When I See An Elephant Fly
[Disney] Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Ha-ha-ha, did you ever see an elephant fly?)
(Well, I seen a horsefly and I seen a dragonfly)
(Yeah, I seen a housefly, ha-ha-ha-ha)

Yeah, I seen all that too

I seen a peanut stand, heard a rubber band
I seen a needle that winked its eye

But I be done seen 'bout ev'rything
When I see a elephant fly (What d'you say, boy?)

I said when I see a elephant fly

I seen a front porch swing, heard a diamond ring
I seen a polka-dot railroad tie
But I be done seen 'bout ev'rything
When I see a elephant fly

I saw a clothes horse, he r'ar up and buck
And they tell me that a man made a vegetable truck
I didn't see that, I only heard
Just to be sociable, I'll take your word

I heard a fireside chat, I saw a baseball bat
And I just laughed till I thought I'd die
But I be done seen 'bout ev'rything
When I see a elephant fly

Well, I be done seen 'bout ev'rything

When I see a elephant fly (With the wings)
When I see an elephant fly

Overall Meaning

"When I See An Elephant Fly" is a playful and whimsical song in Disney's movie Dumbo, which features a group of crows expressing disbelief that the titular character, an elephant, could actually fly. The lyrics are sung in a call-and-response format where one member of the group presents something he has seen or heard to the others, followed by the group's response that they have also seen or heard it. However, they draw the line at believing in a flying elephant.

The song is notable for its straightforward and upbeat tune. Additionally, it can be interpreted as a commentary on racial discrimination present in the United States during the time when the movie was released. The crows who sing the song are caricatures of black people, and viewers have viewed the lyrics as a statement on the limits imposed on African Americans, in spite of their achievements.

The elephant fly metaphor can be interpreted in several ways. It could represent the impossible dream that many African Americans had during the time. The idea that an elephant would fly, much like the idea that African Americans would achieve equality and respect from white people, seems unrealistic to the group.

Line by Line Meaning

Ha-ha-ha, did you ever see an elephant fly?
Have you ever witnessed the sight of an elephant flying? It seems impossible and absurd.

Well, I seen a horsefly and I seen a dragonfly
I have observed insects such as horseflies and dragonflies before.

Yeah, I seen a housefly, ha-ha-ha-ha
I have also spotted a pesky housefly in my time.

I seen a peanut stand, heard a rubber band I seen a needle that winked its eye But I be done seen 'bout ev'rything When I see a elephant fly (What d'you say, boy?)
I have experienced many odd and remarkable things, such as a peanut stand, a winking needle, and a rubber band. However, even with all my experiences, seeing an elephant fly still amazes me. Don't you agree?

I said when I see a elephant fly
My point is that if I ever see an elephant fly with my own eyes, my mind will be blown.

I seen a front porch swing, heard a diamond ring I seen a polka-dot railroad tie But I be done seen 'bout ev'rything When I see a elephant fly
I have witnessed even more strange and fascinating things, like a front porch swing, a diamond ring, and a railroad tie with polka dots. Nevertheless, the thought of seeing an elephant take flight tops them all.

I saw a clothes horse, he r'ar up and buck And they tell me that a man made a vegetable truck I didn't see that, I only heard Just to be sociable, I'll take your word
I heard stories about a clothes horse who reared up and bucked, and a man who built a vegetable truck. While I didn't actually witness these events, I'm willing to believe you and chat about them anyway.

I heard a fireside chat, I saw a baseball bat And I just laughed till I thought I'd die But I be done seen 'bout ev'rything When I see a elephant fly
I've had some great moments in my life, like hearing a fireside chat and seeing a baseball bat, that have made me laugh until I was out of breath. Nevertheless, seeing an elephant soaring through the sky would be the ultimate experience.

Well, I be done seen 'bout ev'rything When I see a elephant fly (With the wings) When I see an elephant fly
To sum it up, I feel like I've seen practically everything there is to see in this world, but if there's one thing that would leave me in awe, it would be an elephant flying with wings.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NED WASHINGTON, OLIVER WALLACE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@FozDax

20w↑10

I saw a buttercrunch, a Hawaiian punch
I saw a smartphone, I saw a funny bone
I got to see a tasty potpie,
But I think I seen about everything,
When I see an ELEPHANT fly.

I saw a high note, I saw a tongue coat
I saw the Milky Way, I saw a horseplay
I managed to see a tie dye.
But I think I seen about everything,
When I see an ELEPHANT fly.

Just last week, I saw a corn dog.
Yesterday in my yard I saw a hedgehog.
I heard from the grapevine, there was a breadline.
Well, I'm no fool, but I saw a toadstool.

I saw a crabgrass, I heard a laughing gas
I even saw a potato's eye.
But I think I’ve seen about everything
When I see an ELEPHANT fly.

😁: "Get the jokes???"

@arbytv5139

5y↑55

Did you ever see an elephant fly?

Well I’ve seen a horse fly (my little pony: friendship is magic)

I’ve seen a dragon fly (how to train your Dragon franchise)

Yeah? I’ve seen a house fly (Pixar‘s Up)

Looks like the crows can predict the future too!

All comments from YouTube:

@Trainlover1995

5y↑1.1K

"I seen a house fly!"

That crow predicted "Up".

@scp--297

5y↑25

Oh shit, they did.

@frankz3595

5y↑79

“Well, i’ve seen a horse fly”

That crow predicted Hercules (1997).

@badatlineart2911

5y↑16

Walt Disney knew this was coming

@moshicodes1

5y↑10

am really hoping y’all are getting the joke

@moshicodes1

5y↑1

Willie McCoy am honestly not getting the joke that they are trying to make???? they are pulling out random lines and trying to make predictions.. not smart or funny

17 More Replies...

@Mac14329

24w↑72

It’s amazing to see that people don’t find these crows racist or harmful. I feel the same way. All I see are funny laughing and dancing crows with an equally funny song.

@josemourato8979

15w↑3

Yep. It's definitely stereotypical, but not at all offensive. Just a silly, happy song from a different time.

@dapperghost3409

10w↑2

the crows acted and spoke how a lot of African Americans acted when the movie was made. if anything this was good representation for the time, and a lot better than the stuff drawn in things like the reluctant dragon.

@josemourato8979

10w↑2

@@dapperghost3409 for sure. If people want offensive portrayals of blacks during that time, they needn't look any further than Coal Black, Jungle Jitters, tin pan alley etc. If they wanted to be offensive, they wouldn't beat around the bush

@mortystraphouse5077

9w↑2

i agree. tho calling the leader jim was a bit weird; jim-crow

@dapperghost3409

9w↑1

@@mortystraphouse5077 now THAT I did NOT know :(

@alecaquino4306

22w↑97

These guys were my FAVORITE as a child. They were so much fun and encouraging and they really worked hard to get Dumbo into the air. They are the true heroes of this movie!

@captain_hat6247

8y↑1.8K

Growing up I never saw the crows as racist. I thought the crows were cool and I remember laughing along with them.

@sonicroachdoggjrraven3263

7y↑11

Captain_Hat same

@siany-siandavies8224

7y↑49

This song was one of the first things I searched for when I first got a laptop. It is as funny, endearing and infectious as when I first saw the movie as a child. Nobody sings with such depth of feeling as black guys. Jeez, I even married one coz, like the Disney crows, he’s made me happy as can be non-stop for the last twenty years! I can’t wait for the next twenty years!

@zaakoarolikin1643

did you get a task involving j_m cr_w m_n_t_e_s ? (_ = hidden letter)

@sarahhh8073

7y↑35

siany-sian davies just to let you know the people singing this are white males who are putting on impersonations of black males :((

@ritchuk

7y↑5

Apart from James Baskett of course Sarah.

66 More Replies...

@TheAwesomeDarkNinja

5y↑218

The saddest thing is that these crows are easily the best characters in the movie.

@FlamingAnimation

5y↑5

Why is it sad?

@TheAwesomeDarkNinja

5y↑4

@@FlamingAnimation Apparently they're rascist.

@sodacaps3998

5y↑14

@@TheAwesomeDarkNinja how tf are they racist?

@kyletimmons2940

5y↑6

@@sodacaps3998 Racists assume the crows are supposed to be black stereotypes simply because the crows' feathers are black.

@killatubby

4y↑7

@@kyletimmons2940 also the crow name is jim crow. they are based on black stereo types from the 40's.

5 More Replies...

@5Mariner

8y↑581

Compared to nearly all the other characters in this movie, the crows are among the few that are actually nice to Dumbo (other than his mother and Timothy the Mouse). It should also be noted that they are not laughing at Dumbo, they just think that the idea of a flying elephant is so ludicrous that its funny.

@orangejoe204

6y↑51

They're the black version of what white people call "good ol' boys". They're not particularly smart, hard-working or sophisticated, but they're jolly all the time, harbor no ill-will for anybody, and are always happy to help somebody out.

@RicTic66

6y↑33

In other words good people and what we should all strive to be?

@lovebanditrecords2

6y↑4

thank you

@arsenalmanz

5y↑6

RicTic66 you strive to be a “not particularly smart , hard working or sophisticated person” ?

@TiredofGaming

5y↑14

@@arsenalmanz Works for me

5 More Replies...

@seliphgranvale1286

23w↑58

When I was a kid, I didn't see any racist portrayal in these characters. I thought they were cool. I loved their jive-talk, their singing, their dancing. Even being aware that they're stereotyped, I still think they're cool. And they're the ones who help Dumbo and get him to fly!

@wotermelon_

18w↑6

The problem is not with what you saw, the problem is what they showed, crows with "black people" characteristics lazing around and they help him they're good characters, but how they are portrayed is wrong.

@everlenaoliver6912

6y↑3.5K

I'm black and I never thought the crows were a racist stereotype. I just they were cool.

@testodude

6y↑354

That's because you have sense, Everlena. The crows were hilarious, and very cool.

@everlenaoliver6912

6y↑90

testodude Well thank you. 😊

@chelonianmobile

6y↑234

The stereotypes are several decades out of date, which is probably why; these days lazy country bumpkins with thick drawling accents make people think of poor whites, not black people a couple generations removed from plantation slavery, and no one's seen a minstrel show, so recent viewers don't have the context the filmmakers did.

@lovelife2186

6y↑5

Everlena Oliver lir

@lovelife2186

6y↑5

Everlena Oliver lie

286 More Replies...

@QarleyQuark

18w↑25

This animation is everything for 1941! This performance style was very popular among Black people during the era. I'm stoked to see it featured and preserved forever in pop culture. Also, I grew up hearing people talk a little like this even in the 90's, so I'm drowning in nostalgia.

@CheesyFries-fk8ph

6y↑187

No matter what anyone else says, I love these guys.

@jwhaler82

12w

Same

@BigBWolf90

10w↑1

Aside from Timothy Mouse & Dumbo's mom these are the nicest characters in the movie

@jedBSME

24w↑76

Wow, as a kid, I just saw these crows as crows. That was it. Not just crows but heroes.

@jazzykingjack2846

12w↑1

And jive talking fun loving buch of good crows that love a good laugh and I loved these crows I saw nothing wrong as a kid and I still see them the same

@hydra7427

6y↑819

The weirdest thing about the whole controversy with this is that these crows are the GOOD GUYS. At worst, they're just lower class black people in the turn of the century South, which is somehow bad because... ???? All these puns they deliver shows they're quite witty and clever, and they have a confident swagger to them that reinforces the message of the film.

@nohbuddy1

5y↑23

Because it is a severe black stereotype. You wouldn't be saying this if it wad a jewish stereotype

@ufc354811

5y↑70

@@nohbuddy1 oh stop crying you soyboy leftist liberal crybaby

@Ian-dn6ld

5y↑39

I wouldn't even say they're "lower class black people." They're crows with southern accents. Not to mention "Boy them city folk..." suggests that they're from a rural part, and everyone knows the stereotype that people from the rural US have accents. Not to mention, I'd be curious to find where the story (from the actual book) takes place. If you really want to go based on skin-color though, even people deemed today as white (who back then wouldn't have necessarily been seen as such), sound and speak with similar syntaxes and word form. That whole "I be done..." is just a very southern form of speech still found in mountain dialects among people of all backgrounds, but in particular those who have been in the region for a while.

@Chocomuneca19

5y↑23

There isn’t a story behind it. This movie was made in the era of Jim Crow and the crows signify that. I don’t care what you see it as, that’s what it was. You can’t erase history, no matter how much we may want to.

@Ian-dn6ld

5y↑20

@@Chocomuneca19 So there is a story behind it. It's the story of the ceation of Jim Crow laws designed to keep people from rising to their true potential, the ability which had previously been taken away a few decades after the Civil War and after integration (which had yielded to much more diverse neighborhoods than today). Jim Crow who laughed and scorned those to doubt themselves (Dumbo) only to be silenced once Dumbo proved he could in fact reach that dream of flying above all things.

25 More Replies...

@saintjames1979

24w↑32

I remember watchin this movie at my grandmother's house as a kid and almost 40 years later, this song/scene is really the only thing I remember from it. The song just popped into my head out of the blue so I had to search it out

@martinw9645

23w↑2

It is just a Great song

@QarleyQuark

18w↑1

I was just having an uncomfortable I don't really understand this new generation moment when I told my kid, "I've seen a whole lot of things in my life, young one...but I never seen an elephant fly." And here we are! LoL! Comfort is mostly restored now

@BigBWolf90

10w↑1

@QarleyQuark well I seen a horse fly

@Reagan1984

6y↑611

Even if they’re “racist stereotypes”. I always found the crows really badass as a kid. I mean, if they’re meant to paint black people in a bad light, how come they’re one of the most important supporting characters in the film?

@leohino9211

5y↑38

Don't listen to the haters. These crows are really nice.

@tigerguy1013

5y↑60

It’s the 21st century, EVERYTHING is racist

@teeroy7973

5y↑33

Exactly. Woke culture won't rest until my entire childhood is demolished.

@mrj7366

5y↑6

The crows are so cool

@fredstephens9087

5y↑17

The real racism comes from the fact that the main crow is named "Jim crow" after the infamous "Jim crow laws" that enforced Black segregation in the US

16 More Replies...

@lucyrebecca4959

8y↑2.1K

Everyone's complaining that the crows voice actors are the 'wrong race' but Eddie Murphy was mushu in Mulan and I don't recall him being Chinese

@jesusrox4u

8y↑107

True.

@saysthefuckboy6927

8y↑141

you must not understand Jim Crow or Minstrel Shows

@heyheyeric.lookatme.5019

8y↑55

+Lucy Dickinson mushu was a dragon dumbass

@Antnj81

8y↑168

+GuessWhatMovie oh fuck off with that Jim Crow shit. Go hide under your desk and your Sociology class while your liberal Professor pets your head and tells you that everything's going to be alright

@jesusrox4u

8y↑24

Antnj81 Lol.

100 More Replies...

@Q_Tard

18w↑8

The crows were the most supportive of Dumbo other than Timothy. Crows were the best part of this movie from day one. Love them crows.

@gillianday4804

23w↑16

these songs like these will never grow old.

@crunkalac

4y↑30

Its a beautiful cartoon. The world twisted this. Kids just loved it.

@brianaguilar8283

It’s not a cartoon, it’s an animated film

@Vespyr_

22w↑12

Crows were my favorite part of this movie. They're the best.

@TacoTraveller

4y↑8

I love the crows! As a child, I thought of them as the people from my dad’s hometown in eastern Georgia. All of my relatives, who were white, talked like this. Everyone from there talked like this! I could relate to the crowd as a kid. Everyone else on TV just had that generic non regional dialect. I wore out a Dumbo record just listening to the crows! They were my people to me!

@ManMonkey600

4y↑18

I still sing "when I see an elephant fly" whenever I see a group of crows hanging outside my house lol

@BarbieJohnson-pm9ys

10w

😂😂immediately, when I see 'em-so do I 😂😂❤❤❤❤

@amandajohnson3531

8y↑225

I still don't see these crows as racists. I won't deny they're suppose to represent black people but shouldn't we be happy about that? They're the only ones other than Timothy who are nice to Dumbo!

@zarkovis5627

7y↑11

Yes they help Dumbo, but that makes them no less offense racial stereotypes. Picture this. Lets say you have a story where the main character owns a watermelon patch and one day they are stolen by a visiting thief who left town. So the MC goes to his black neighbor, Chicken George for help and George says "Well I'll be suh, ain't no man betta at finding watermelons den me! We'll find em in a jiffy, sho nuff!" and he leads them to the stolen watermelons and the day is thus saved.

Just because the main character was aided does not make the above shortstory any less ridiculously racist.

The crows help dumbo, but they are still racist stereotypes. For pete's sake, a black crow being called Jim Crow is in no way coincidental.

@amandajohnson3531

7y↑24

Zark Ovis Maybe the situation would be racist but those words wouldn't be racist , that would be dialect. It'd be like saying Huckleberry Finn is racist for having dialect, it's not. And I still don't see the crows as racist, they seem to represent happy people, who are street smart, and willing to help. If it's about how they talk then that really could just be dialect.

@amandajohnson3531

7y↑15

Zark Ovis Yeah that sucks, but it doesn't mean it's always the case. As someone who's grandmother was Mexican and did in fact speak broken English, I don't think it's fair to say it's always a racial stereotype, sometimes it's just how someone actually talks because English is a hard language to learn, like all languages. Sometimes it is just dialect, there are people who actually talk like that. I know it sucked how people were treated in the past, it was cruel and unjust. I just don't think these characters should be examples of that. When a kid is watching they don't think "hey these characters are racial stereotypes that negatively represent the African American community" they think "hey these crows are nice, singing a cool song, and helping Dumbo, I like them." This is a movie made for kids and it's hurting no one, we should just leave it at that. We don't know what the writers were thinking while making these characters and we'll probably never will so let's just enjoy the fun song. If you want to go discuss the unfairness of humanity and the terrible treatment of people, go watch Showboat. A movie that actually deals with these issues. In fact I'm gonna listen to Old Man River, because that's a really good song.

@ananomaly1162

7y↑3

Amanda Johnson Yeah. Plus they don't harbor any of the black stereotypes. As opposed to Coal Black and the sebben dwarfs (yes that's how it was really spelled) if you haven't seen in take a look.

@dejaypage1575

7y↑1

Xander ????????? Aside from maybe how they talk, but this was a black choir. We don't know how they talked back then since we aren't from this era

10 More Replies...

@prestonendresmovies

5y↑43

“Hehe, I’ve seen a house fly!”
When I was a kid I was confused..
18 years later I finally got it!

@charmedx3219

5y↑3

I used to think they'd seen the wizard of Oz as a kid.

@prestonendresmovies

CharmedX321
As a kid you knew your references pretty well then

@jrsmith1998

Preston Endres Movies U were a pretty dumb kid huh?

@ZechsMerquise73

@@jrsmith1998 Dumb for not seeing a movie?

@brandoncruise6398

8y↑159

Those were some very strong telephone wires and poles lol.

@Shastasnow

6y↑3

Well, you don't see many elephants flying around, or do ya?

@mittrianafini3477

6y↑9

They don't make 'em like that anymore XP

@carriesteptoe

6y↑1

I remember thinking that as a kid LOL

@ibschmidtknuckleblaster6768

6y↑1

As someone who is part Polish I found those very offensive =D

@nahor88

5y↑3

Brandon Cruise Disney relied on kids being stupid. Even as a 4 year old, my dad explained to me why squirrels can run across telephone wires, and why I shouldn't mess with them. I knew that Dumbo should be getting fried right there...

2 More Replies...

@SleeperInTravel

19w↑7

These guys were always my favorite! The most memorable and heartwarming!!

@josieconroy9177

25w↑21

I remember when I was a kid I never saw those crows as a racist stereotype I just saw them as over exaggerated cartoon characters like in Song of the South

@emilygoogle6520

10w

Isn’t song of the south also considered a really problematic Disney movie, though?

@josieconroy9177

10w

I only liked the animated parts and it can be used to show your kids that it was a different time back then. I recommend watching it and judge it yourself

@randybenjamin5685

24w↑8

The Disney crew worked Jazz into MANY of their movies!
Flick by flick , I never really noticed it.
But put them all together, Disney was very supportive of Jazz!

@rianbarber1247

10y↑79

When I was little, this was my favorite movie. Nowadays, this is still my favorite movie AND this is my favorite song. When I was little, I didn't think that the portrayal of the crows was racist. I thought the crows were cool as all hell. They were my favorite characters (aside from the pink elephants ;D). And now, as an almost twenty year old adult, I still don't think it's racist. I still think they're the coolest characters.

@Blazcowitz1943

10y↑13

I'd call them stereotypical, but I wouldn't call it racist since they are not really portrayed in a negative way. You have to remember that this was made in 1941. Even if you weren't a racist back then, this kind of thing wasn't uncommon.

@rianbarber1247

10y

Very true.

@lamarmcneil5655

Nicholas Galea I agree.

@leighrmifan

9y↑6

The fact that the term "racist" is used is completely unjustified. These crows are portrayed in a stereotypical light, but there is NOTHING derogatory. It would be racist if a flock of white doves or pigeons came over and helped Dumbo fly, or made fun of the crows, but as is, the crows were pretty much the only characters (aside from Timothy) to help Dumbo and pretty much his only friends (aside from Timothy). Yes they make this "black stereotype" music number, but, and this is a big but, this was inspired by the voice actors' performance when they ripped on each other during breaks between voice acting.

@lamarmcneil5655

Baby Dogson Agreed.

9 More Replies...

@sadiestranks

5y↑74

I always thought the crows were super cool and had such great movement like jazz players. It never crossed my mind this would be considered racist

@jjenni651

5y↑6

The crow leader's name is "Jim Crow". I don't know how that slipped your mind.

@JJdaPK

4y↑9

@@jjenni651 I suspect it slipped her mind because he's never actually called Jim in the movie. You wouldn't know his name was Jim unless you saw the script/storyboards or watched behind-the-scenes materials.

@itsbreebabe

JJdaPK he’s called Jim when they first find him in the tree.

@christiantrinidad7674

8y↑108

But they ain't never seen a donkey fly...

@daruma360

5y↑5

Wait `till you see Shrek

@ethanp.796

6y↑37

The number of puns in this song makes me happy

@NecSchel

19w↑7

The crows always appeared to me as the cool and "sane guys" in this movie.

@marykayhamburgerable

5y↑9

A sweet moment. The protagonist is at his best with his friends.

@jake0324demo

4y↑20

I got great news, disney+ just launched, and I am happy to report the crows are still in dumbo, I repeat the crows are still there, they now have a disclaimer like a few other films like lady and the tramp and peter pan, by saying that they have outdated cultural depictions. that is a move like what warner bros. did, funny enough, I bought dumbo on dvd earlier just in case if they were actually removed, funny enough, the simpsons episode, stark raving dad, which was pulled from circulation earlier this year is missing from disney+ and the only edit was the removal of a blooper scene from toy story 2, which was also removed earlier this year, the one with stinky pete and the barbies

@goldenlightpictures6223

4y↑1

The Channel of Lego & More hm why would they remove that scene from toy story? But anyways glad they kept most of it;)

@brianaguilar8283

Disney is extremely disingenuous

@jake0324demo

4y↑2

knowing today's society with sexual harrasment and all that considering john lasseter was accused of it too, and it kind of implies that stinky pete was doing a casting couch like getup like harvey weinstein did it is a funny joke, but it would definietly not fly by todays standards.

@brianaguilar8283

The Channel of Lego & More nobody had a problem with it until Disney tried to censor it

@radhab577

12w↑1

Dumbo is such an underappreciated movie. I love how Timothy helped Dumbo realize his potential; and how he goes from rags to riches.

@FozDax

20w↑10

@rhubarbjin

15w

These are excellent!

@silverback1138

5y↑1

I grew up in a house where my parents loved all sorts of oldies that included Motown/Doo-wop music. This was one of my favorite scenes in Dumbo. I couldn't imagine the movie without it.

@Mandalorian_Goblinslayer

4y↑6

“BOY THEM CITY FOLKS ARE SURE IN FOR A SURPRISE” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@CameraMan66

13w

2:55

@damn3231

7y↑7

I'm twenty and I'm still in love with this song...

@fawfulbenivictor5556

5y↑6

Smooth dancers, intelligent, helpful, good singers, funny, and well dressed
What's wrong with em?

@shaneoliver4362

4y↑38

For those who think there racist lets not forget those crows helped dumbo

@honey-raiduncan-whytock6028

6y↑2

Fun and cheerful. Those crows look cool!!! 🐧🐧🐧

@plaidcarogemm

9y↑261

Came here to see racism, instead I got some cool characters and a catchy as hell tune. I think that's pretty fine, sure they're not exactly breaking the mold of stereotypes, but I don't feel anything malicious or mean-spirited. Relax.

@Osprey1994

5y↑5

It's not the song that is the problem or the crowd themselves it's that one of them is named Jim Crow. Which is a reference to the laws enacted by the Democratic party that were racist.

I still like the song but they should have chosen the name for the lead crow more carefully.

@tristanbielicki1301

5y↑8

OspreyBravo18 Not officially. In the original script one was called Jim Crow but that was removed before animation was started on the film.

@wolfgamer9647

5y↑3

@@Osprey1994 jim crow is the best pun in the movie.

@anarch1.c

Kyle Edwards thanks to you all racism is eradicated

@aclark903

24w

@@Osprey1994 But the whole song is clever word play all the way through.

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@hyenaholicproductions9033

5y↑36

Jim actually says "You boys are okay" when they hear Dumbo's sad story, realising that like them, Dumbo has been oppressed, and his mother has been unfairly judged and wants to help. The crows never make fun of Dumbo's ears and while Jim is joking, his suggestion that Dumbo flew up is the only explanation. At first Timothy is racist "What are you doing down here, go back where you belong" but then he listens to the crows' idea, and they make up. Jim and the crows even go all the way to the city with them, when they were rural folk before, to expand their own horizons.
This is not a racist movie - it shows racism. True, a white person voiced Jim Crow, but what's that got to do with anything? If Disney wanted to go woke, they could have used the crows interaction with Dumbo, but they had to go for Animal Cruelty - the animals were treated very humanely in the animated Dumbo, it was only the Mad Elephant who was locked up, and Dumbo was bullied, but they were exceptions.

@caylastrudel899

4y↑1

*sigh its an over exaggerated sterotype of blacks then, as understood by whites then. the equivalent of making your skin yellow and saying things like " sum ting wong wit you? or oh herro there "

@caylastrudel899

@Yusuf Honest Cricket Crow apu is a perect example, if you happen to be indian without an silly accent and not running a gas station. imagine how youd feel seeing your only racial representation be that. not to mention hes portrayed in the show as cheap, neglectful to customers and price gouging.

none this is hateful, it jus sux if you are the one being told who and what you are because of skin

@eldesgraciado6690

16w↑1

Excellent movie. A work of art.

@Bobby-Dingers

5y↑2

I love this. It almost makes me cry when I reminisce. Just remembering seeing it as a 4 year old kid at my grandfolks house. Such a great movie. I might even pick this over Robin hood, tough choice though. This scene was incredible by the way! My little brother and I would try to keep up with the singing, and danced our asses off to this particular part! What a classic!!

@christianndlovu-lh7vu

24w↑11

Personally, even though I know the background of this song, it's still hard not to like it, and even though I was disappointed, that this song wasn't in the live action. Dumbo, I'm also very glad, otherwise it'll be a repeat of history.

@pandagal9805

21w↑1

for real, and honestly, it feels like a disservice to the actual men that sang the song, they did an excellent job and its a funny song! i will continue to enjoy the song to my full ability because this song is fire

@christianndlovu-lh7vu

21w

@@pandagal9805 Okay, if I'm being honest. I didn't really like the man, who played the lead crow, because he was trying to imitate a black person, but even then it's one of those things where.
You love it too much that you can't hate it. But you know it's wrong.

@pandagal9805

21w

@@christianndlovu-lh7vu oh was he not black? oh thats just a shame :/ but yeah, its still hard to hate and push away. i guess that's the curse of nostoliga

@christianndlovu-lh7vu

21w

@@pandagal9805 Now the reason you might be saying, you didn't know he was Not black, it's mainly because, I've Disney. Trying to black face, characters,In the crows might be one of the most offensive stereotypes, do we love their song, yes, But should we love their message hell no?

@pandagal9805

21w↑2

@@christianndlovu-lh7vu i agree, i can appreciate the art, but i hate the intention behind it. its clearly designed to mock black folk, which is such a bummer

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@yioryios1

23w↑4

The crows helped Dumbo find the courage that he can indeed fly. My favorite part of the film. The fact that they were being portrayed as black didn’t make them any less in my eyes as a child and even looking at it now I still think they’re the coolest around. If their intention was to poke fun and degrade then they missed mark. But I can see that if you were indeed racist and if you were hurt by racism before that this can be viewed very differently.

@kris.g_art

22w↑12

I don't care if it makes me a bad black person; I love these crows. Unlike some of Disney's other stereotypical characters of the time, the crows actually feel like black characters instead of one-note caricatures (in part because most of them are voiced by black people). I felt waaayyyy more uncomfortable with the Native American tribe from Peter Pan than with my guys here.

@butyoureincorrect5788

7y↑3

Did anyone else smile when dumbo started flying 😭😭😭🖤

@briandeaton36

5y↑4

This is the coolest part of the whole movie and they're going to take it out because people are too sensitive. I must have listened to this a thousand times when I was a kid. Never once thought anything bad about it

@astrofox1155

God I need to rewatch all these classics. I never noticed how great the voice acting and iconic scenes were. That mouse from Brooklyn and those crows earned my like.

@tfgc9315

8y↑112

I love these crows

@christiancephus

8y↑4

it's a racist show

@BrazenBull001

8y↑12

Nope

@pissgoblin6185

8y↑8

even if it was racist it was still a good movie

@occamsrazor9023

@gutz1981

8y↑9

Well then it must be better to hate them so as not to be racist at all. Or not like any representation of African American people as people might need to ask for permission in liking something that others find offensive. I mean heavens forbid any kid would find any enjoyment in a old kids cartoon because it does not represent African American people accurately according to modern day standards. Even if it was NOT done in a negative manner in terms of making the characters good as opposed to evil.

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@chrisbrwnsshawty

10y

The fact that I re-watched this movie at 20 years old and wonder why I LOVED a movie about a baby elephant that gets made fun for his ears, his mom gets locked up for trying to protect him, and then he's sad the whole time he's not with his mom. I BALLED the whole movie !!! And then I BALLED at the end when he's happy and reunited with his mom. Dear Lawd

@Bewareofthedog69

8y↑1

I absolutely loved this when I was a kid....played it over & over again much to the annoyance of everyone in the house :)

@Unicysis

18w↑4

I’ve seen a SUPERFLY.

cue Superfly theme music

@thyhangman

19w↑2

Such a classic thanks for posting this it was there when I needed it most! Liked and Subscribe I suppose I am of all things, A Dumbo Lover too! 😁

@EmpressAlligator

8y↑360

Oh god I'm on a Disney song spree O_o

@erinkoenig1837

8y↑1

me too freind

@temarybaltazar

same

@darksounds2587

Same

@anthony20cali

8y↑3

always happens when im drunk in front of the computer xD

@saratuggle1878

7y↑2

Joe Friday I'm always on a disney song spree

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@ebailey9443

5y↑3

I loved this part. Used to sing along with the crows.

@bettymiller5569

i love dumbo, i subscribed, liked, and watched it 130 times. Thats how much i love dumbo

@lunadabaybrandon

4y↑9

So many people thought this was offensive to Black people, but as a black man, I actually find them really cool.

@hulkamania5071

Even though they're all voiced by white men playing stereotypical roles?

@tyy2387

4y↑1

Hulk Amania Literally one of the birds was played by a white guy. Should we start getting this offended when black voice actors “sound too white”?

@hulkamania5071

@@tyy2387 ok, i was wrong about them being all white, but the leader is named Jim Crow. That alone is problematic.

@brandonkuns2123

@@hulkamania5071 Where in the movie does it say that is his name?

@hulkamania5071

@@brandonkuns2123 i haven't seen the movie in years so i don't remember, but just Google Jim Crow Disney and it will come up.

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@patrice2458

15w↑1

The music is just amazing

@EpicWott0

8y↑623

I'm black and I don't understand how this can be racist

@Antnj81

8y↑227

just wait. Some millennial white person, who took a couple semesters of Sociology, will be glad to explain it to you, because apparently they think all black people are stupid and need to be told when and what to be offended by.

@juliatremayne483

8y↑69

Black/Hispanic here and I agree, the crows are actually good guys? They laugh at first but then they're sympathetic to Dumbo and help him.

@blueoceanparadox

8y↑15

I think it for me comes down to rather they are laughing WITH black people about black stereo types or AD them. If the voice acterss are of color well then it´s probably the first.

@drmsqnc1913

8y↑1

+Antnj81 damn

@cityghurl83

8y↑16

jim crow laws when segregation between whites and blacks was still legal in the south

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@merandamolino9426

4y↑5

dumbo is so cute when he fly's and see his mother again. 🐘🐘

@elizabethwalker9784

I love this song, and the crows will always be endearing. They are extremely cool! Love the movie. So inspired and beautiful

@paulcrenshaw812

9y↑21

With regards to the way the song was sung:
It lends nothing to the idea of "Black folks aren't intelligent." It lends everything to the culture. And that IS the culture. I have heard "I done seen" more times than I can count because I've said it and I've grown up around people that said it. And I love that culture with every ounce in me.
This depicts black folks jumping in and lending a hand. Which is something that I love about the culture. You are hard pressed to find a family as caring and welcoming and warm as the kind of "Family" shown here. Which has been just my experience.
Trying to play the race card is fine when it is something that is legit racist. The choice of crows for characters was poor and he should have thought long and hard about it. But there are a billion and one better instances of legit, harmful racism that you should charging against rather than a cartoon.

@orangejoe204

6y↑2

They're singing in a black 1930s jazz dialect known as "jive" that is the direct progenitor to many kinds of modern slang and was very common up until the 1960s (when jazz was supplanted by soul/funk). It seems corny and exploitative to our ears now, straight "shoeshine boy" shit, but that was how "cool" guys talked back then. Shit, the term "cool" was invented by black jazz musicians! A rap song loaded with "Modern Ebonics" (including the "n word") doesn't shock us at all, but that's only because we're used to it.

@subestimado2128

8y↑67

Still better than anything Bieber has sang.

@polybent9748

5y↑1

Todd Burlie Jr. still better than most of what we're forced to listen to

@belladreams8896

5y↑2

This is my all time favorite song from Disney movies growing up as a kid, I’m just so upset that they didn’t use this song in the live adaptation or most of the story line.

@purplebutterflyprincess1852

4y↑2

This song almost made up for Pink Elephants on Parade for me. This song is so cool and its impossible to not dance along.

@queenesther09

12w↑1

The crows were always the characters I enjoyed most, along with Dumbo and Timothy. Their wisecracking happy-go-lucky personas and their jazzy song were a true enjoyment, and their speech mannerisms might be stereotypical but in my opinion certainly not in an offensive way. The way it was done here, I always felt it added to their charm. And let's not forget they were the ones who knew the trick to making Dumbo fly and were perfectly happy to help rather than make fun of him.

@user-vi3cx5rd3p

11w

This video is absolutely awesome! The crois are my favourite characters! I really love their talk! They are so funny!

@jamesjerk5538

4y↑4

Being that I'm black, i found these characters hilarious and I wished they were included in the remake.

@BleachFan9891

8y↑11

I personally don't see any racism here, just a fun song.

@outerspacefan

8y↑1

Me too I see this as a fun song

@TigsDenStudio

10y

Cliff Edwards and the Hall Johnson Choir harmonize so well on this song! It's a truly beautiful song full of double-entendres and you can picture them all around a mic giggling and having fun with it. They are real cool cats. B)

@ThisCatIsBored

When I was little I watched this movie on repeat more times than I can count, and this and the scene where dumbo's mother sings to him from the cage are still my favorites

@ProfessorChocolateCake

5y↑2

1:32 The way the middle one dances always makes me laugh.

@EditorOfSL

6y↑3

Timothy tells the crows off for laughing at Dumbo, but I think really they’re laughing at Timothy for saying an elephant can fly.

@revjlbsrrevjlbsr745

Thanks for sharing! Looking at the comments, some people can turn joy into sadness, I've still got my Joy

@doodlemoth

19w↑2

My favorite song in the entire movie

@cillyhoney1892

23w↑4

These birds are not crows. They are yellow-billed magpies. They are based on Heckle and Jeckle.

@everdash

14w↑3

It’s funny how no one was offended by this… until we were told to be.

@teddyfurstman1997

These crows are Awesome and they do help Dumbo Learn to Fly. This Movie's a classic. So Hype for DIsney+ coming.

@katagirl3000

12y

I love those freaking crows. Thanks for the awesome quality

@dgreeky

6y↑1

My favorite scene <3

@Eli_Santin

Beautiful animation by Ward Kimball. He really gave the crows a happy and friendly vibe with their bouncy motion and smooth movements.

@kicksex

8y↑5

Idk, I saw this a million times when I was a kid and I just thought they were funny characters who could sing well.

@jessicaburnett7950

This was one of my favorite Dumbo songs.

@vintagesixties

5y↑1

2019 and still love these crows

@hawkduelist2995

This song is so catchy! I had it stuck in my head at my school today so I had to come listen to this xD

@indym375

5y↑1

This is a metaphor for me today lol!!! 👌😉

@LeahHannahSpeaks

This is simply one of my favorite scenes.

@johnyzero2000

6y↑1

These crows are the coolest!!!!

@soolly357

This was by far my favort part of the movie. It's the climax that made dumbo bealive in him self

@Nebuchadnezzar31

7y↑844

So unrealistic. How could a crow smoke a cigar?

@petitbun2132

7y↑34

Edgar Allan Poe i love your work 😍

@alexwhitlock5741

7y↑43

Cartoons and animated movies don't have to be realistic.

@DanielChannel57

6y↑53

I don't know. How could an elephant fly?

@mushroomhead3619

6y↑48

How can a raven say never more?

@GrahamChapman

6y↑1

+Mushroom Head Ooh! Ooh! I know the answer to this one! Like this: https://youtu.be/rIX_6TBeph0

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@arbytv5139

5y↑55

@hashaborgonja

5y↑2

Horse fly: Pegasus from Hercules

@kimovoorbraak

5y↑2

@@hashaborgonja dragon fly (mulan)

@b0ssfight.storage127

I think he is referring to insects

@Dani_marie_

I.cant.stop.replaying. I love old style music for some reason....

@boba-pool3145

5y↑6

When you find out the crows won't be in the 2019 Dumbo 2:55

@patrickacosta7031

7y↑44

I don't see anything racist about this scene. All I hear is one of my most favorite classic disney songs.

@roosterbooster2353

5y↑4

Patrick Acosta I would agree but one of the crows names was Jim Crow

@johnadams5259

5y↑2

The Crows are an accurate depiction of Black American Men in 1941 and still in 2019, that's called talking Jive and then they play a game called The Dozens. The people calling this hateful or insensitive are intellectuals who have never lived among the working class. Where do you think Rap Music originated from? It originated with Jivin'.

@lookhowshegobbledthat

5y↑1

Patrick Acosta The racist part is naming a character Jim Crow in a movie that was released when Jim Crow segregation laws were still in effect. The racist part is getting a black choir to sing backup for the Jim Crow character, voiced by a white man imitating black folk... and still having them use segregated public facilities and transportation, because hey, segregation laws were still in effect.

@johnadams5259

4y↑1

@@lookhowshegobbledthat Segregation was a LOCAL not a FEDERAL issue. It had no bearing on the country as a whole which DID NOT have Segregation Laws. Jim Crow was the name of a Minstrel Character played by Thomas Daddy Rice from 1828-1860 when he died. Those laws were NOT called Jim Crow officially in fact you cannot get me one law book which will be entitled Jim Crow. That was a nickname given to the laws by the Judaic Pro-Bolshevik Media in the 1940's. Remember all of these people complaining abt Racism are all Jwish Communists, even Leonard Patterson, a blk man from North Carolina who joined the Communist Party in the 1920's went to the Soviet Union and left when he realized it was a scam, said that all of the uproar about Jim Crow was largely manufactured by Communist Operatives. The goal wasn't to uplift Blacks, but to make them even more illiterate and increase degeneracy. The goal has worked, The literacy level for working class Blks is LOWER today than it was in 1940. Progress, gotta love it. #Commies

@vVlisterfiend

@@johnadams5259 based and jwoke

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@HarryThomasPictures

5y↑68

Who agrees the original 1941 Dumbo is awesome and the 2019 remake sucks?

@robertwatsonsr.3744

5y↑2

Correct

@ValentineBaby21490

5y↑3

100%

@gregsmith1548

5y↑2

Most people

@Sf-qu3he

Truer words never been written.

@ILikeMyPrivacytbt

Hear, hear

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@kelz2.0

16w↑2

I just noticed at the 1:55 mark they changed the color of Jim's outfit

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