Captain Daryl on Cartoon Island, starring Daryl Laub, was one of the most popular kid’s shows on Twin Cities television in the late 1950’s. It featured a distinctive, goofy theme which opened and closed the program.
Pat Sweeney, one of the leading experts on Minnesota kids shows, has just identified this tune. He was watching a recent PBS program about Hal David, and a familiar song came up.
Captain Daryl’s opening music was a song called Bell Bottom Blues, with lyrics by Hal David and music by Leon Carr. You can see it featured in this vintage kinescope of the Captain Daryl program. Captain Daryl aired from 1956 until 1962, but it is not known how long they used Bell Bottom Blues as the theme.
The tune was popularized by Teresa Brewer, who recorded it in 1953. The song reached #17 on the Billboard charts in February 1954.
Teresa Brewer had a long career as a vocalist, and is best known for the songs Music, Music, Music (in 1949), and Till I Waltz Again With You (1952). She appeared in the movie musical Those Redheads from Seattle in 1953. She continued recording into the 1980’s and even appeared on The Muppet Show.
I had to include that clip!
Thanks to Pat Sweeney, the Pavek Museum, and Wikipedia