It was on this day, in 1934, that the Silly Symphony cartoon short Grasshopper and the Ants hopped into theaters, telling the story of a grasshopper who believes that the world owes him a living. After his life is saved by some ants, he realizes he owes the world a living rather than the other way around. The grasshopper, voiced by Disney Legend Pinto Colvig, who would become the voice of Goofy, sang the film’s theme song, “The World Owes Me a Living,” composed by Larry Morey and Leigh Harline. The song became a hit as well as a theme song for Goofy, who was heard singing or humming it in multiple films. The song was also featured in a non-Disney film, 1934’s Now and Forever, sung by a young Shirley Temple. And those with a keen ear might have recognized the song when Cousin Orville hummed it in the New York World’s Fair, Disneyland and Magic Kingdom versions of the General Electric Carousel of Progress.
