Pink Elephants on Parade facts for kids

"Pink Elephants on Parade" is a memorable song and scene from the 1941 Disney animated movie Dumbo. In this part of the film, Dumbo the elephant and his friend Timothy Q. Mouse accidentally drink something that makes them see strange and colorful things. They then imagine a parade of pink elephants that sing, dance, and play musical instruments. After this amazing dream-like sequence, Dumbo and Timothy wake up in a tree. It's at this moment that they discover Dumbo can fly!

The Song and Its Creators

This unique song was written by two talented people: Oliver Wallace composed the music, and Ned Washington wrote the lyrics. The voices you hear in the song were provided by Mel Blanc, Thurl Ravenscroft, and a group called The Sportsmen.

The animated part of the movie featuring the pink elephants was carefully put together by a team of artists. Norman Ferguson directed this segment. Ken O'Connor worked on the layout, which means planning how the scene would look. The animators who brought the elephants to life were Hicks Lokey, Frank Thomas, Karl Van Leuven, and Howard Swift.

Pink Elephants in the Live-Action Movie

The "Pink Elephants on Parade" scene is so famous that it was also included in the Disney live-action movie released in 2019. This newer film was directed by Tim Burton. In the live-action version, the pink elephants appear in a different way. They are shown as amazing bubble sculptures created by humans, which then seem to come to life and dance, just like in the original animated film.

Other Versions of the Song

Because "Pink Elephants on Parade" is such a unique and well-known song, many other artists have created their own versions or used parts of it in their music.

Music Covers

• The jazz musician Sun Ra created his own version of the song. You can find a recording of his arrangement on an album called Stay Awake. This album is a collection of Disney songs played by different artists and was produced by Hal Willner.
• Other groups like Circus Contraption and Lee Press-on and the Nails have also covered the song, performing their own musical interpretations.

Song Samples and Tributes

• A music producer named Daladubz used parts of the song in his electronic music track. He sampled the song in his dubstep song called "Pink Elephants VIP."
• The electronic/industrial rock band V is for Villains, from Chicago, re-recorded their own version of the song.
• The Disney cartoon show Disney's House of Mouse also paid tribute to the song. In an episode called "Mickey and Minnie's Big Vacation," they included a nod to the famous pink elephants scene.