Felix The Cat Kept On Walking
An editor has nominated this article for deletion. You are welcome to participate in the deletion discussion, which will decide whether or not to retain it. |
"Felix Kept On Walking" is a 1923 English comic novelty song.[1] The song was written by Hubert W. David (music) and Ed E. Bryant (lyrics),[1] and describes Felix the Cat having various fantastical escapades (being swallowed by a whale, skinned alive by cannibals, and so forth).[citation needed] Most verses start with "Felix kept on walking, kept on walking still" and are intended to show Felix's ability and determination to conquer these various obstacles and keep on going.[2]
| "Felix Kept On Walking" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Song by Clarkson Rose | |
| Released | 1923 |
| Label | Lawrence Wright Music Company |
| Songwriter(s) | Hubert W. David, Ed E. Bryant |
| Audio song | |
The sheet music cover art, pictured at right, has Felix walking in front of a castle; the sheet music being published by Lawrence Wright in London,[2] and the song by Worton David.[a][4]
History
[edit]Following on from the song's success in the United Kingdom, Bryant and David wrote another Felix song titled "Here He Is Again! (Being More Adventures Of Felix)" in 1924[1], also published by Worton David in London[4] and relating the cat's further adventures,[2] the same year in which Harry Tilsley released "Fido Followed Felix" in the United Kingdom,[1] published in London by Cecil Lennox and giving Felix a companion dog that followed him on his globetrotting adventures.[1]
A contemporary report in Film Daily stated:
In London today Felix is the recipient of an honor in that the most popular song of the day is entitled "Felix Kept on Walking" and it is being sung by many music hall performers. There are Felix handkerchiefs, Felix toys, Felix chinaware and an actor in vaudeville is made up to resemble Felix and struts in the same manner as Felix's peculiar walk.
"Felix keeps on walking" was briefly a minor catchphrase of the 1920s. According to Eric Partridge (citing the Collins Idiom Dictionary), this was inspired by Felix's iconic pacing in circles, head down, hand behind his back, when pondering some situation, as seen in his cartoons (and on the cover of the song's sheet music). Partridge gives the date as "the 1920s", not indicating whether the idiom preceded and inspired the title of this song, or was coined by David and Bryant.[7]
Footnotes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Cook 2013, p. 229.
- ^ a b c Wlaschin 2009, p. 159.
- ^ Baker 2014, p. 316.
- ^ a b Cook 2013, p. 238.
- ^ Canemaker 1996, p. 85.
- ^ McGowan 2019, pp. 47, 286.
- ^ Partridge, Eric (1992). A Dictionary of Catch Phrases. Routledge. p. 315. ISBN 978-0812885361. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
Bibliography
[edit]- Cook, Malcolm (2013). "Animating the Audience: Singalong Films in Britain in the 1920s". In Brown, Julie; Davison, Annette (eds.). The Sounds of the Silents in Britain. OUP USA. ISBN 9780199797615.
- Wlaschin, Ken (2009). "Felix The Cat". The Silent Cinema in Song, 1896–1929: An Illustrated History and Catalog of Songs Inspired by the Movies and Stars, with a List of Recordings. McFarland. ISBN 9780786438044.
- Baker, Richard Anthony (2014). British Music Hall: An Illustrated History. Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781473837409.
- McGowan, David (2019). "Silent Animation and the Development of the Star System". Animated Personalities: Cartoon Characters and Stardom in American Theatrical Shorts. University of Texas Press. ISBN 9781477317440.
- Canemaker, John (1996). Felix. Da Capo Press. ISBN 9780306807312.