According to "Spike Jones and his City Slickers' by Jordan Young (a must read) the song was composed by the British songwriter Oliver Wallace (who wrote the score for "Dumbo"). Disney studios put it in their cartoon "Donald Duck in Axis Land", but before the cartoon was released, Wallace gave his friend Spike Jones permission to record it. Therefore, Spike's version come out first. It was also recorded by Johnnie Bonds and Arthur Fields.