The title refers to the 19th century drinking song "Barnacle Bill the Sailor" that is also sung and acted out in the cartoon.
This short was a remake of an earlier Fleischer cartoon called Barnacle Bill The Sailor (1930) which starred Bimbo the dog as the epnonynous sailor and Betty Boop. This 1935 remake was produced while the production code was being enforced and a result, the lyrics of the Barnacle Bill song had to be toned down in order to appease the censors.
First use of the "anchor" end title design.
A stuffed, mounted sailfish hangs on the wall of Olive Oyl's home, along with several other game fish. Sport fishing was a popular outdoor pastime in the prewar era. There are also two crossed anchors and a replica of an early ship that resembles one of those belonging to Columbus decorating the house. Olive did love all things maritime!
Barnacle Bill looks suspiciously like Bluto...