I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover
Encyclopedia
"I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover" is a song from 1927, written by Mort Dixon
with music by Harry M. Woods
. It was a hit for Art Mooney
& His Orchestra in 1948
and was largely popularized by him. In modern times the song is perhaps most associated with Merrie Melodies
cartoons, as it appeared in several of them. The Sons of Ben
, the official supporters' group of Major League Soccer
's Philadelphia Union, have adopted the song as one of their chants, singing at every home match at the 20 minute, ten second mark, symbolic as the founding year of the Union.
Mort Dixon
-Biography:Born in New York, Dixon began writing songs in the early 1920s, and was active into the 1930s. He achieved success with his first published effort, 1923's "That Old Gang of Mine". His chief composer collaborators were Ray Henderson, Harry Warren, Harry M...
with music by Harry M. Woods
Harry M. Woods
Henry MacGregor Woods was a Tin Pan Alley songwriter and pianist. Woods is sometimes credited as Harry Woods.-Early life:...
. It was a hit for Art Mooney
Art Mooney
Art Mooney was an American popular bandleader. His biggest hits were "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover" and "Baby Face" in 1948 and "Nuttin' For Christmas," with Barry Gordon, in 1955...
& His Orchestra in 1948
Number-one hits of 1948 (USA)
This is a list of number-one songs in the United States during the year 1948 according to Billboard magazine. Prior to the creation of the Hot 100, Billboard published multiple singles charts each week...
and was largely popularized by him. In modern times the song is perhaps most associated with Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
cartoons, as it appeared in several of them. The Sons of Ben
Sons of Ben (MLS supporters association)
The Sons of Ben is an independent supporters group for Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer. The group was created in January 2007 by soccer fans from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and its greater metropolitan area, using such existing Major League Soccer fan clubs as the Screaming Eagles, La...
, the official supporters' group of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
's Philadelphia Union, have adopted the song as one of their chants, singing at every home match at the 20 minute, ten second mark, symbolic as the founding year of the Union.
Arrangements
- In 1948 Columbia records released a recording of the song by Tiny HillTiny HillHarry Lawrence “Tiny” Hill was a band leader of the Big Band era. During the height of his career Hill was billed as “America’s Biggest Bandleader” because of his weight of over . His signature song was “Angry” which he first recorded in 1939 on Columbia records Vocalion label...
and the Hilltoppers. - The UCLA BandUCLA BandThe 270 member UCLA Bruin Marching Band, known as The Solid Gold Sound, represents the University at major athletic and extracurricular events. During the fall marching season, the Band performs at the Rose Bowl for UCLA Bruin home football games...
has played an arrangement of this tune since 1954, and uses the chorus as the second part of RoverRover (song)"Rover" is a song traditionally sung at the end of athletic contest victories by fans of the University of California Los Angeles. It is a parody of the song I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover. The UCLA Band arrangement opens with There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight. Following the...
, the Bruin victory song. Similar lyrics have been used for two other songs.- My Dead Dog Rover by Hank Stu Dave and Hank (Hank Landsberg & Dave Whited) from 1977, which appears on the Dr. DementoDr. DementoBarret Eugene Hansen , better known as Dr. Demento, is a radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograph records to the present....
25th Anniversary Collection - The parody version "I'm Looking Over my dead dog rover" was played on Dr. DementoDr. DementoBarret Eugene Hansen , better known as Dr. Demento, is a radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograph records to the present....
's show for a time. - I’m Lookin’ Over My Dead Dog Rover by Kevin Gershon from 1973 and played on KMET FM in Los Angeles
- My Dead Dog Rover by Hank Stu Dave and Hank (Hank Landsberg & Dave Whited) from 1977, which appears on the Dr. Demento
- In the 1948 Warner Brothers cartoonCartoonA cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
Fast and Furry-ousFast and Furry-ousFast and Furry-ous is a 1949 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon, released on September 17, 1949, directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese...
, directed by Chuck JonesChuck JonesCharles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio...
, Wile E. Coyote chases Road RunnerWile E. Coyote and Road RunnerWile E. Coyote and The Road Runner are a duo of cartoon characters from a series of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. The characters were created by animation director Chuck Jones in 1948 for Warner Bros., while the template for their adventures was the work of writer Michael Maltese...
through a cloverleaf interchangeCloverleaf interchangeA cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
to an up-tempo orchestration of the tune. - In the 1952 cartoon Operation Rabbit, Bugs BunnyBugs BunnyBugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
sings "I'm looking over a three leaf clover that I overlooked B-3." - In the 1957 cartoon Ducking the DevilDucking the DevilDucking The Devil is a 1957 Merrie Melodies animated cartoon with Daffy Duck and the Tasmanian Devil.- Synopsis :At a zoo, a cage was reserved for Taz. He soon escapes and runs amok. Meanwhile, Daffy is at home in his duckpond, and reads about Taz's escape in a newspaper. Taz soon finds him and...
, directed by Robert McKimsonRobert McKimsonRobert "Bob" Porter McKimson, Sr. was an American animator, illustrator, and director best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros., and later DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
, the Tasmanian DevilTasmanian Devil (Looney Tunes)The Tasmanian Devil, often referred to as Taz, is an animated cartoon character featured in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes series of cartoons. The character appeared in only five shorts before Warner Bros...
escapes from a zoo; Daffy DuckDaffy DuckDaffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
, on learning that there's a $5,000 reward for its return (and that the escapee is lulled by music) ends up singing to get him back to his cage. I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover is one of the songs he sings. - Jazz saxophonist Coleman HawkinsColeman HawkinsColeman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was one of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
recorded a sambaSambaSamba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
arrangement of the tune on his 1962 album DesafinadoDesafinado (album)Desafinado is an album by American jazz saxophonist Coleman Hawkins featuring performances recorded in 1962 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Michael G... - The 1974 film "The Groove Tube" featured a segment in which Chevy Chase (in his first film role) sings the song while Ken Shapiro plays drums on Chevy's head.