Song of the Roustabouts (Song)

Last Updated on: February 20th, 2023

Song of the Roustabouts disney song music“Song of the Roustabouts” is a song from the 1941 Disney animated film “Dumbo“. The song is sung by a chorus of male voices and features lyrics that are now considered to be racially insensitive.

In the song, the roustabouts (the laborers who set up and tear down the circus tents) sing about their grueling work and the harsh conditions they endure, including the sweltering heat and the physical toll of their labor. The lyrics use derogatory terms to refer to the roustabouts and contain racial stereotypes that are offensive and outdated.

While the song was a standard feature of the film when it was released, it has since been removed from many modern releases of “Dumbo” due to its offensive content. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need to acknowledge and address problematic elements of classic films, and the decision to remove “Song of the Roustabouts” is part of this larger cultural shift.



Listen to Song of the Roustabouts (Song)



Song of the Roustabouts (Song) Details

  • Song Written By: Frank Churchill and Ned Washington
  • Song Performed By: The King's Men
  • Year Released: 1941

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I am founder and editor of DisneyNews.us. My passion for all things Disney goes pretty far back to my first trip to Walt Disney World in the mid-80's. I have since returned to the magical place more than 20 times. I started this site when I came to the realization that I spent a significant portion of my day reading articles about Disney and watching Disney content with my 8-year old, so it made sense that I would start sharing some of what I read and see and building a little community around it. Other interests include 80's nostalgia, vintage toys, video games, LEGO, Star Wars and tech gadgets. Other sites include DMR and VideoGamesStats.com.