It’s July 10th and that means that it’s also a day to observe the cultural customs of Ursus Theodorus. (In other words, it’s Teddy Bear Picnic Day.)
You probably remember that upbeat little ditty: not only was it merrily cranked out by countless music boxes and toddler toys, it was also featured as background music in a number of Looney Tunes Cartoons. The song was originally called “Teddy Bear Two Step” and was first recorded in 1908 as a purely instrumental tune. Lyrics were added in 1932, and an updated version was produced by Henry Hall and his orchestra. Later versions of the song were also recorded by Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Anne Murray and Jerry Garcia. Perhaps most interestingly, the clarity and tonal range of the 1932 recorded version were so exceptional that BBC engineers used the tune for over 30 years to test and calibrate the frequency of audio equipment.
You’ve got the history of the day, now prepare yourself! You’ll find picnic tables, lawn furniture and other picnic accoutrements in Lawn & Patio. And if you’re short a teddy bear (or two), we’ve got ’em in Toys.