In her 1980 autobiography, "My Side of the Road," (co-written with Dick McInnes), Dorothy Lamour relates how disappointed she was at not being asked to sing on the Decca album, which re-created the film score in the recording studio. Her umbrage was largely in response to learning that it was Bing Crosby himself who recruited Peggy Lee to replace her.
Bob Hope makes an obscure joke about the Chicago musicians union. He shows Bing Crosby his snake-charmer instrument and says, "Hey, I've been playing this flute all night. Have to clear it with Petrillo." He was referring to James Petrillo, the heavy-handed president of the Chicago Musician's Union.
This was the only "Road" picture of the seven to be photographed in Technicolor. Ten years later, the British-made The Road to Hong Kong (1962) would revert to black and white.
At the beginning of the picture, when Bob Hope and Bing Crosby tumble out of the wagon with the sheep. they mention the Whiffenpoofs. This is a reference to the Yale Whiffenpoofs, the famous a cappella singing group. Their best-known song has the line, "We are poor little lambs who have lost our way . . . ".
When Bing Crosby turns to Dorothy Lamour and Bob Hope turns to the camera to say "He's about to sing--you may as well go and get some popcorn!" many kids at matinee showings did just that.