Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear
Encyclopedia
"Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear" is a song written by Randy Newman
, about a sincere young man of modest means named Simon Smith who entertains affluent ("well-fed") members of the public with his dancing bear, which may or may not be real.
It was popularized in the UK by the Alan Price Set under the name "Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear", where it reached #4 in 1967. The song was also covered by such diverse singers as Harry Nilsson
, Morrissey
, Bobby Short
and the band Okkervil River
, and appeared in the first episode of The Muppet Show
, sung by the character Scooter
as Simon Smith, with Fozzie Bear
as the dancing bear.
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
, about a sincere young man of modest means named Simon Smith who entertains affluent ("well-fed") members of the public with his dancing bear, which may or may not be real.
It was popularized in the UK by the Alan Price Set under the name "Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear", where it reached #4 in 1967. The song was also covered by such diverse singers as Harry Nilsson
Harry Nilsson
Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...
, Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
, Bobby Short
Bobby Short
Robert Waltrip "Bobby" Short was an American cabaret singer and pianist, best known for his interpretations of songs by popular composers of the first half of the 20th century such as Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Vernon Duke, Noel Coward and George and Ira Gershwin.He...
and the band Okkervil River
Okkervil River
Okkervil River is an indie rock band from Austin, Texas. Formed in 1998, the band takes its name from a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya. They self-released their first album, Stars Too Small to Use, which led them to the South by Southwest music festival. After recording their first...
, and appeared in the first episode of The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
, sung by the character Scooter
Scooter (Muppet)
Scooter is a bespectacled character from The Muppets. In The Muppet Show he was the troupe's backstage "gofer". He was originally performed by Richard Hunt.-Characteristics:...
as Simon Smith, with Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
as the dancing bear.