‘Sleepy Time Down South’ Screen Song with original Paramount Titles! (Patreon)

Sleepy Time Down South | 1932 | Screen Songs | The Boswell Sisters | Fleischer Studios Cartoon

Screen Songs are a series of animated cartoons produced at the Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures between 1929 and 1938. Thanks to Historic Films Archive for the 16mm print scan which came from Vet Boswell, one of 'The Boswell Sisters'. A rare print with original Paramount opening and ending titles. Via Fleischer All Stars website: "When It's Sleepy Time Down South was written in 1930 by Clarence Muse, Leon Rene and Otis Rene. The song was introduced that year in the play Under A Virginia Moon. The show had a short run, but the following year the song appeared again in two films - Safe From Harm, where it was sung by Nina Mae McKinney, and Heaven On Earth, where it was performed by Muse himself. Louis Armstrong recorded it over 100 times - early on it became his signature song. When It's Sleepy Time Down South is a song about slavery and "The Great Migration" of blacks from the south to the north. After Louis Armstrong recorded the song his exposure and popularity soared, and at the same time he lost some of his black audience." #fleischerstudios #ScreenSongs #MaxFleischer