Arthur and the Square Knights of the Round Table - Episode 35
Clip 1: Arthur, the ring-a-ding-a-ling-a-list king
1 min 2 sec
Taken from the TV program Arthur and the Square Knights of the Round Table - Episode 35 (1972)
Original title classification not known – this clip chosen to be G
Availability of the complete title
Curator’s clip description
This clip is the opening theme song for the animation series, Arthur and the Square Knights of the Round Table.
Curator’s notes
This is the iconic song for a generation of Australians who grew up with the bumbling King Arthur and his luckless team. The words of the song introduce the characters and set the scene for the Camelot capers to follow. Some of the song references are very much of the time, for example: ‘If you’re in trouble, send a cable, to the hero of our fable’, referring to the telegram, the fastest mode of written communication then available.
The comic reference to Arthur as ‘Queen of…’ then corrected to ‘King of Camelot’ in the final part of the song is a rather silly, camped up ‘Benny Hill’ type joke, which would have been seen as daring and funny at the time. The implication is that King Arthur is not a very masculine knight and apparently dressing ‘heroic’ male characters in drag was a bit of a feature in other episodes of the series.
Annemaree O'Brien, curator
