Soundie - The Hut Sut Song

★★★★★ · Prototype music video? · Paul T Horgan · 2004-08-04

Of the soundies I have accessed on this site this one seems unique in that there is a definite plot. The other soundies are simply recordings of a performance. In this case the King's Men, a singing quartet of some note, drive their fellow lodgers to distraction by sing a catchy nonsense song and get themselves committed as a result. The founder of the group, Ken Darby, went on to be a major musical figure in Hollywood, winning (I believe) 3 Oscars. This is a must for any ephemera aficiondos

★★★★★ · bring back the star wipe!!! · AliceTeeple · 2004-02-22

Very cute soundie with a lunatic theme. I wonder who is providing the backup music in the boarding house? Fantastic use of exotic wipes, including a spade and a star. Interesting note: on the front page of the newspaper, under the SONG BECOMES NATIONAL DISEASE headline, it also says "Stalin linked to US Reds at (Dies) Hearing." Hmmm. Hmmm. Kudos to the fine acting talents of Earmuff Grouch and Ma Mills! Special guest star: Gerardo, in the bath.

★★★ · The Hut Sut Song · GersonK · 2003-12-24

The tune is "The Hut Sut Song (A Swedish Serenade)" by Leo V.Killion, Ted McMichael and Jack Owens. Not sure who fist recorded it, though it's shown up in From Here to Eternity, A Christmas Story, and the Merrie Melody of Horton Hatches the Egg. The song is at once catchy and very annoying. Oddly enough, the film focuses on the song's nuisance factor, as four boarding house residents get themselves committed for constantly singing it. And like all good 1940's padded cell residents, they end up doing headstands, banging their heads on the wall, cutting paper dolls, and of course, imitating…