'Song of the Birds' is not just the darkest or the most poignant of the Little Audrey cartoons (or at least from personal opinion), but also one of her best cartoons (of the cartoons she featured in so far up to this point, would go far to even say it's the best).
Much of Famous Studios' output boasts very good animation, more so their early efforts all the way through to the mid-50s before their cartoons started suffering from lower budgets and tighter deadlines. As to be expected, the animation is rich and colourful, with very meticulous and beautifully drawn backgrounds and well-rendered character designs that don't look too stiff. Winston Sharples provides yet another outstanding music score, even in mediocre or worse cartoons Sharples' music was never among the flaws (if anything always one of the strengths or the best asset).
Love the lusciousness of the orchestration here and how characterful and whimsical the music was without going overboard in either, even better was how well it fitted in the cartoon and how it merged with the action. The main song is very infectious too.
Here in 'Song of the Birds' there is a different tone to that of 'Butterscotch and Soda' and 'The Lost Dream', instead of the funnier and cuter approaches of those cartoons 'Song of the Birds' is darker and more mournful. Approaches that are conveyed powerfully but also incredibly movingly (will openly confess to being reduced to tears). It has a very important message too, and it is a message that doesn't feel over-didactic in delivery or trivialised, it's delivered simply but it makes its point.
Little Audrey herself is an adorable and charming character that remains on the right side of sweet thankfully while also looking like she's learned from her actions and feels affected by what she's done, and the birds really break the heart.
In summary, a wonderful and very moving cartoon. 10/10 Bethany Cox
