Stop, Look and Listen! / I'm No Fool! — Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards Lyrics
Soundtrack: Classic Disney
Stop, Look and Listen! / I'm No Fool! Song Lyrics
Stop, look and listen
And always use your head
Look at the signal
Is it green or red
First, you stop, then you look
Then you listen hard
You can make just any street
As safe as your backyard
Stop, look and listen
Your eyes will tell your feet
When you can safely
Walk across the street
First, you stop, then you look
Then you listen hard
You can make just any street
As safe as your backyard
Stop, look and listen!
(spoken) "That's very good advice, huh, and I always follow it because..."
I'm no fool! No sirree!
I want to live to be seventy-three
I play safe for you and me 'cause
I'm no fool!
Any fool play's in the street
As though it were a field
A bumper throws him for a loss
Against the car's windshield
Oh, I'm no fool! No sirree!
I want to live to be eighty-three
I play safe for you and me 'cause
I'm no fool!
Any fool gets out of cars
The wrong side only once
And if he lives to tell the tale
He's crowned a stupid dunce
Oh, I'm no fool! No sirree!
I want to live to be ninety-three
I play safe for you and me 'cause
I'm no fool!
Stop, look and listen
And always use your head
Look at the signal
Is it green or red
First, you stop, then you look
Then you listen hard
You can make just any street
As safe as your backyard
Stop, look and listen
Your eyes will tell your feet
When you can safely
Walk across the street
First, you stop, then you look
Then you listen hard
You can make just any street
As safe as your backyard
Stop, look and listen!
Track Listing
Brad Kane and Lea Salonga
Elton John
Angela Lansbury
Samuel E. Wright
Elton John
Samuel E. Wright
Elton John
The Little Mermaid
Julie Andrews
Dick Van Dyke
Julie Andrews
Hayley Mills
The Beach Boys & Annette Funicello
Burl Ives
Paul Frees
J. Pat O'Malley
Kirk Douglas
Jud Conlon Chorus
Jimmy MacDonald
Ilene Woods
James Baskett
Tchaikovsky
Donald Novis
Adriana Caselotti
Mickey Mouse
Jerry Orbach and Angela Lansbury
Elton John
Jodi Benson
Brad Kane
Richard White
Paige O'Hara and Robby Benson
Julie Andrews
Al Kasha
Baroque Hoedown
Angela Lansbury
Phil Harris and Bruce Reitherman
Julie Andrews
Pearl Bailey
David Tomlinson
The Mellomen
The Mellomen
Mickey Mouse
Burl Ives
The Mellomen
James Baskett and Nick Stewart
Verna Felton
Ilene Woods
Cliff Edwards
The Seven Dwarfs
Pinto Colvig
Judy Kuhn
Randy Newman
Jeremy Irons
Tony Jay and Tom Hulce
Jeff Bennett
René Auberjonois
David Ogden Stiers
Danny Elfman
Paul Terry
The Mellomen
Richard White
Angela Lansbury
Julie Andrews
Louis Prima and Phil Harris
Roger Miller
John Davidson, Lesley Ann Warren
Mary Costa and Bill Shirley
George Givot
John Darling
Sterling Holloway
Bill Hayes
Paul Frees
The Sportsmen
Disney Studio Chorus
Otis Harlan, Billy Gilbert, Pinto Colvig, Roy Atwell, and Scotty Mattraw
Danny DeVito
Charles Kimbrough
Bill Farmer
Judy Kuhn
Susan Egan
Disneyland
Ken Page
Randy Newman
Angela Lansbury
Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards
Nancy Adams
Phil Harris
J. Pat O'Malley
The Disney Chorus
Deborah Walley
Buddy Ebsen and Lesley Ann Warren
Peggy Lee
Maurice Chevalier
Paul Frees
Cliff Edwards
Eleanor Audley
Mary Costa
Larry Morey
Betty Noyes
Adriana Caselotti
Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards, with his unique voice and ukulele playing, conntributed significantly to the classic Disney soundtrack, enriching the animation era with memorable songs. "Stop, Look and Listen!" and "I'm No Fool!" serve as educational tunes, teaching children about safety in an engaging way. These songs, encapsulating vital life lessons with catchy melodies, emerged from the mid-20th century, a period when animated shorts played a pivotal role in both entertainment and education.
Main Message and Theme.
The songs blend catchy tunes with essential safety messages, emnphasizing the importance of vigilance in everyday situations. By personifying the listener as someone who wishes to avoid the fate of being "no fool," Edwards cleverly inculcates a sense of responsibility and caution. The repetition of "stop, look, and listen" serves as a mnemonic device, reinforcing the safety protocol of crossing streets. This approach not only makes the song memorable but also instills a lifelong habit of caution and awareness in its young audience.
Meaning and Summary.
At their core, "Stop, Look and Listen!" and "I'm No Fool!" carry straightforward yet profound messages: the significance of being cautious and using one’s judgment to navigate potentially dangerous situations. Through the lyrics, Edwards imparts wisdom on street safety, using the metaphor of the street as a backyard—a familiar and safe space—to encourage children to extend their safety practices beyond their immediate surroundings. The progression of wanting to live to 73, then 83, and finally 93, humorously yet effectively communicates the desire for a long, safe life, underlining the songs' underlying message of self-preservation and caution.
Analysis.
Edwards' songs are not just didactic but also deeply embedded with the values of their time, reflecting a societal emphasis on safety and personal responsibility. The cheerful melody juxtaposed with the serious subject matter creates a contrast that captures the attention of both children and adults, making the safety lessons more memorable. The use of a conversational tone, especially in "I'm No Fool!" where Edwards speaks directly to the listener, establishes a connection, making the advice feel personal and sincere. This technique enhances the educational value of the song, ensuring its messages are both heard and heeded.
Cultural Significance.
In the broader context of Disney's educational shorts, these songs represent an era where animation played a crucial role in teaching and shaping the minds of the young. The inclusion of such songs in the "Classic Disney" soundtrack underlines their enduring appeal and the timeless nature of their messages. Edwards' legacy, through these tunes, continues to echo the importance of caution and wisdom in daily life, ensuring his contributions remain relevant and cherished by generations.
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