"Chicken Reel" is a dance tune. It was composed and published in 1910 by Joseph M. (Michael) Daly (1883–1968), with copyright registered on October 7.. Joseph Mittenthal added lyrics three months later, and the texted version was copyrighted on January 12, 1911. It has long since entered the public domain.
Along with "Turkey in the Straw," "Chicken Reel" is one of the best-known poultry-related folk tunes. It is frequently found in early animated cartoons as a catchy tune used to represent farmyard activity, or a gathering of fowl. Originally composed as a novelty song, it has since passed into modern folk tradition. Today, the tune is usually played without the words, which were usually sung minstrel show style in stereotyped African-American vernacular.
Chicken Reel was made popular again years later by Les Paul who recorded the song as a catchy instrumental, whimsically mimicking chicken sounds on his guitar.
"Chicken Reel" was arranged for symphony orchestra by Leroy Anderson; his arrangement was recorded by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1962. It also inspired Jean Wiener's Histoires sans paroles.
Lyrics The lyrics as written by Mittenthal:Mittenthal, "Chicken Reel" (Sheet music), 1911.
Popular culture "Chicken Reel" usually introduces the chicken yard scene in many Foghorn Leghorn cartoons.
It is used as the theme song to the recurring minigame Astro Chicken in the Space Quest series of graphic adventure games, starting with Space Quest III.
A spirited arrangement of "Chicken Reel" for fiddle and Jew's harp is featured in A Christmas Story when the Bumpus family's bloodhounds swarm Ralphie's father as he arrives home from work.
References
Daly, Joseph M. (m.). "Chicken Reel" (Sheet music). Boston: Daly Music Publisher (1910). Mittenthal, Joseph (w.); Daly, Joseph M. (m.). "Chicken Reel" (Sheet music). Boston: Daly Music Publisher (1911).
External links "Chicken Reel", Edward Meeker (Edison Blue Amberol 2347, 1914)—Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project. Digitized sheet music from the original 1910 Publication.