
At six o'clock their mummies and daddies,
Will take them home to bed,
Because they're tired little teddy bears.
Original words to the famous
"Teddy Bears Picnic" song
The teddy bear is familiar to nearly everyone today. But the teddy bear actually began its career in 1902. By what appears to be pure coincidence Teddy bears were manufactured in the USA and Germany that year and with the poor state of international communications then neither manufacturer was aware of the other it seems.
This cartoon,Drawing the Line in Mississippi by Clifford Berryman started the Teddy bear craze in the USA.it showed President Theodore Roosevelt who was refusing to shoot a bear cub. Roosevelt was in Mississippi to settle a border dispute between Mississippi and Louisiana, and was taken bear hunting. The hunting was unsuccessful so a bear cub was captured and Roosevelt was given the opportunity to shoot it. Roosevelt's refused to shoot such a helpless baby animal and this inspired Berryman to draw his famous cartoon.
The cartoon was published in The Washington Post on November 16, 1902. It was a sensation and was reprinted in many papers. Morris and Rose Michtom of Brooklyn, New York made a soft stuffed bear toy in honor of the president. The bear was named"Teddy's Bear" and the Michtons displayed it in the window of their store."Teddy's Bear" was a bighit with the general public. The demand for the bears was so big that the Michtoms partnered with a firm called Butler Brothers, and founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company to manufacture the bears.
At about the same time in Germany, Richard Steiff was working with his aunt, Margarete Steiff,in a stuffed toy business. Richard,was an art student, and the Steiff Company made a toy bear based on his design.
The Michtoms and Steiff started to make bears at about the same time, but neither knew about the other due to poor communications. The Steiff bear had a humped back and long nose, and looked more like a real bear cub.
At the Leipzig Toy Fair in March 1903, Steiff introduced the first of their bears named Bear 55PB. European buyers were not interested, but an American toy buyer being familiar with the United States bear craze ordered 3000 bears. In the USA, Teddy bears were a sensation, and Steiff's product fitted right in.
In 1906, the teddy bear craze continued fiercely in the United States. Socialite ladies carried their teddies with them, and children all over the USA owned bears . President Teddy Roosevelt used a bear as his mascot during his re-election campaign was elected to his second term. J.K. Bratton, wrote "The Teddy Bear Two Step" which , with new lyrics became "The Teddy Bear's Picnic" a song which has endured down through the years.
The well known song "The Teddy Bears Picnic" was written about this time as tabulated in Wikipedia:e"Teddy Bears' Picnic" is a song consisting of a melody by American composer John Walter Bratton, written in 1907, and lyrics added by Irish songwriter Jimmy Kennedy in 1932. It remains popular as a children's song, having been recorded by numerous artists over the decades. Kennedy lived at Staplegrove Elm and is buried in Staplegrove Church, Taunton, Somerset, England. Local folklore has it that the small wooded area between the church and Staplegrove Scout Hut was the inspiration for his lyrics.
Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_Bears'_Picnic
American companies were now making bears in a wide variety of styles and colors,and "Teddy bear" became the accepted name for this genre of bear toys, Steiff, in Germany also used the name for its bears.
In the USA, numerous competitors launched their bears into the market. Most of these companies flared briefly then died. The Gund Manufacturing Corporation was one of the few survivors. Gund is widely known today and is still making bears of many types.
In Germany many long established toy making companies companies, such as Hermann and Schuco, competed with Steiff to sell their teddy bears.
The J.K. Farnell & Co. started in England to make bears; in fact, they were the original makers of Winnie the Pooh bears which are still very popular at present.
For the next 25 years the teddy bear continued to be extremely popular. New teddy bear makers started. Chad Valley is a well known example. The bears were also changing. Glass eyes took over from black buttons, and kapok stuffing became popular.
in the USA was continuing to grow. The Knickerbocker Toy Company which started in 1920 is still making teddy bears at the present time. In the "dirty thirties" the U.S. was engulfed by the Depression, and American companies had to find cheaper ways to manufacture bears.
During World War II the factories switched to making war materials and some companies closed never to re-open.
After World War II synthetic fibers were used to make teddy bears. Buyers wanted washable bears bears made from nylon or acrylic, with foam stuffing and plastic eyes. For many teddy bear makers the inflow of cheap mass produced bears from Asian countries was very damaging.
The resurgence of the quality hand made teddy bear began in the 1970s when Beverly Port, a doll maker in the USA, pioneered the making of "artist" made bears. These were made as collectibles for adults rather than as childrens toys. Soon there were "teddy bear artists" in business all over the USA and around the world supplying bears to avid bear collectors.
Artist-designed but mass manufactured bears are now sold by Ganz, Gund, Dean's and other makers.
The popularity of collectible bears has served to increase the interest in, and therefore the value of antique teddy bears. These bears from the early 1900s became prominent in antique auctions and shows, and reached ever higher prices. Today the record price for a teddy bear, Teddy Girl by Steiff, is $176,000; that bear was sold at a Christie's auction in 1994.
In the 21st century, teddy bears continue to be as popular as ever with both children and collectors.
For more information about teddy bears check out our website: Click Here
Where can you buy teddy bears? Right now you can get some great discounts and the lowest prices through this link to Amazon: Teddy bears
No comments:
Post a Comment