Song of the Day 5/27: Richard Sherman, “Feed the Birds”

Richard Sherman, who died last week at 95, penned the lyrics to hundreds of Disney songs from 1960 to 1973 while he and his composer brother, Robert, were employed as staff songwriters for the studio. They churned out the songs for more than a dozen films, both animated and live-action, while also finding time to write for others – “You’re Sixteen,” the 1960 Johnny Burnette hit, for example. They also foisted upon the world the tune they wrote for Disney’s animatronic ride at the New York World’s Fair, “It’s a Small World,” the infernal earworm that can drive men, among them David Lynch, mad. I dare not link to it here.

Among the many film they scored, “Mary Poppins” is probably the best-known. The Motion Picture Academy gave an Oscar to “Chim-Chim-Chiree,” but the soundtrack also included the song Walt Disney called his favorite, “Feed the Birds.” Sherman’s older brother, who died in 2012, often told the story:

On Fridays, after work, [​Walt Disney would] often invite us into his office and we’d talk about things that were going on at the Studio. After a while, he’d wander to the north window, look out into the distance and just say, “Play it.” And Dick would wander over to the piano and play “Feed the Birds” for him. One time just as Dick was almost finished, under his breath, I heard Walt say, “Yep. That’s what it’s all about.”

Richard Sherman performed it just that way at a 100th birthday celebration of his old boss. Check out Dick Van Dyke’s reactions.

Here’s how it sounded with Julie Andrews singing it, in what children always considered the most boring part of the movie.