"Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee" is a song from the 1940 animated film Pinocchio, notable as being the first Disney Villain song ever in the Disney Animated Canon. It is performed by Honest John as he and Gideon take Pinocchio to Stromboli's Caravan, telling the wooden boy that he will be a star there. The tune is used throughout the film to represent temptation despite sounding cheery; Honest John again sings it when taking Pinocchio to the Coachman ("It's Pleasure Isle for me!") An instrumental portion is heard when Pinocchio and a group of boys are taken to Pleasure Island , and the tune is heard being played on calliope while the boys enjoy themselves. Lampwick also whistles it to himself as he plays pool.
In the Walt Disney Presents episode "A Salute to Father", Goofy is first heard singing a version of this song, but with revised lyrics about the joys of bachelorhood. Later in the same episode, as a miserable Goofy, having lost his money in a poker game, sits on a park bench on a cold autumn day, the episode narrator (John Dehner) sings a more depressed version of this song to show how bachelorhood is not all it is cracked up to be and advises Goofy to settle down and get married.
The song was also featured in Episode 301 of The Muppet Show and later reused in Episode 305, sung by Fozzie Bear and Rowlf the Dog. The same version was sung by Mickey Mouse and Goofy with Donald Duck interjecting in the 1989-1990 Disneyland show One Man's Dream. Also, at the beginning of the DuckTales episode "Spies in Their Eyes", Donald is heard singing the song, with the "actor's life for me" line changed to "sailor's life".
The song was included on the Disney Sing Along Songs VHS Heigh-Ho.
Lyrics[]
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Day. An actor's life is gay!
It's great to be a celebrity
An actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee, an actor's life for me!
A waxed moustache and a beaver coat
A pony cart and a billy goat
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum, an actor's life is fun!
You wear your hair in a pompadour!
You ride around in a coach with four!
You stop and buy out a candy store!
An actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
With clothes that come from the finest shop
And lots of peanuts and soda pop…*
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Day. An actor's life is gay!
It's great to be a celebrity, an actor's life for me!
*Indicates the major interruption by Jiminy Cricket within the sequence.
Hi-diddle-dee-dee, it's Pleasure Isle for me
Where ev'ry day is a holiday, and kids have nothing to do but play
Hi-diddle-dee-doo, if what I hear is true
At noon each day, there's a big parade
The river's flowing with lemonade
A land of pudding and marmalade
It's Pleasure Isle for me!
The grass is always greener in the other fellow's yard
No matter what your life may be, you'll think your life is hard
If we could pick and choose, and nature wasn't a factor
Here's a bit of news, I'd pick the life of an actor
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo, you sleep 'til after two
You promenade with a big cigar
You tour the world in a private car
You dine on chicken and caviar
An actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Day. An actor's life is gay!
It's great to be a celebrity
An actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum, an actor's life is fun!
With clothes that come from the finest shop
And lots of peanuts and soda pop
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
It's great to be a celebrity, an actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo, you sleep 'til after two
It's great to be a celebrity, an actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum, an actor's life is fun!
With clothes that come from the finest shop
And lots of peanuts and soda pop
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
It's great to be a celebrity, an actor's life for me!
The grass is always greener in the other fellow's yard
No matter what your life may be, you'll think your life is hard
If I could pick and choose, and nature wasn't a factor
Here's a bit of news, I'd pick the life of an actor
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo, you sleep 'til after two
You promenade with a big cigar
You tour the world in a private car
You dine on chicken and caviar
An actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor is the king!
An actor could never earn his bread
if he was born with a wooden head
Guess I'll have to be instead
a puppet on a string
Oh, c'mon now, my puppet friend
That isn't the way your life will end
The theater calls, my son
Calling me? Yes, yes, go on
I see your name in lights
I hear wild applause for you,
You're a sensation overnight
The stage is set, there's your cue!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
With clothes that come from the finest shop,
And lots of peanuts and soda pop
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum, an actor's life is fun!
You wear your hair in a pompadour!
You ride around in a coach with four!
I'll stop and buy out a candy store!
An actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee
Tra-laa-laa-laa, tra-laa-laa-lee
Tra-laa-laa, tra-laa-laa
Tra-laa-laa, tra-laa-laa
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo
Tra-laa-laa-laa, tra-laa-laa-loo
Tra-laa-laa, tra-laa-laa
Tra-laa-laa, tra-laa-laa
Tra-laa-laa-laa-laa-laa-laa
An actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee, an actor's life for me!
A high silk hat and a silver cane, a watch of gold with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo, you sleep 'til after two
It's great to be a celebrity, an actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum, an actor's life is fun
With clothes that come from the finest shop, and lots of peanuts and soda pop
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo, you sleep 'til after two
It's great to be a celebrity, an actor's life for me!
Goofy: Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. A bachelor's life for me!
The life I live is just a breeze
I do exactly as I please
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. A bachelor's life for me, a-hyuck!
Narrator: Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum. A bachelor's life is glum, isn't it?
You better start to change your life
And find yourself a darling wife
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dope. For a bachelor, there is hope.
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. You need a family.
Best settle down and be someone
Together, this is lots more fun
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo. A wife and kids for you!
Fozzie: Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo, you sleep 'til after two
You promenade with a big cigar
You tour the world in a private car
You dine on chicken and caviar
An actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo, you sleep 'til after two
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo, you sleep 'til after two
You promenade with a big cigar
You tour the world in a private car
You dine on chicken and caviar
An actor's life for me!
Fozzie and Rowlf: An actor's life for me!
Pinocchio: Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
Chorus: A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo, you sleep 'til after two
Pinocchio: Dee-Dum-Dee-Dum, Dee-Dum-Dee-Dee
Chorus/Pinocchio: An actor's life for me!
[Instrumental]
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee, an actor's life for me!
A waxed moustache and a beaver coat
A pony cart and a billy goat
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum, an actor's life is fun!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Doo, you sleep 'til after two
You promenade with a big cigar
You tour the world in a private car
You dine on chicken and caviar
An actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee, an actor's life for me!
A waxed moustache and a beaver coat
A pony cart and a billy goat
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum, an actor's life is fun!
You wear your hair in a pompadour!
You ride around in a coach in four!
You stop and buy out a candy store!
An actor's life for me!
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
With clothes that come from the finest shop
And lots of peanuts and soda pop
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Day. An actor's life is gay!
It's great to be a celebrity, an actor's life for me!
(hums)
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee. An actor's life for me!
A high silk hat, and a silver cane
A watch of gold, with a diamond chain
Hi-Diddle-Dee-Day. An actor's life is gay!
It's great to be a celebrity
An actor's life for me!
Video[]
Trivia[]
- The version from Pinocchio's Daring Journey is featured in Disney Sing Along Songs: Heigh-Ho.
- Donald's version in "Spies in Their Eyes" could be meant as an antithetical version to Pinocchio and Honest John's ideas of a life of luxury and ease, as Donald's sailor job, like many in the Navy, was full of long hours, hard work, cramped quarters, and little time for rest and relaxation.
- Despite being a villain song, the song is also used as a ship horn for some Disney Cruise ships.
- The lyrics change in sheet music versions and onward, where the phrase “An actor’s life is gay” is replaced by “You sleep 'til after two”. This is likely due to the evolving definition of the word “gay”; at the time of the film's production, the word described feelings of carefree joyfulness, but it is now primarily used as a term for homosexuality. Strangely though, the 2022 version of this song leaves this line unchanged.
- The song's melody may have been the inspiration for Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me), the theme song for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
