The Country Bear Jamboree

The Country Bear Jamboree is an attraction located in Fronteirland.

History

The Country Bear Jamboree opened with the park on October 1, 1971. The plans for the attraction date back to 1966 and Walt Disney himself. In 1966, Walt decided that he would need some sort of attraction for his Disney's Mineral King Ski Resort. He tasked Imageneer Marc Davis with creating a show based on Audio Anamatronic Bears. Davis, and fellow Imageneer Al Bertino came up with many ideas including, marching band bears, mariachi bears, and Dixieland bears. Walt Disney was said to have like Marc Davis' drawings of the bears so much that they made him laugh. The Country Bears would be one of the last attractions that Walt had a direct involvement with.

After Walt's death on December 15, 1966, plans for the bear show carried on. It was decided that the bears would perform at the Bear Band Restaurant Show in the resort and that they would sing with a "country twang". While the Country Bears were still being developed. the plans for Disney's Mineral King Ski Resort were scrapped. Imagineer X Atencio and musical director George Bruns were brought in to write songs for the bears.

When the Country Bear Jamboree opened, it was so popular that another one was built for Disneyland. Starting in 1982, the County Bear Jamboree was given a new show during the holiday season called Country Bear Christmas Special. The show would return annual around Christmastime until 2005. Due to the popularity of the Country Bears, a new show was created in 1986 called the Country Bear Vacation Hoedown. The new show featured the bears in their vacation outfits and featured them singing new songs such as Ghost Riders in the Sky and On The Road Again. Due to attendance struggles the the new show only lasted for six years. In 1992 as part of the Magic Kingdom's 20th anniversary celebrations, the Country Bear Jamboree was reverted back to it's original form.

Show Plot

The Country Bear Jamboree is a "hoedown" style show that features almost constant singing. The show begins with Buff, Melvin and Max (mostly Buff) Telling Henry that its time to start the show.

Pianjo

In the first song the attraction Henry welcomes guests to the Country Bear Jamboree. He then introduces Gomer on the center stage, who plays piano while Henry sings. Henry wears a grey top hat, starched shirt front, and a string tie. Gomer wears a blue color and tie, and always as a honeycomb on his piano.

Song Lyrics

Henry: Give me a little intro there Gomer. (Gomer begins to play "Pianjo" an instrumental song.)

Henry:Howdy folks. Welcome to the one and only original Country Bear Jamboree, featuring a bit of Americana, our musical heritage of the past. But enough of this chit chat, yick yack, and flim flam. Just refrain from hibernating, and we'll all enjoy the show...because we got a lot to give.

(Gomer plays a piano solo)

Melvin:Hey! He's a regular Liberace.

Buck: And he plays, good too.

Bear Band Serenade

Pianjo leads directly into the Bear Band Serenade, in which Henry introduces the 5 Bear Rugs who are on the center stage.The Five Bear Rugs consist of:

• Zeek- The lead singer of the bears, he is a grey bear with glasses who wears a tan top hat. He plays the banjo and dishpan.

• Zed- A brown bear with a light brown stomach. Zed wears a bandanna around his neck and miner's hat. He plays the fiddle.

• Ted-A tall, brown, skinny bear who plays the corn jug and the washboard.

• Fred-The largest of the bears,is a brown bear and wears blue jeans with suspenders and striped red and white tie.

• Tennessee- Tennessee is a brown bear who plays the One-String Thang, which sounds just like a guitar (but only has one string. Tennessee years a red bandanna around his neck.

• Baby Oscar- The smallest of the bears, Baby Oscar never plays an instrument nor does he speak. He is never without his teddy bear.

In the Bear Band Saranade Henry sings, Gomer plays piano, and the Five Bear Rugs play their respective instruments. When Henry introduces an individual bear, a spotlight shines down on them.

Song Lyrics

Henry: The Bear Band bears will play now In the good ol' key of G. Zeek and Zeb and Ted and Fred And a bear named Tennessee.

Zeek's a-twangin' on the banjo And a-tappin' with his feet. While bangin' on a dishpan With a real ol' country beat.

Zeb's a-sawin' on the fiddle With a crooked hickory bow. When the spirit moves that bruin, He can make that fiddle go.

Brother Ted is on the corn jug. Now, I mean that bear can blow. He also plays the washboard With a handle of a hoe.

And big Fred's playin' mouth harp. He plays it kinda sad. He never took a lesson, He just picked it up from Dad.

And li'l ol' Tennessee Bear Is a-featured on the thang. Sounds just like a guitar, But it's only got one string.

So clap your hands and Stomp your feet and Try to keep right with 'em. One sure thing the Bear Band's go Is real ol' country rhythm.

Yeah, clap your hands and Stomp your feet and Try to keep right with 'em. One sure thing the Bear Band's got Is real ol' country rhythm.

Ah ha!

Fractured Folk Song

After the Bear Band Saranade, the curtain closes on the Five Bear Rugs and Gomer. Then, Wendell a golden brown bear emerges on the right-center stage. Wendell wears a blue bandanna around his neck and has a light brown hat. He is also easily recognizable because of his large overbite and buck teeth.

Wendell begins to pick his mandolin before telling Henry (who is not on the right-center stage) to hurry up and play, which Henry does.

Song Lyrics

Henry: Now here's a fractured folk song, butchered by two birds.

Wendell: We wrote these lousy lyrics, and we also wrote the words.

Henry: The chords are very simple. In fact, there's only three. First there's G, then C then D.And then you go on back to G.

Wendell: But you got to be quick!

Henry:' Hahaha.

My Woman Ain't Pretty (But She Don't Swear None)

Following the Fractured Folk Song, Henry introduces Liver Lips McGrowl who is on the far right stage. Liver Lips is a large brown bear who wears brown overalls and a red and white bandanna around his neck. He get's his name from his large lips, and plays the guitar. Liver Lips sings unaccompanied.

Song Lyrics

Liver Lips:

I got a woman, she's got me. Whatever we do, we both agree. She ain't pretty, but I ain't too. The things we like are the things we do.

My woman ain't pretty, but she don't swear none. She's kinda heavy, don't weigh a ton. She's my woman, through and through. I lover her only 'cause my heart is true.

Mamma, Don't Whip Little Buford

When Liver Lips is finished with his song, Wendell and Henry come back on stage to sing another song.

Song Lyrics

Henry and Wendell:

Mama don't whip little Buford. Mama don't pound on his head. Mama don't whip little Buford. I think you should shoot him instead.

Henry:

Bang!

Tears Will Be The Chaser For My Wine

After Mamma, Don't Whip Little Buford Wendell once again leaves the stage. Henry then proceeds to introduce Trixie, a very large brown bear who wears a bow in her hair and a blue tutu on her waist. Trixie plays no instrument, and is holding a blue handkerchief and a glass of wine in her hands.

Gomer is raised back on the center stage to accompany Trixie who is located on the far right stage.

Song Lyrics

Trixie:

Tears will be the chaser for your wine. After you leave this love of mine. Bright lights and taverns, That's where you'll spend your time, and tears will be the chaser for your wine.

Pretty Little Devilish Mary

Following Trixie's song, Henry compliments her on how big her song was. Hearing that Buff, Max, and Melvin inturupt the show (starting with Buff commenting that the song wasn't all that's big). Henry tells them if they're quiet, the bears might dedicated the next song to them (which they do). The Five Bear Rugs then reappear on center stage, with Zeke singing lead.

Song Lyrics

Zeke:

When I was young and in my prime, I thought I never would marry. But I fell in love with a pretty little gal, And sure enough we married.

(Atta-boy, Zeke!)

Ring-a-ding-ding Mary, Prettyiest little gal, I ever did see. Her name was Devilish Mary.

(What a gal!)

Hadn't been married but about two weeks, She got as mean as the devil. And every time I looked cross-eyed, She'd hit me on the head with a "shevil."

(How sad.)

Ring-a-ding-ding Mary, Prettiest little gal, I ever did see. Her name was Devilish Mary.

(What a pity.)

Her name was Devilish Mary.