Sooner or Later - Barbara Cook

Todd, a faithful reader and ex-Disney 'cast member', emailed me a week ago, asking me why I haven't posted any songs from THE DISNEY ALBUM by BARBARA COOK. That's a good question. There are actually a number of albums that I haven't posted anything from as of today. In fact, yesterday's post was the first time I posted something from Mary Martin's album. So let's fix things and post one of the Cook covers today!

Actually, it works out well as today is Obscure Disney Song Friday and there is a fairly obscure Disney song on her album. The song is Sooner or Later from the controversial Song of the South. I bring up the term 'controversial' because that is the very reason why this song has become obscure. Due to the insensitive stereotypes in the picture, Disney has locked this movie away in the faults with no plans on releasing it ever. So to the modern generation, and even the generation before that, the only exposure to Song of the South that they will get is Splash Mountain and the various cover versions of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah by their favourite tween idols.

Well, here is a little bit of Song of the South for you! Sooner or Later was originally sung by Hattie McDaniel in what would end up being one of her last movies. She was the first black woman to win an Oscar because of her role of Mammy in Gone with the Wind. In Song of the South McDaniel plays Aunt Tempy, who sings this song about how Uncle Remus is always after her cooking, and her gooseberry pie especially!

Barbara Cook takes this song, slows it down and turns it into a fun cabaret piece perfect for her Broadway concerts. In fact, this song has become a standard for Cook and she still performs it to this day!

And common thing for recording artists to do while covering this song is change the focus of the lyrics by swapping cooking for loving and adding a few extra verses. In fact, there is Disney produced sheet music with these lyrics because, I assume, the subject matter is better for radio and concerts. Cook retains the actual lyrics in this version and sings about cooking!

Sooner or Later Barbara Cook 1988