Country Bear Musical Jamboree sing Disney is fur-bulous fun
The bears are back in town. The revamped Country Bear Musical Jamboree opened today, July 17, to the public at the Magic Kingdom with new arrangements of some Disney songs.
After a brief hibernation, Henry, Big Al, Trixie, and the whole furry gang have emerged from the woods, sporting some fresh threads and ready to entertain guests of all ages.
While the bears did get a little makeover, some new clothes and one character’s name was changed from Liver Lips McGrowl to Romeo McGrowl, the biggest update is the music. The 10-song setlist features a brand-new opening number, “Country Bear Musical Jamboree,” and the classic closer, “Come Again.” But nestled in between are eight toe-tapping covers of beloved Disney tunes. (See the list below)
Each bear brings their own interpretation to the music. From the furry firestorm of fiddlin’ Floridian fury himself Earnest, playing “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from “Mary Poppins” on the fiddle, to Trixie, Bunny, Bubbles and Beulah singing “Try Everything” from “Zootopia” to Romeo McGrowl’s rendition of “Kiss the Girl” from “The Little Mermaid” to Big Al’s sad and hilarious attempt to get through “Remember Me” from “Coco,” all the songs have that Country Bear touch and humor.
There is one song we could have done without and that’s “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. While it is a great song, it does get a bit overused in the parks (the original version is over in Fantasyland at “Mickey’s PhilharMagic Concert,” and there are plenty of other songs to choose from.
The songs used in the original show came primarily from ones performed by Tex Ritter, a pioneer of American Country music from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, as well as the father of famed actor John Ritter (from “Three’s Company”); Homer and Jehtro, a singing duo known for their parody and comedic songs; and The Stoneman Family, which originated with Ernest V. ‘Pop’ Stoneman, a country music pioneer, and family musical act that was once reported to be the longest-running continuous act in country music history.
Ritter, Ernest Stoneman, and other Stoneman family members recorded the original singing voices of many of the Country Bear characters.
Now, some folks might scoff at the inclusion of Disney songs, calling it a shameless IP grab. But here’s the thing: there’s always been a Disney presence in the Country Bear Jamboree. Remember “The Ballad of Davy Crockett?” Besides, these covers are fantastic. They’re on par with past successful Disney tributes like “The Best of Country Sings the Best of Disney” and “Country Sings Disney,” both of which topped the Billboard Country Albums charts in 1996 and 2008, respectively.
If we really want to scoff at something, I would say bring back the Country Bear Christmas Special, the first holiday overlay in the park. In it, the characters were put in Christmas clothing and sang fun holiday music. This ran from 1984 to 2005 at Magic Kingdom and deserves to return (but I digress).
Let’s not forget the always-entertaining trio of mounted heads: Buff the bison, Max whitetail buck and Melvin the bull moose. These guys are the ultimate hecklers, constantly throwing out one-liners and witty remarks throughout the show, as well as performing some backup singing duties. They’d give Statler and Waldorf from “The Muppets” a run for their money in a heckling showdown.
The Country Bear Musical Jamboree is a delightful dose of down-home fun. It’s a perfect fit for families or anyone who appreciates a bit of cheesy charm. So, grab a seat, saddle up for some laughs, and let the bears entertain you.
For those looking for a music comparison, here you go.
Current Song List County Bear Musical Jamboree
- “Country Bear Musical Jamboree” – a new original song written for the attraction
- “Try Everything” from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia”
- “Kiss the Girl” from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “The Little Mermaid”
- “A Whole New World” from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Aladdin”
- “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Walt Disney Studios’ “Mary Poppins”
- “Fixer-Upper” from Walt Disney Studios’ “Frozen”
- “Remember Me” from Disney-Pixar’s “Coco”
- “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” from Disney-Pixar’s “Toy Story”
- “Bare Necessities” from Walt Disney Animation Studios “The Jungle Book”
- “Come Again” – an original song that debuted with Country Bear Jamboree in 1974
Walt Disney World (1971-2012) Version
- “Pianjo” – Gomer and Henry
- “Bear Band Serenade” – The Five Bear Rugs, Gomer, and Henry
- “Fractured Folk Song” – Henry and Wendell
- “My Woman Ain’t Pretty (But She Don’t Swear None)” – Liver Lips McGrowl
- “Mama, Don’t Whip Little Buford” – Henry and Wendell
- “Tears Will Be the Chaser For Your Wine” – Gomer and Trixie
- “Pretty Little Devilish Mary” – The Five Bear Rugs
- “How Long Will My Baby Be Gone” – Terrence
- “All the Guys That Turn Me On Turn Me Down” – The Sun Bonnet Trio
- “If You Can’t Bite, Don’t Growl” – Ernest and the Five Bear Rugs
- “Heart, We Did All That We Could” – Teddi Barra
- “Blood on the Saddle” – Big Al
- “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” – Henry and Sammy
- “Ole Slew Foot” (Howard Hausey) – Cast (minus Ernest and Trixie, who do not appear onstage, and Big Al, who reprises “Blood on the Saddle”)
- “Come Again” – Henry, Sammy, Melvin, Max, and Buff
Walt Disney World (2012-2024) Version
- “Pianjo” – Gomer and Henry
- “Bear Band Serenade” – The Five Bear Rugs, Gomer, and Henry
- “My Woman Ain’t Pretty (But She Don’t Swear None)” – Liver Lips McGrowl
- “Mama, Don’t Whip Little Buford” – Henry and Wendell
- “Tears Will Be the Chaser For Your Wine” – Gomer and Trixie
- “How Long Will My Baby Be Gone” – Terrence
- “All the Guys That Turn Me On Turn Me Down” – The Sun Bonnet Trio
- “Heart, We Did All That We Could” – Teddi Barra
- “Blood on the Saddle” – Big Al
- “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” – Henry and Sammy
- “Ole Slew Foot” (Howard Hausey) – Cast (minus Ernest and Trixie, who do not appear onstage, and Big Al, who reprises “Blood on the Saddle”)
- “Come Again” – Henry, Sammy, Melvin, Max, and Buff
