The 1931 Green Grass Grew All Around short is a fever dream

If you have about seven minutes and you don't mind feeling like you've stepped into a time machine built by someone who was hallucinating, then yeah, this is worth a look. People who love old-school animation history or just want to see why their grandparents were weird will get a kick out of it. If you hate repetitive songs or stuff that looks 'creepy' because it's old, you should probably stay far away.

It’s one of those Paramount Screen Song things from back in the day. Max Fleischer was behind it, and you can really tell because everything in the background has a face and won't stop moving for even a second.

The whole thing starts with these animals in the woods. They are all getting ready to sing, I guess? There is a bird that looks like it hasn't slept in three weeks. Mae Questel provides the voice, and if you know who Betty Boop is, you’ll recognize that squeaky tone immediately.

I forgot how much these old cartoons loved rubber-hose animation. Every time a character walks, their legs just turn into noodles. It's kind of hypnotic but also makes my own knees hurt just watching it.

The song itself, 'And the Green Grass Grew All Around,' is one of those cumulative songs. You know, the ones that just keep adding lines until you can't breathe? It starts with a tree, then a branch, then a nest, then an egg.

There is a moment where the bird is sitting on the nest and it just looks so smug about it. I don't know why that stuck with me. It’s just a drawing, but the bird has this 'I know something you don't' vibe. 🤨

Then the 'bouncing ball' starts. This was the big gimmick back then. A little white ball jumps over the words so the theater audience could sing along. I tried doing it in my living room but felt like a crazy person after the third verse.

Things I noticed while watching:

• The way the grass moves in rhythm with the music is actually kind of impressive for 1931.
• Billy Murray’s voice is so distinctively old-timey that it feels like listening to a dusty phonograph record.
• There is a cat that appears for about four seconds and then just disappears forever.
• The tree trunk has a face and it looks deeply concerned about the singing.

I’ve seen other shorts from this era, like Beach Nuts, which have a similar kind of chaotic energy. But this one feels more focused on the music than the gags. It’s not exactly a laugh-out-loud comedy.

One part that really got me was the animation of the egg. It starts shaking and you think something cool is going to hatch. Instead, it’s just more singing. It felt like a bit of a letdown, honestly.

The transition from the 'story' part to the sing-along part is pretty abrupt. One second we're looking at a nest, the next there's just big text on the screen. It’s not smooth at all, but I guess they didn't care about pacing as much back then.

If you've ever seen The Peacock Fan or other stuff from that late 20s/early 30s period, you know the vibe. Everything is a little bit dark around the edges. Even the happy songs feel slightly haunted. 👻

I think the most interesting thing is just seeing Mae Questel work. She was such a powerhouse back then. Even in a silly short like this, she gives it so much personality.

The ending is just... it just stops. No big finale. The song ends and the screen goes black. It’s very blue-collar filmmaking. We did the job, now go home.

Is it a masterpiece? No. But it’s a weird little window into what people thought was fun ninety years ago. I’ve definitely spent seven minutes in worse ways.

I still have the song stuck in my head. And the green grass grew all around, all around... Make it stop. Please.