Just watched this, another of Max Fleischer's Screen Song cartoon/live-action shorts, on YouTube. The featured singers this time that tell us to "follow the bouncing ball" are The Boswell Sisters one of whom, Connee, I reviewed as a solo act in Swing Parade of 1946 back in February. The animation here concerns a group of animal firefighters trying to put out a burning house. I should note here that like many cartoons made in the '30s especially those of Fleischer, many inanimate objects have faces and talk and move. Here fires move back in the house after that house jumps and three individual flames (meant to represent the sisters) also sing and carry umbrellas after the cat firefighter tries to douse them out! The title song has lyrics with words like "darkies" and "mammy" that would be considered unacceptable in today's politically correct times but was fine during this short's time. I don't let that bother me and it shouldn't bother you either. Just sit back and enjoy as you're taken back to when the local bijou showed more than just some trailers and a feature...
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