I Wan'na Be like You (The Monkey Song) facts for kids

"I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" is a famous song from Walt Disney's 1967 movie The Jungle Book. The talented songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman wrote it. In the film, the song is sung by Louis Prima as King Louie, the leader of the monkeys. Phil Harris also sings in the song as Baloo the bear.

How the Song Was Made

Walt Disney wanted his movie version of The Jungle Book to be much more fun and lively than the original book by Rudyard Kipling. He asked the Sherman brothers to create "crazy ways to have fun with [the music]".

Richard Sherman said they wanted a jazz sound for the song. They imagined a "Dixieland-like" tune. He explained that they thought of an ape swinging through trees. This ape would be the "king of the swingers" and a true jazz musician.

After they thought of Louis Prima to play King Louie, Disney music leaders asked the Sherman brothers to fly to Las Vegas. They performed the song for Prima there. When Prima was asked to sing the song, he joked, "You want to make a monkey out of me? You got me!"

Louis Prima and his band, Sam Butera & The Witnesses, first recorded the music. Prima also played the trumpet. Later, the film's composer, George Bruns, wrote new music for the song. Walter Sheets arranged this new music.

The fun "scat dialogue" between Baloo and King Louie happened in two recording sessions. Louis Prima recorded his part first. The idea was for Baloo, sung by Sam Butera in Prima's recording, to just repeat Louie's scat. But Phil Harris, who played Baloo, decided to make up his own scat. He did not copy Prima's part. The song was released at the same time as the movie.

Who Sang in the Original Song

• Louis Prima - vocals, trumpet
• Phil Harris - vocals

Other Artists Sing This Song

Many artists have recorded their own versions of "I Wan'na Be Like You."

• In 1968, Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen released a single of the song.
• Pinky and Perky recorded a version for their 1970 album Film Parade.
• In 1990, Los Lobos included the song in their collection Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films. They sometimes play it live.
• Big Bad Voodoo Daddy covered the song for the Swingers movie soundtrack. The song was not in the movie itself.
• For The Jungle Book 2 in 2003, the band Smash Mouth played the song. It was heard during the end credits.
• In 2007, the Jonas Brothers recorded a pop rock version for Disneymania 5.
• British singer Paolo Nutini performed the song at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival.
• In 2015, Fall Out Boy recorded a cover for the album We Love Disney.
• Christopher Walken sings the song as King Louie in the 2016 live-action movie. New lyrics were written for this version.
• The J-pop band Little Glee Monster recorded a Japanese cover. It is called 'Kimi no yō ni naritai'.

Robbie Williams' Version

British singer Robbie Williams covered "I Wan'na Be like You." He sang it with fellow British artist Olly Murs. This version was for Williams' tenth album, Swings Both Ways (2013). Guy Chambers produced their recording.