A Whale of a Tale facts for kids

A Whale of a Tale is a fun song from the 1954 movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The song is sung by Kirk Douglas, who plays the character Ned Land in the film. It was written by Al Hoffman and Norman Gimbel.

A small part of this song is also sung by a fish in the movie Finding Nemo. This happens when the fish and others swim together, looking like a boat.

The Song in the Movie

The song "A Whale of a Tale" is first heard at the beginning of the movie. This is the only time you hear the whole song. It starts right after Ned Land talks with his friends, Conseil and Pierre Aronnax, on their ship. Ned picks up his guitar and goes onto the ship's deck. The music gets the attention of the crew members. They listen with excitement, and one even sings along in a very deep voice. Right after Ned finishes the song, the famous submarine Nautilus appears for the first time.

Even though the full song is only sung once, it is mentioned many times later in the movie. Ned Land even makes a guitar from a turtle shell! He sings parts of the song twice. The first time, he sings part of the chorus to Esmeralda, a seal who lives on the Nautilus. He does this to try and hide that he had taken some items. The second time, Ned Land, having a bit too much fun, sings a funny version of the song. He makes up new words to make fun of Captain Nemo and the food on the Nautilus. Esmeralda the seal "claps" her "hands" along with the music. You can also hear an instrumental version of the song playing as background music in different scenes.

See also

In Spanish: A Whale of a Tale para niños