The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)

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"The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)" is a 1968 pop song, which was the theme song for the children's television program The Banana Splits Adventure Hour.[1] Originally released by Decca Records on the album titled We're the Banana Splits, the single release peaked at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 8, 1969.[2] The writing of the song is credited to Mark Barkan and Ritchie Adams, who were the show's music directors. However, there are claims that the theme was written by jingle writer N. B. Winkless Jr. of the Leo Burnett Agency, but was credited to Adams and Barkan for contractual reasons.[3] The song is based on the melody of "Shortnin' Bread".

In 1995, Hollywood Library released the 1,000-copy limited-edition CD reissue We're the Banana Splits/Here Come the Beagles which, in addition to the original album version, includes an alternate version on the song.[4]

Cover versions[]

American punk rock band The Dickies made the song a hit in the United Kingdom in 1979 with their cover version, marketed by A&M Records as "Banana Splits (Tra La La Song)". The record reached #7 in the UK Singles Chart.[5] This cover version was later used in the 2010 film Kick-Ass.[6]

A lower-pitched, darker, more nightmarish version of The Banana Splits theme song was used in the trailer for "Avengers: Infinity War".

Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy made a cover of the "Tra La La" Song featured in the end credits of The Banana Splits Movie.

Liz Phair with Material Issue covered the song for the 1995 tribute album Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits.[7]

The song is heard briefly in The Boss Baby when the parents see the babies having their meeting which they then had to revert to acting like babies.

References[]

  1. ^ CD liner notes: Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits, 1995 MCA Records
  2. ^ The Billboard Hot 100 Chart Listing for Week Ending February 8, 1969, Billboard.com
  3. ^ "The advertising man behind "Snap, Crackle, Pop" wrote "The Tra La La Song", MeTV, June 6, 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2017
  4. ^ Discography - The Banana Splits & the Beagles - We're the Banana Splits/Here Come the Beagles, Billboard.com
  5. ^ Guinness Book of British Hit Singles, 7th Edition
  6. ^ "Soundtracks: Kick Ass (2010)," Internet Movie Data Base, www.imdb.com/
  7. ^ LaVeck, Theresa E. "Various Artists Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits". AllMusic. AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
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