Louis Prima - Jungle Book

Rare footage of Louis Prima and the story behind the song, "I Wanna Be Like You."

[@BeingRomans829ed]

I don't care what nobody says... Jungle Book was one of the greatest movies of all times!! 8-)

[@BenjaminScottfromFrance]

nobody's denying it

[@abemontero1341]

@@BenjaminScottfromFrance certainly not I

[@breakfastattiffanys156]

Yessss

[@ianboard544]

Easily my favorite Disney animated movie. Prima was perfect for the part.

[@_Snapper]

The film is perfection

[@bdo7765]

Never would have guessed that the animators had the animals line up and march because that was what Prima and his band did at the end of a show. That's awesome.

[@definitelynotmate69]

The fact the band's movements were the inspiration for the actions in the film is amazing, the absolute coolest bit of movie trivia I've come across ever

[@macrussell78]

Louis Prima is my great grand uncle :) I started listening to his music a couple of years ago, and I have to be honest...I like this waaaay more then most music now days

[@dapprnyc1605]

You are related to music royalty. Cheers friend!

[@animalqueen1237]

Give us proof

[@otterspocket2826]

@@animalqueen1237 - Why?

[@abemontero1341]

@@animalqueen1237 You're an idiot

[@bruzote]

Great and grand!

[@eriknelson7077]

Would have loved to see Louie Prima perform this live.

[@millocapo2002]

Erik Nelson phil harris

[@jacklynsher6046]

Me too!

[@qwws3379]

Yes

[@adeaoud3404]

Same!

[@codysteele3690]

Louie Prima jr does it now in New Orleans

[@JohnDoe-uu6jl]

Seeing Louis and his band at the end...true magic!

[@St0neykins]

Agree ! So cool to see Louis do his dance too.

[@joyunicycle]

I love this song, and knowing what was behind the scenes just makes it even better. He's got a fun voice, a fun band, and a fun attitude. Love you Louis Prima and Sherman Brothers for making this song a classic :)

[@Al.j.Vasquez]

He had one of the few unique voices in the world that still remain unique. There are guys that sound like MJ and Freddy Mercury, Seth MacFarlane can sound like Sinatra, there's a Filipino that sounds just like Steve Perry, but there isn't another Louis Prima, another Bon Jovi, Klaus Meine, Louis Armstrong. I find extremely interesting the voice of LP, it's really unique.

[@robertaceves5248]

@joyunicycle You can't separate the 2. When I see the character in jungle book movie I AUTOMATICALLY think of this song. It's a legendary classic and forever fused together.

[@PrinceOberon87]

Prima perfectly captured the King. Amazing musician. Musicians like Prima are so rare.

[@mamatibborscassady9388]

thank god Louie did this, love it forever.

[@DaRealRoachDoggJr]

God damn the more i look into Louis Prima and his work/songs, the more I love the guy, what a talented character, may he Rest In Peace.

[@miakiceh8069]

@Hi, how are you? - He's certainly a great entertainer.

[@ssouza01]

What a gem of a vid. Thanks Louis Prima I never knew it was you who sang one of the greatest songs in the history of animated film. Top 3 hands down.

[@jackietreehorn5561]

I only discovered Louis in December....I'm obsessed with his music

[@mintwithahole]

They modelled King Louis completely on Prima! The way he moved, even his face!! Pure class.

[@etheangel2220]

Wow that something we havent seen in decades...REAL performers with REAL skills and talent, as well as character/personality that isnt manufactured or calculated.

[@GupsterMex]

Such a great story behind some of our favourite ever disney characters. Luis' charisma and imagination will capture the hearts of viewers for generations to come.

[@jayvillella]

I believe I ended up becoming a professional musician and trumpet player partially because I listened to this song on repeat constantly from ages 3-5. I was born in the 80s but watched this movie on a VHS tape over and over, and my parents finally got me a cassette recording of the soundtrack so I could listen to the songs without monopolizing the TV. Thank you Louie Prima!

[@davidburns2119]

That was probably the coolest thing I have ever seen. Louie took it to the next level that is showmanship something that is sorely missing in this day and age.

[@TaffyRaphie]

I remember having a VHS of Jungle Book that had these special features at the end. Man, I wish I still had that.

[@JaneDoe-nr5bx]

That was the best!!

[@AGPfan]

Such a great, fun song from my childhood. Louis Prima had a cool voice, an excellent band and a fun attitude. Finding out what went on behind the scenes just makes it even better!

[@oscarxp25]

Walken's performance in the new one was cool but didn't come close to this one. I would've paid to sit in that studio and watch Prima do his thing,

[@BidM142]

I think Walken did a fantastic job. He really upped the level of menace King Louie has

[@j.j.bennett5209]

I love Walken, but it was an absolute shame (I'll go as far as to say lack of artistic integrity) that they went with an A list celeb instead of a real modern jazz musician. There are many who would have killed it.

[@MrThedorkknight]

Man, i wish that stuff was filmed and recorded better. I would love to see that.

[@cornishphilosopher]

It was the 60s, you're lucky it was recorded at all, and that someone kept the recording! It's not like now where everything is recorded and kept

[@TheHardDonuts]

Yoiu are seeing it. What a blessing! \

[@littleripper312]

Also when you're working on projects so much is happening you don't have hindsight to know what will be amazing to see later.

[@miakiceh8069]

@MrThedorkknight - Nostalgia is so comforting!

[@frankkolton1780]

I love the fact that we have audio/visual recordings that we, as consumers can play at will. Growing up, the only recordings we had that we could play were records, that's it. Reel to reel tape recorders were huge and too expensive for the average person. I would love to see MrThedorkknight go back and experience that, I don't think he would of turned out to be such a whiner.

[@indianagrandmary1298]

My 93 year old dad saw Louis Prima live a few times, said the show was always a lot of fun.

[@bethbartlett5692]

Louis was Perfect for that Movie, it could have been inspired by Louis' energy. Perfect!

[@jeffreyhartwig4965]

I first watched the Jungle Book with my son when he was 6 years old. He’s 32 now, we’ve enjoyed it to this day! Glad I found this 😀

[@katemaartinezz]

Born: December, 7, 1910 New Orleans, LA Passed Away: August, 24,1978 New Orleans, LA Louis Prima Will Always Be Remembered☺

[@jaein7779]

It’s so cool to see the actual musicians behind this wonderful song. I heard it when I was a child listening to Disney story tapes and now I get to share it with my 6 year old daughter who delights in this song. My thanks to the KZbin poster who uploaded this video. It’s also cool to see that the animators based King Louie dance moves on Mr. Prima.

[@Hank..]

I never knew Louis Prima was the one behind this till now! That's awesome!!

[@livelifefully2day]

One of my favorite big band songs is: "Sing Sing Sing" performed by Benny Goodman, but written by Louis Prima. Speaking of favs: One of the short stories from, "The Jungle Book" was, "RIcki tikki tavi" it still holds my attention today. (Can't go wrong with Chuck Jones and Orson Wells.) Cheers!

[@bruzote]

I used to request that for a special dance with a particular girlfriend who I took many lessons with. I would be physically wiped out by the end, but my smile was a mile wide!

[@angelsonthemountain321]

First movie I ever saw in a theater. Got my kids hooked on it, now I have a little granddaughter I can brainwash! Louis was a one of a kind talent.

[@jackverlinho8379]

A regret I have in life is not existing within the same time as Louis Prima I would of loved to of seen this guy live. A fantastic character and entertainer. Him and Keeley

[@Jbellaire]

I love this guy he had such an energy to him. It's sad to think there won't be anyone else like him again.

[@CaptainAMAZINGGG]

There are. Jack black comes to mind. People who live life from within, truly alive, and express freely. 💜💜💜

[@cashchecks]

Great! Louis Prima and his band are legendary.

[@TruthSayer2007]

This song maaaade this movie! Mannnn I watched it as a kid and even today when it’s on, and this song comes on, I stop what I’m doing to dance a little. 🙌 lol it’ll give ANYBODY a little rhythm on their walk 😝

[@Dom_Olivares]

Damn I really wish there was more clips to see. This is legendary!

[@ChiefWP]

Thanks so much for sharing. I'd love to see the entire recording session. Boy, that man had IT!!

[@webstercat]

If you've heard Louis do St. Louis Blues it is the absolutely wildest performance I've ever heard. If is totally off the charts crazy! There will never be anyone like him again, sadly the music is dying, I'm thinking.

[@wolf-bass]

What a joy to see Louis Prima performing this iconic music with his band! I’ve been an admirer and fan of his unmistakable sound for as long as I can remember. An iconic scene from an iconic movie! Thank you so much!

[@radiance.mindfulness]

I've seen it a dozen times when I was a kid, but it's still so funny to see an animated orangutan with Louis Prima's voice.

[@anneblakely3053]

I love the dancing he does at the end of this little video clip. Love and Hugs, Anne B.

[@romodig]

Shear genius! Just imagine... the animators patterned the scene after Louis Prima's style! I wish we all could do something that we had as much fun doing as Louis and his musicians did when they performed.

[@gwenwarner8489]

You read my mind & blessed my heart for chosing "I Wanna Be Like You," by Louis Prima from Disney's The Jungle Book. Prima's singing lets my soul soar, while my feet keep time with his jazzy beats. Thank you much. ❤😊

[@1mommas]

Louis Prima one of the giants of American music! Fabulous entertainer, brilliant writer and performer. Thank God we have this legend on film. No one like him before or after, a true genius!

[@frepi]

Some people are sad no matter what , Prima seemed to be happy, no matter what

[@NelsonStJames]

16 years later and I couldn't agree more with this statement.

[@friedhippie]

Thanks for this. Quite possibly one of the best Disney Songs.

[@mattkidroske]

Loved this movie growing up and this scene in particular. Awesome to see this!

[@NoirFan01]

Wish there were more video/film recordings of Louis Prima performing in concert!

[@nielskjr5432]

This is great footage. Thank you so much!

[@abigalebuss359]

I know that this is probably the only footage of Louis Prima and his band performing this number but I loved seeing it anyway! I always love seeing the behind the scene footage of any Disney Animated movie, Thanks for posting!

[@frankkolton1780]

Some years ago when my kids were young, my father had come for a visit. The kids were watching this VHS movie after dinner, when the ape first starts talking my Dad's ears perked up and he said the voice sounded just like Louie Prima, a famous jazz musician that used to put on the craziest nightclub shows. After another moment he was sure, then he laughed and smiled when they went into the song.

[@rogue___tr00per24]

Oh man, I just can't get enough of watching this footage .... such a fan of Louis Prima, and then to discover this ... some things are meant to be ... he wasn't the King of Swing by accident !!

[@PolymerJones]

This is the exact historical footage I wuz looking for KZbin can be pretty cool sometimes lulzzz

[@michaeldean9338]

I dig Prima, but a lot of people were always skeptical of why Disney simply didn't approach Louis Armstrong-- being that Prima patterned practically his entire persona after him. And made a mint doing so. That said, I also keep in mind, esp. at the time this feature was in production (as well as the heightened awareness of the Civil Rights Movement), they, perhaps, wanted to avoid any possible racial connotation controversy. In any case, both Prima and Harris did a bang-up job in this scene, as well as the entire project. Thanks for sharing this.

[@victorbanuelos8139]

Jungle book animation first class in my book ...oooh I dig it man !

[@jayski9410]

I'm surprised they left Keely out of this. Louis and she had such great chemistry on stage. If I had been the producer, I would have found a way to write a part for her. But this is very special footage. And I did get to see their act live in Las Vegas. There was such energy in the room with them winding their way thru the audience. Frankly I don't how they all managed to stay in time with each other. I have trouble doing it while sitting in a chair with the sheet music in front of me.

[@werewolvesofsanger4649]

They were already divorced at this point.

[@juliacamara8565]

To see them play,it's ...just..wonderfull

[@mcmitchell]

Yes -- I'd love to see more too!

[@rogerbillings5081]

Fascinating. Loved this song after seeing the film at the cinema with my parents. It was a long time ago!

[@strutherhill]

Such talent! Such fun! Thanks for a great posting.

[@nexus01gr]

What an entertainer! Thank you for uploading!

[@MarioMaster9664]

It's from "The Jungle Book: The Making of a Musical Masterpiece," from the 1997 30th Anniversary Disney Masterpiece Edition VHS of The Jungle Book. I got that tape as a kid and it was my favorite movie (and the first full-length feature film I was able to watch as a kid without getting bored and leaving to do something else.) I Wanna Be Like You was also my favorite song from it as a kid. Good times.

[@6O8gamer07]

Your comment is 14 years old! But I picked up that exact VHS tape at a second hand store! What a treat to watch the behind the scenes!

[@joey_bonin]

I'd love to see this entire film. I really enjoy behind the scenes stories.

[@dearmalika]

Thanks sooo much for posting this!

[@marcosmza1962]

Luois Prima one of the essentials!

[@bimmerfun]

Thanks SO much for posting! I want to see the rest, too!!!

[@jeanchristophevigneron1348]

MAAAAN this footage is legend

[@soupybaby]

Thanks for posting this gem

[@Thelongkinggamer123]

This is exactly how I pictured this being filmed and made and I love it so much

[@clarerobards3781]

Thanks for posting this look behind the scenes.

[@ruthperes7093]

Its actually not racist, you got to be real shallow to think this, why are a few people so negative about a man who was so mega talented, not even the film companies could afford this mans talent. I think anyone who says anything anti about Louis Prima is just envious of raw genuine talent because performers with his qualities are very hard to come by. Louis had a love for what he did and it showed, it was part of who he was, some people are taught to be entertainers others are born with the gift of entertaining and he had the gift running through his veins. His shows were the best in town in the 50s, all the great entertainers of the time would go and watch him, they would learn with him and some even copied his style. I have to say when as a child i first heard The Jungle book song i really did think that it was a black artist singing the song because of his vocals, i was surprised to know that it was actually a white man but this does make sense because Since Louis Prima was raised in New Orleans he would have been influenced by the Jazz and the black music of the area, artists are usually influenced/inspired by what is exposed to them from a very young age...You only have to listen to Louis Armstrong who was also raised in New Orleans to see how similar in styles they both are.

[@mamatibborscassady9388]

ruth peres No way could I have said it better........Louie was so talented,and I am so thrilled that he did this part in Jungle Book, it fit him to a tee.These were the glory days of Disney, and so very sadly we've lost not onlythe great performers that had paid their dues so well, we've lost the joythat Disney used to represent..............

[@spcb77]

+ruth peres I also thought it was a black man singing.

[@Aristocratic13]

Racist? Where did that come from?

[@ruthperes7093]

C.J you have to read the comments by others...

[@Aristocratic13]

ruth peres I didn't even think of it that way. Good point, it would perhaps made the "irony" a little worst. Also I found out the monkeys weren't even in the original story to begin with. That could be to avoid copyright issues tho

[@seaweed2007]

Thanks! Always one of my favorites and you just can't beat Louis Prima! Great vid! ;))

[@alexpollock6932]

Ahhhhh. Look at all this talent. Just breathe it in , take in the rarity. Ahhhh thats nice.

[@jodroboxes]

thanks for putting this up! fav

[@DanDavstudios]

Louis Prima is a great singer! this song is one of one of his best song in the story of disney

[@robertboney4493]

Louis Prima was here once upon a time, just once!

[@monk071]

That was AMAZING 🤘🏾Thank you for sharing it! #RIP

[@missdez04]

Amazing talent, beautiful voice:) !!!!

[@joecates3371]

Louis Prima was perfect casting as king Louie

[@georgeorwell4534]

Louis and the band were performing the New Orleans "Second Line", where tradition was during a Jazz funeral that there was the "First Line" of mourners who were the family, and the "Second Line" of others that came along. During the procession home when the music was joyful, the "Second Line" would walk and dance to the music in a line.

[@54spiritedwill54]

thanks for the upload great footage!

[@JaguarStar999]

Disney hires an amazing artist to bring realism to King Louis.....and all people can think about is that he should be black. Seriously, American people, you're zombified and obsessed with race. The world does not give a damn if Louis was based on a white or black artist. All we care about is that this realism made the character one of the most legendary and best-loved of all times, and 50 years later, we're still singing this song.

[@Aristocratic13]

He should be black...because he actually is part black. Now shut up and be merry

[@ladavis8283]

+C. J. Bailey Louis was a Sicilian.

[@Aristocratic13]

***** Interesting....

[@jackhamilton9604]

+C. J. Bailey King Louie has nothing to do with back people

[@Natomon01]

If they had used a black artist then the SJWs would just whine about how he was being some kind of racial stereotype. There's no satisfying somebody who just wants to be angry and is looking for any excuse.

[@Stokjockey]

God bless you Louis Prima and I'm glad you got your Star on the Walk of Fame.........One kid from the 60's who Loves the Jungle Book !!!

[@bigangie1]

Great wee clip!!

[@dearmalika]

wonderful vid, thanks !i love louis prima and his voice! and i love the jungle book too!

[@Jrogerssr]

The 4 A.M. lounge show in Las Vegas was Prima at his best. Many of the other entertainers in town would be there after they were done with their shows and the joint would really rock.

[@frankybakker5692]

still love that movie and song , geeee i'm 62 now ,

[@alexeigrayling]

Greatest animation and greatest voice for it!!!

[@viddrome]

Wow this is great!

[@CBeaumontHIGTFY]

God bless the Sherman Brothers. Salutes to Richard Sherman, who has passed today at the age of 95. Rest peacefully Sir. Your energy was unmatched. I hope you and Bob are happily reunited in the next life.

[@herefordmsv]

Just brilliant. Louis was and still is a superb musician

[@VickiBrunson-t7v]

He was a national treasure!!!

[@tommyross1872]

Brilliant, a great wee insight..

[@firetopman]

When I watched The Jungle Book with my son, we loved this part the best.

[@ianboard3555]

What a shame the rest of the footage of the recording session isn't there. The best scene, in the best Disney animated movie with absolutely brilliant casting. I saw this movie when I was a little kid in the theaters and it still makes me laugh.

[@bodgaard]

Just a great song with great singing. Fun and memorable.

[@TiffanynaffiT]

things like this just lighten up your day :)

[@Wilfslad]

R.I.P Sam and Louis, the music lives on. Verve and Pizzazz that so few of today's acts have.

[@xDoubleZer00x]

never heard of them, checked them out from your comment, got about 10seconds in before hitting the 'X'....its not even comparable.

[@VValkyrie]

Here in New Orleans, we were lucky enough to have Louis Prima in the Endymion Mardi Gras Parade.Phil Harris was Bacchus that year in their parade. Good memories.

[@Tom6093]

Classic !!!!!!! Music will never be this way again. !!!!!

[@ericbrett3095]

Luis Prima made his part in The Jungle Book the best. I still watch it and I am 57.

[@johncrawfordpiano]

Fascinating, thanks for posting