Tarzan yell

The Tarzan yell is the distinctive, ululating yell of the character Tarzan, as portrayed by actor Johnny Weissmuller in the films based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, starting with Tarzan the Ape Man (1932). The yell was a creation of the movies and the closest thing to it in the books is simply called "The victory cry of the bull ape."

History and origin of the yell

File:Tarzan yell in LilyPond.png

Weissmuller's yell, notated.

Although the yell ostensibly was that of Weissmuller, different stories exist as to how the sound effect was created. According to the newspaper columnist L. M. Boyd (circa 1970), "Blended in with that voice are the growl of a dog, a trill sung by a soprano, a note played on a violin's G string and the howl of a hyena recorded backward." According to Bill Moyers, it was created by combining the recordings of three men: one baritone, one tenor, and one hog caller from Arkansas. Another widely published notion concerns the use of an Austrian yodel played backwards at abnormally fast speed. But Weissmuller claimed that the yell was actually his own voice, of his own invention, based on a yell he used when playing as a child. His version is supported by his son and by his Tarzan co-star, Maureen O'Sullivan, and is the most reasonable explanation, given that the state of audio technology at the time when it first appeared would have made seamless splices very difficult to create.

The sound itself has received a trademark registration, owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.. The official description of the yell is: "The mark consists of the sound of the famous Tarzan yell. The mark is a yell consisting of a series of approximately ten sounds, alternating between the chest and falsetto registers of the voice, as follow - 1) a semi-long sound in the chest register, 2) a short sound up an interval of one octave plus a fifth from the preceding sound, 3) a short sound down a Major 3rd from the preceding sound, 4) a short sound up a Major 3rd from the preceding sound, 5) a long sound down one octave plus a Major 3rd from the preceding sound, 6) a short sound up one octave from the preceding sound, 7) a short sound up a Major 3rd from the preceding sound, 8) a short sound down a Major 3rd from the preceding sound, 9) a short sound up a Major 3rd from the preceding sound, 10) a long sound down an octave plus a fifth from the preceding sound."

Despite these efforts, the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) in late 2007 determined that such attempts by the estate of Burroughs to maintain such trademark must fail legally, reasoning that "[w]hat has been filed as a graphic representation is from the outset not capable of serving as a graphic representation of the applied-for sound," said the OHIM ruling. "The examiner was therefore correct to refuse the attribution of a filing date."

The Tarzan yell is often used for comic effect in later, unrelated movies, particularly when a character is swinging on vines or doing other "Tarzanesque" things. The sound clip used in the Weissmuller films has also been exclusively used for animated series appearances of Tarzan, and in the Tarzan television series (1966 - 1968), which starred Ron Ely, rather than having the actor providing Tarzan's voice for the series attempt to imitate the trademark yell.

Other Tarzan yells

The first ever version of the yell can be found in the part-sound serial Tarzan the Tiger (1929). This version is described as a "Nee-Yah!" noise.

In the 1932 Tarzan radio serial with James Pierce, the yell sounds like "Taaar-maan-ganiii". In the ape language mentioned in the Tarzan novels, "Tarmangani" means "White Ape".

A very similar cry was used for Burroughs' own Tarzan film, The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935), shot concurrently with the MGM Weismuller movies in Central America with Herman Brix as a cultured Tarzan. The yell can best be described as a "Mmmmm-ann-gann-niii" sound that gradually rises ever higher in pitch.

In the Pokemon episode Showdown at Dark City (1998), the yell sounded like "Eeeeee-leeeeeeect-abuuuuzzz" during the battle at Dark City. And in The Kangaskhan Kid (1998), the yell that Tomo used sounded like "Kaaaaang-aaaaaa-aaaaa".

Tarzan yell in film and television

Non-Tarzan related films and television shows where the Weissmuller Tarzan yell can be heard include:

• Mickey's Garden (1935)
• Dumbo (1941)
• The Art of Self Defense (1941)
• George of the Jungle (1967) animated series.
• The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978), in which Carol Burnett, the hostess, specializes in frequent renditions of the yell.
• Get Smart episode The Apes of Rath, (1969) in which Agent 99 is kidnapped by an ape, a la King Kong, who gives the yell as he plunges to his death from the top of a building.
• The Price Is Right (1970's) Johnny Weismuller made a brief appearance on the game show endorsing a brand of vitamins and rendered a somewhat shakey version of the yell when asked to do so by host Bob Barker.
• Harold and Maude (1971), in which Maude performs the yell in an open field, Harold standing near their picnic blanket.
• Every Which Way But Loose (1978), in the lake scene Philo (Clint Eastwood) jumps from a tree and gives the Weissmuller Tarzan yell.
• Octopussy (1983), when James Bond is swinging on vines through a jungle in India
• Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), this was actually the first appearance, in terms of production dates of the Star Wars films, of the Wookiee version of the yell; Chewbacca shouts it as he and a pair of Ewoks swing from a vine onto the top of an AT-ST. The sound effect was re-used for Episode III.
• "Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985) When Pee-Wee is escaping Warner Bros. through a jungle set, he swings across a lake on his bike on a vine doing a Pee-Wee version of the Tarzan yell
• Leda: Fantastic Adventure of Yohko (1985), when Yohko is swinging on vines through a jungle in Leda.
• Explorers (1985), when Ben meets Wak, he introduces himself by tapping his chest and saying, "I'm Ben. Me Ben" Wak responds with "Me Tarzan!" followed by the Weismuller yell.
• Howard the Duck (film) (1986)
• One of the many Whammy animations on Press Your Luck (1983-1986) is of the Whammy imitating Tarzan, with rope and yell, only to have an elephant run into him.
• Short Circuit 2 (1988), Johnny 5 plays a reocording of the Tarzan yell as an alarm.
• Mario of the Apes (1989)
• Misadventure of Mighty Plumber (1990)
• Bobby's World (1990-1998)
• 2 Stupid Dogs (1993-1995) (Stunt Dogs)
• Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (1995)
• Ronin Warriors (1995), in the episode, Sand Blasted, when Kento Rei Faun swings on the wire of a wrecking ball.
• Bottom Live 3: Hooligan's Island (1997)[1]
• Tenchi in Tokyo (1997), in the episode, Ryoko's Big Date, as Ryoko (Tenchi Muyo!) does the yell while she was on the roof of the house after telling Tenchi he'd better be at the park.
• George of the Jungle (film) (1997) and George of the Jungle 2 (2003)
• Zoids: Chaotic Century (1999-2003), Van Flyheight (Matthew Erickson) and Fiona (Carol-Anne Day) swing on the vine one at a time before jumping into the water.
• The Emperor's New Groove (2000), Pacha does the yell while swinging on a vine in an attempt to save Emperor Kuzco from a pack of jaguars.
• The Pirates of Tortuga: Under the Black Flag (2001) when Alex is swinging on a rope starting to save a pirate from the Spanish soldiers.
• Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) (Return to New York) Michelangelo does the yell while swinging on a rope.
• The Backyardigans (2004) (The Heart of the Jungle)
• Home on the Range (film) (2004)
• Mario Power Tennis (2004), in which Donkey Kong does the yell while winning in tennis tournaments.
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), during the Battle of Kashyyyk, voiced by a Wookiee warrior; the pitch of it having been altered slightly to resemble the deep and gravelly voice characteristic of the Wookiee race.
• Madagascar (2005), In the beginning, Marty swings on a vine in his fantasy and does the yell. All the original yells were manufactured, but Chris Rock actually did that yell.
• Mario Superstar Baseball (2005), Donkey Kong did the same yell while striking out a player in baseball games.
• My Gym Partner's a Monkey (2005), in the episode, Me Adam, You Jake.
• Return of Pink Five (2006)
• One Piece, Usopp performs a move called Usopp AAaaaAAAaaaAA! (ウソップアーアアー), which features him swinging from a rope. (2007)

See also

• Wilhelm scream
• Goofy holler
• Castle thunder

External links

• The Tarzan Yell