The Teddy Bear's Picnic

The Teddy Bears’ Picnic

 The name teddy bear came from President Theodore Roosevelt, whose childhood name, which he disliked, was Teddy. The first teddy bears were created in 1902 and quickly became very popular, following a bear-hunting trip in which Roosevelt took part. He was unable to locate a bear, unlike others in the party, so someone caught and beat a black bear and tied it to a tree and invited Roosevelt to shoot it. He thought that was unsportsmanlike and refused, asking someone else to shoot it to put it out of its misery. A political cartoonist, Clifford Berryman, seized on this incident, depicting Roosevelt with his back turned to the bear and The Washington Post published it.

Clifford Berryman's cartoon, Washington Post, November 16th, 1902

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons     

The music for The Teddy Bears’ Picnic was written by American composer John Walter Bratton in 1907. It started life as the ‘Teddy Bear Two-Step’ and was often used to accompany circus acts. The words, by Irish songwriter Jimmy Kennedy, were written in 1932 and the Two-Step was renamed The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

In the same year, Henry Hall and his orchestra recorded the song with the singer Val Rosing. The recording was of such high quality that it was used by BBC sound engineers until the early 1980s to assess audio equipment.

If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise
If you go down in the woods today, you'd better go in disguise
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

Every teddy bear who's been good is sure of a treat today
There's lots of marvelous things to eat and wonderful games to play
Beneath the trees where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
That's the way the teddy bears have their picnic

Picnic time for teddy bears
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today
Watch them, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday

See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout
They never have any cares
At six o'clock their mummies and daddies
Will take them back home to bed
'Cause they're tired little teddy bears

If you go down in the woods today, you'd better not go alone
It's lovely down in the woods today, but safer to stay at home
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

Some critics have claimed that the lyrics are grim and menacing and not at all suitable for children.  Not everyone likes the song. I think it’s rather charming and I really like teddy bears!

                                Here is someone who's gone 'in disguise'

The 1992 illustrations in my board book version are by Michael Hague, an American illustrator who has created drawings for many books,  mainly children’s.