Gossamer Wump facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gossamer Wump |
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| Studio album by | |
| Released | 1949 |
| Label | Capitol Records |
Gossamer Wump is a special children's record released in 1949 by Capitol Records. It tells the fun story of a boy who learns to play the triangle. The famous Hollywood actor Frank Morgan, known as the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz, narrates the story. The music was created by Billy May, and the story was written by Hollywood screenwriters Roger Price and Helen Mack.
The voice of Gossamer Wump himself belongs to June Foray. She was a very busy voice artist, perhaps best known for voicing "Rocket J. Squirrel" in The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show.
Contents
The Story of Gossamer Wump
The record tells the tale of a little boy named Gossamer Wump. He is described as having "red hair, one blue eye, one green eye, and freckles all over." Gossamer dreams of becoming a musician by playing the triangle.
He tries to start his musical career, but it doesn't go well at first. He attempts to play at Gaylord Gout's dance club. Later, he tries again with Stanislav Hudnut's Orchestra. His first performance with the orchestra is quite a disaster.
Gossamer feels sad and confused after his bad luck. But then, a kind man gives Gossamer a very important job. He gets to play the triangle on the ice cream wagon! This job makes Gossamer very happy.
A Special Kind of Record
Gossamer Wump was one of the first children's records made on a 12-inch 78 rpm vinyl disk. At that time, most records were smaller, usually 10 inches. This made Gossamer Wump stand out.
Today, dealers who sell old records say Gossamer Wump is a very popular item for collectors. It's one of the top three most wanted records! However, it's hard to know how popular it was when it first came out. Capitol Records didn't keep sales charts back then. The record has been reissued by EMI in New Zealand, so new listeners can enjoy it.
The Music Behind the Story
The main song in the record uses music from a famous piece called "Dance of the Hours." This music was originally written by a composer named Amilcare Ponchielli.
Gossamer Wump in Cartoons
In 1960, a cartoon company called Mel-O-Toons made a cartoon version of the story. It was called Gosomer Wump. The cartoon used a slightly shorter version of the original record's audio.
A Musical Tribute
The famous musician John Fogerty showed his love for the story. He dedicated his 1985 album Centerfield to Gossamer Wump.
