Carl Barks incorporated volumes of music in his comics!!! This sounds quite surprising for two reasons: 1. Due to his very bad hearing Barks only listened to music regularly in his last years when he benefited from special hearing aids from Denmark and 2. Everyone will agree that a comic is a perfectly silent medium. Yet Barks still managed to put in a lot of music - not to mention accompanying lyrics that will be remembered for aeons to come.
Barks never learned to read notes but that did not stop him from showing his ducks in numerous situations where they were playing all sorts of musical instruments, dancing to different kinds of music, and singing heartfelt songs with memorable lyrics.

This page will display some of the music in Barks' comics. The three situations mentioned above are used as examples, but you can easily find many additional situations.

PLAYING
It would seem that ducks have a natural talent for playing a multitude of musical instruments. We often see them in situations where this knack is required.
WDCS165 The nephews think that Donald ought to be more than just a delivery boy at the skunk oil factory, so he takes up musical instruments, ending with an organ made from locomotive whistles.	WDCS085 Donald reads that music makes people more cultured and refined, so he consequently forces his nephews into learning to play string instruments. They are not amused...			WDCS215 Donald sets out to produce a convincing echo at The Mocking Bird Ridge in order to sell a newly purchased strip of the ridge to Scrooge. Musical instruments are called for...
WDCS105 Donald refuses to give his nephews a few cents to go to the ball game, so they decide to trick him into parting with his money. They produce a false echo but Donald is on to them...	U$60 The Phantom of Notre Duck Scrooge has installed a brand new electronic door opener for his money bin. It will only open to the tune of My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean played on a special whistle.			FC0318 No Such Varmint Donald is trying very hard to be a snake charmer with his flute and he actually has a bit of luck. But soon he feels ready to move on to much bigger game - a sea serpent...

DANCING
There is a lot of dancing going on in the comics. Most of the time Donald and Daisy are the front figures but many other citizens of Duckburg - including the supposedly unmusical Beagle Boys - have been known to have the dancing gene.
FC0367 A Christmas for Shacktown Christmas is nothing much to look forward to in Shacktown so the ducks decide to buy all the kids a toy train. After finally having been able to collect the money a bit of dancing is called for...	WDCS231 The Wax Museum Donald succeeds in getting a new job as night watchman at the Wax Museum. It is an easy task apart from the fact that he has to stay awake. Maybe some music before going to work?			WDCS084 Donald brags to Daisy that he is 'the slickest waltzer that ever wriggled over the wax', but he soon realizes that he is not. And he has just entered a waltz contest with his girlfriend...
WDCS225 Although Donald is a volunteer in the fire department he also finds time to dance the Sockfoot Kick with Daisy. Until he is called out, and Gladstone steps in...	FC1047 Milktime Melodies Grandma's cows fail to give milk and Gyro is called in to solve the problem. Soon all the farm animals are dancing happily to the tunes of some modern jazzle dazzle.			DG26 The Christmas Cha-Cha Donald is training very hard to win the Duckburg Cha-Cha contest with Daisy, but they are up against a light-footed Scrooge and a professional dancer...

SINGING
Barks had a talent for writing lyrics for many of the songs the characters sing. And not only that - some of the lyrics are so catchy that one remembers them even after many years have gone by.
WDCS248 Terrible Tourist Donald serenades different senoritas on a trip down South but their fathers are not interested. Why? Just listen to these examples: My Heart shrieks with Pain, Baby! Train Whistles blowing in my Brain, Baby or Juanita, Chiquita, my Heart goes twee-tweeta! or how about I am waiting, my dee-a behind this here tree-a!	U$20 City of Golden Roofs Donald has gone to Indo-China to sell modern midget Hi-Fi's. The customers need a little enticement so a Calypso dance and some accompanying lyrics are called for: Yay Ho! Peeeel that Banana! Say Ho! Sift that Sand! Boppity Bop! Needless to say that after this exertion the customers are enthusiastic...			FineArt1981 Silent Night Donald is walking around in the neighbourhood singing carols before Christmas but his voice is not very well liked. Especially not by neighbour Jones. Could it possibly be because it comes out like this: See-yi-lunt Nee-yight! Ho-yo-lee Nee-yight! All is ca-hahm All is buh-rite! 'Round Yon Virgin Mother and Chee-ild, Ho-oly Yinfunt so tender and bright!
WDCS090 Donald tries to outwit the nephews in their joint jobs as Messenger Boys at the local telegraph office, until the kids deliver a singing telegram from the owner of the office to their uncle: I'm so glad, Donald, that you were hired! We need your type of friskers - but I'm gladder to tell you that you are fired! J. Morganbilt Giltwhiskers!	FC0223 Lost in the Andes Donald and his nephews are on an expedition to find square eggs in a place called Plain Awful. The first citizen they meet is singing: Oh, Ah wish Ah was in Dixie! Hooray! Hooray! In Dixieland Ah'll take Mah Stand to whoop it up in Dixie! and Carry Me back to old Virginny...			WDCS137 Donald has earned a load of cash by writing a song and now he invites the nephews to a ritzy winter resort to celebrate his windfall. A tireless and emphatic Donald performs his song The Screaming Cowboy at every opportune - and unfavourable - moment: Oh, bury me thar with my battered Git-tar A-screamin' my Heart out fer Yew!