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full title – I Love to Singa

director – Fred Avery

producer – Leon  Schlesinger

released –  July 18, 1936

series  – Merrie Melodies

animation – Charles Jones, Virgil Ross, Bob Clampett (uncredited)

music – Norman Spencer

voiced by – Tommy Bond, Johnnie Davis, Billy Bletcher, Martha Wentworth, Joe Dougherty, Bernice Hanser

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Plot Description

“I Love to Singa,” a short animation directed by Fred Avery, is an 9-minute-long cartoon produced by Leon Schlesinger in 1936. It belonged to the Merrie Melodies series, which at the time was used solely as a tool of promotion for cinematographic productions with the use of their main theme soundtracks. I Love to Singa was no exception. Being based on a song of the same title, the animated short’s main role was to draw audience’s attention toward the Warner Bros. feature-length movie, released in the same year, The Singing Kid. It was also one of the earliest Merrie Melodies animations produced in Technicolor’s 3-strip process.

The plot revolves around the story of a traditional Owl family, of German descent, and their youngest hatchling - jokingly named, as a tribute to the great entertainer - Al Jolson, Owl Jolson. The opening sequence begins with a father, Professor Fritz Owl, awaiting for his little birdies to finally hatch. As soon as they do, he notices that the last one has a certain, disturbing “defect.” Instead of following family’s tradition of becoming classical musician, he is a naturally-born jazz singer.

The differences in musical preferences eventually lead to a serious clash between father and son, as a result of which, little Owl Jolson is literally “kicked out” from home.

Having no alternatives, he eventually  stumbles upon a radio amateur contest, hosted by Jack Bunny, and decides to try his luck. After a series of grotesquely bad performances by other participants, little owl starts to sing the titular song - “I Love to Singa,” which immediately gains host’s attention and wins him the first prize.

In the end, after being found by his family in the studio, the act of a joyful jazz dance becomes the ending sequence of the whole animation.

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Methodology

    In the book entitled Show Sold Separately - Promos, Spoilers, and Other Media Paratexts, Jonathan Gray gives a detailed analysis of what he calls a Theory of Paratext. In the first chapter of his work - From Spoilers to Spinoffs, he provides us with a definition of what the paratext is. According to the author, it should be regarded as a medium that fills the space between the so-called “Big Three - Text, Audience, and Industry, negotiating and determining "their interactions. *1

    Aside from defining the term, Gray provides the reader with a specific approach, a set of actions needed to be taken, in order to fully comprehend its nature and significance to media.

    First of all, determining paratext's relationship to textuality and defining its status in reference to the original text is considered essential. Only after construing its position within the "Big Three," it would be possible to analyze the way it influences a meaning-making process, how and to what extent it modifies text and finally how the reader arrives at it. * 2 

    In other words, to fully comprehend what paratext is and what significance it holds, it is fundamental to understand how the meanings of image or text are not isolated from other medias, but very often resonate with their meanings. Therefore, paratextual study enables reader to see the ways in which text shapes meanings in popular culture and society in general.

*1 Jonathan Gray, "From Spoilers to Spinoffs - A Theory of Paratext." in Show Sold Separately. Promos, Spoilers, and Other Media Paratexts.( New York University Press). pp. 23

*2 Ibid.

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Analysis

I Love to Singa is a promotional short animation, created to advertise Warner Bros. earlier full- length film, The Singing Kid (1936), and especially its main music piece, performed by a renowned artist and entertainer of the time - Al Jolson.

Although the title of the animation directly alludes to The Singing Kid, upon watching the whole short, one can conclude that the imaginary used provides the viewer with direct and indirect references to other media, modifying  textuality of the paratext in the process .

However, it functioned not only as an ad, but, more visibly, it could also be considered as an animated tribute to the actor himself.

The intertextual character of the cartoon is evident, as the images and dialogues employed could be referred to at least two other texts, which in turn would provide a contextualization of the meanings formed in the animation. To understand the nature of the intertextuality at play, let us analyze how it influences and shapes distinct meanings of the paratext. First obvious reference, strongly implicating or even reflecting the intended function of the animation is its title - I Love to Singa. It leads audience to "speculative consumption", as Jonathan Gray terms it. In other words, it shapes how we enter the text and imply what should be expected out of it.*1 For both of the audiovisual texts, it suggests the great importance the music would prove to have in both of the plots. Therefore, it functions as a sort of introductory note.  

This is further hinted at the very first seconds of the animation. Although at first seemingly irrelevant, the presented sign "Prof. Fritz Owl. Teacher of "voice, piano & violin BUT NO JAZZ," indicates a future conflict of the musical origin. However, it also functions as an indirect reference.

What it refers to becomes apparent when the young owls are born. While three of the birds almost immediately show their predisposition toward classical music, which greatly pleases Fritz Owl, the last one turns out to be a naturally-born jazz singer. The reaction of the horrified parents serve as a direct reference to Alan Crosland's movie, The Jazz Singer. Furthermore, father's "STOP!" could have two possible meanings. First, a direct one, would signify father's disapproval of jazz.  While the second one would be influenced and shaped by the reference to the full-feature film. Just like for the cinematographic production, "STOP" meant the technical change and signaled the end of the silent cinema and, considering the historical context of the cartoon, it would signify the shift to the 3-strip Technicolor.*2

Although, such detailed links normally would not be noticed, The Jazz Singer would be considered as an exception. Being the first "talkie," it was intensely advertized, reviewed, and constantly screened for the long time. Therefore, it could be regarded as an iconic film of the 1920s-30s. As Michael Iampolski wrote, " only the viewer or reader can unite the text, using his [sic] cultural memory to make it one." *3

Another visual resemblance to Alan Crosland's production is the row between father and son, which eventually leads to little owl being thrown out of his home. However, unlike the original, it does not imply the religious conflict.

Eventually, the little bird stumbles across the Radio Station G-O-N-G, which holds a talent contest. Finally, the audience learn his name - Owl Jolson, which could not be a more direct reference to the actor. From this point on, it becomes a link for people who did not watch the movie, but surely know the person.  

In conclusion, I Love to Singa, as a paratext, through its intertextuality, functioned as a great promotional material. Interestingly, it did not only advertise The Singing Kid by using little Owl Jolson's love of jazz and title of the animation as a main theme, but also by its constant visible references to Al Jolson's cinematographic success, The Jazz Singer. The reason behind such strategy was the fact that the entertainer played one of the main roles in the 1936 film.  Moreover, surprisingly, through its use of aesthetics, lack of blackface, and numerous correlations to The Jazz Singer, it could be possible that the cartoon also promoted that production. As it completely removed its racial aspect implied by blackface, the animation shifted its emphasis to the family conflict between father and son who wished to realize his American Dream as a main axis of the plot.Therefore, as a paratext, the short animation let an audience anticipate and desire something heartfelt. Just like the joyful family dance at the very end. 

*1 Jonathan Gray, "From Spoilers to Spinoffs - A Theory of Paratext." in Show Sold Separately. Promos, Spoilers, and Other Media Paratexts. (New York University Press.) 24.

*2 Michael Rogin,"White Noise: The Jewish Jazz Singer Finds His Voice." Critical Inquiry, Vol. 18, No. 3 (Spring, 1992),  pp. 417-453. The University of Chicago Press. Accessed April 30, 2016. http://www.jstor.org.jstor.han.buw.uw.edu.pl/stable/pdf/1343811.pdf , 422.

*3 Gray, 32.

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Bibliography

Ashe Brandie, "The Screwy Genius of Tex Avery: I Love to Singa (1936)" True Classics. September 24, 2013. Accessed on March 7, 2017. https://trueclassics.net/2013/09/24/the-screwy-genius-of-tex-avery-i-love-to-singa-1936/

Gray, Jonathan. "From Spoilers to Spinoffs - A Theory of Paratext." in Show Sold Separately. Promos, Spoilers, and Other Media Paratexts. New York University Press. pp. 23-46.

I Love to Singa. Directed by Fred Avery. Leon Schlesinger Productions 1936. Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation. Daniel Gropp. Vimeo. Accessed March 7, 2017. https://vimeo.com/66132250

Musser Charles. "Why did Negros love Al Jolson and The Jazz Singer? : Melodrama, Blackface, and Cosmopolitan Culture." A Film History : An International Journal, Vol. 23, No 2 (2011), pp. 196-222. Indiana University Press, 2011. Accessed on July 12, 2016. http://muse.jhu.edu.muse.han.buw.uw.edu.pl/article/449869

Rogin, Michael. "White Noise: The Jewish Jazz Singer Finds His Voice." Critical Inquiry, Vol. 18, No. 3 (Spring, 1992),  pp. 417-453. The University of Chicago Press. Accessed April 30, 2016. http://www.jstor.org.jstor.han.buw.uw.edu.pl/stable/pdf/1343811.pdf