House at Pooh Corner (song)
| "House at Pooh Corner" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band | ||||
| from the album Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy | ||||
| B-side | "Travelin' Mood" | |||
| Released | April 12, 1971 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 2:39 | |||
| Label | Liberty | |||
| Songwriter | Kenny Loggins | |||
| Producer | William McEuen | |||
| Nitty Gritty Dirt Band singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"House at Pooh Corner" is a song written by Kenny Loggins, based on the children's book of the same name. It was first performed by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on their 1970 album Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy.
Background
It is told from the perspective of both Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin, and serves as an allegory for loss of innocence and nostalgia for childhood. Loggins was a 17-year-old senior in high school when he wrote the song.[1]
Originally Disney would not allow Loggins to record the song, claiming copyright infringement. Through industry connections, Loggins arranged a meeting with Cardon Walker who was the then-executive VP of the Walt Disney Corporation; Loggins later sang the song at Walker's home in Glendale, prompting Disney to release the copyright.[2]
Reception
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles[3] | 30 |
| New Zealand (Listener) [4] | 13 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] | 53 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[6] | 38 |
Loggins & Messina version
| "House at Pooh Corner" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Loggins and Messina | |
| from the album Sittin' In | |
| Released | November 1971 |
| Recorded | Summer 1971 |
| Studio | Columbia Studios, Los Angeles, CA, US |
| Genre | Rock, folk rock |
| Length | 4:25 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Songwriter | Kenny Loggins |
| Producer | Jim Messina |
The song was later recorded by Loggins and Messina themselves on their debut album Sittin' In, released in November 1971, 6 months after the single release of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band version.
Personnel
- Kenny Loggins - lead vocals, classical acoustic guitar
- Jim Messina - harmony vocals, acoustic guitar
- Jon Clarke - oboe
- Al Garth - recorder
- Larry Sims - bass, backing vocals
- Merel Bregante - drums, backing vocals
- Michael Omartian - Moog synthesizer, Hammond organ, piano
- Milt Holland - shakers, temple blocks, congas, cabasa, gong
Other notable versions
- In 1994, Loggins re-recorded the song (with an additional verse) under the title "Return to Pooh Corner", a duet with Amy Grant, featuring backing vocals from Grant's then-husband, Gary Chapman. It appears on Loggins’ album of the same title.
Samples
- The Loggins and Messina version was sampled in Daft Punk's 2003 hit "Face to Face".
References
- ^ "Story Behind the Song: 'House at Pooh Corner'". The Tennessean.
- ^ "Still Alright" A Memoir by Kenny Loggins with Jason Turbow page 52-53 Hachette Books June 2022
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - June 26, 1971" (PDF).
- ^ https://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qsongid=3930#n_view_location search Listener retrieved 13-11-2025
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, June 26, 1971