Since this Merrie Melodies cartoon is a reworking of the movie The Jazz Singer, it's no wonder it's on that film's DVD set. Owl Jolson is one of four boys born to a classical musical professor father but while the other three either sing or play the classics, Jolson is the jazz singer who constantly croons the title song to his father's consternation of throwing him out of his house. So the kid enters a singing contest where he hopes to get first prize. I'll stop there and just say that this was quite charming with light humor provided under "supervisor" "Fred "Tex" Avery with some animation by Chuck Jones. So on that note, I recommend I Love to Singa.

This is, quite possibly, my all time favorite cartoon. My friend Camille and I have been quoting it for years, just from memories of childhood. Not long ago, I ran across it on VEOH(much like you tube). It was great to see it again after 25 plus years. The title song RULES!! If you like the old cartoons, as I do, you will love this one. Also, I just learned that the voice of Owl Jolson was provided by Tommy Bond at the age of nine. Most would know him as Butch, the bully from the "Our Gang" series. The just of the episode is an owl born to sing jazz music, which drives his dad crazy, and his path to acceptance from his entire family. Do yourself a favor and give it a watch. You won't be disappointed.

Directed by the great Tex Avery, "I Love to Singa" is a superb Warner Bros. cartoon featuring some great swing music. The story is about a musical owl family, the father of whom is Prof. Fritz Owl, a teacher of strictly classical music with absolutely no tolerance for jazz. He and his wife bear four sons, the first three of whom humorously pop out of their eggs sporting tuxes and displaying their immediate gift of being able to sing or play classical music. The fourth son, named Owl Jolson, sports a red coat & blue bow tie and, to his parents' horror, sings jazz! His favorite song is "I Love to Singa," which he happily sings & swings throughout this wonderful cartoon.Here are my favorite moments from "I Love to Singa." Owl Jolson's parents are hilarious in their horrified reactions to his being a jazz singer; the mother faints and the German-accented father angrily calls him a "crooner," a "hotcha," and a "falsetto" before kicking him out of the house. At the G-O-N-G broadcasting station, one of the contestants is an overweight hen who sings the first line of "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" before getting the gong and almost getting stuck in the chute! When the delightful Owl Jolson shows up at the radio station, he dances & sings his old swinging standby - what else? - "I Love to Singa." "I Love to Singa" is a fun little cartoon with a great story and terrific music. It's also nice to see in the end that Owl Jolson's parents finally welcome the fact that they have a jazz singer in their family.

I hate to burst anyone up there on Cloud 9 with the love for this short. But the simple fact of the matter is that this is just a slightly above average Looney Tune short. It's far more cute than it is funny and it's far indeed from Tex Avery's best work. Now that being said I do enjoy this short up to a point, but come on doesn't the Owl know another song? I know Al certainly did. I have no clue why this Looney Tunes short above others seems to be praised to the high heavens. I'm sure someone will fill me in on something i'm missing though. This animated short can be seen on Disc 4 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2.My Grade: C+