Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken - The Disney Songbook at D23 Expo

 

Do you just love the music of Mary Poppins?  Can you sing the words to "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?" Or maybe like Walt Disney do you love "Feed the Birds"?

Or does your tastes in Disney songs go towards songs like The Little Mermaid's "Kiss the Girl"?  Or (forgive me for this) have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head that won't go away for sometimes days like (please feel free to sing along) "It's a Small World after all?"

These wonderful songs and many many others have been brought to you by Richard M. Sherman (along with his late brother Robert Sherman) and Alan Menken. Together they have won 10 Academy awards for their work with Disney.  They have composed music and songs for more than three dozen Disney feature films, over two dozen Disney Park attractions, and half a dozen Disney musicals on Broadway.  At Disney's recent D23 Expo (8/9/2013 to 8/11/2013) in Anaheim, California  they performed a once-in-a-lifetime concert titled: "Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken: The Disney Songbook" where they performed some of their favorite songs they have written for Disney and talked about their work there.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013 I had the honor of representing GrowingUpDisney.com on a media only teleconference with Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken.  It was a question and answer session first with Alan Menken, then joined by Richard Sherman the two talked and answered questions about their work. The teleconference ended with Richard Sherman having his question and answer session.

Alan Menken said "its fun" to play for Disney fans and that it is a "pleasant ego trip" in the way that Disney fans react to his music.  When asked about the "process of writing for Disney movies" Mr. Menken said that you have to "cherish the audience" as you write the songs.  He said he is involved with the writers from the beginning as "music will drive the story".

When Richard Sherman joined Alan Menken they were asked about the song set for the D23 Expo.  Mr. Sherman, when asked of his favorite songs, described them as "which one of his children" he liked the best. And that the song set would be a "sampling" of various songs from over the years.

The two men discussed some of their songs they were surprised became a hit in their movies.  Mr. Sherman was surprised "Chim Chim Cher-ee" from Mary Poppins became as big as it did.  Mr. Menken said the song "Part of your World" almost did not make it into "The Little Mermaid".  The songs "Kiss the Girl" and "Under the Sea" surprised him with their popularity.

When asked about working for Walt Disney, Mr. Sherman said that "Walt set high marks to work toward" in writing songs for Disney movies.  He talked about how Walt Disney would have them come in and sing "Feed the Birds" for him as it was his favorite song.  When asked what song was most challenging to write, Mr. Sherman said "anytime you have a blank page, it is challenging".  He went on to talk about writing one song for Mary Poppins.  The inspiration came from one of their children talking about taking the polio vaccine on a sugar cube, and from that simple comment came "A Spoon Full of Sugar".

Mr. Sherman described himself as "exeuberated" about the D23 performance.  In discussing his song writing he said "I have a good time" and "I never feel like I am working" as he would be happy to write "without getting money".  "I have a great time".

Mr Sherman, now at 85, sounded like he was still a little kid in describing his work at Disney and looking forward to performing with his good friend Alan Menken for the Disney fan family at D23.

I came away from the call wishing I could attend the concert.  I'm sure it was a blast to hear these two "Disney Legends" perform their songs.

--DisneyDad

Sorry for getting you stuck with "It's a Small World" in your head.  I got the idea for the beginning of this article early in the day while at work.  I dashed out the first lines so I would remember the idea.  Later in the day as I left work, I found my self whistling as I walked to my car.  What was I whistling?  "It's a Small World". :-)  Mr. Sherman's and Mr. Menken's songs have a way of sticking with you.

Magical Blogorail: Live Resort Entertainment I Can't Wait to See Again

Welcome to those of you joining me from A World View and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail.

If you think live entertainment is only inside the Disney Parks, you are missing out on some truly special experiences.  The Disney resort hotels offer a variety of talented performers as well.  Covering a  wide range of musical styles and price ranges, there is something for everyone.

I've only been to Hoop-Dee-Doo once and it was about 19 years ago (holy cow!) but it is definitely on my list of must-dos once my daughters get just a little older.  We had a blast the last time we went and had a table right by the stage.  My dad is a good sport and that's fortunate since one of the performers decided to pick on him all night.  My brother and cousin and I had a great time hitting each other with napkins when they instructed us to spin them over our heads.  (Hey, we were kids.)  Mickey's Backyard Barbeque is a little more kid-friendly so we may give that one a shot in the meantime.  It's a family-style BBQ meal like Hoop-Dee-Doo however as the name implies, the entertainment is more child-oriented with characters and lots of chances for kids to get up and wiggle.

A sentimental favorite is The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra, the jazz band that plays most evenings on the upper level of the lobby at the Grand.  They've provided a lovely background to some special evenings...dinner at Victoria and Albert's Chef's Table with my father, walking through the lobby feeling like a princess after our wedding reception, and relaxing in a honeymoon suite after the big day.  We could hear the band inside our room on the club level and I wish now that we had taken a peek at the concierge offerings, but we had a brunch planned the following morning with family and friends at OKW (I digress.)

Thanks to Channing Wilson at Travel with the Magic for sharing this photo.

Another favorite live entertainment option is the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Disney's Polynesian Resort.  I've been 4 or 5 times over the years.  When we started going, it was indoors.  While that was climate-controlled and not subject to extremes in the weather, I love the luau cove where the current show is performed.  It's one of those Disney things where the food is good but not stellar and the show is a bit contrived but the overall experience is still somehow lots of fun.  The most recent storyline involves a girl coming home from the mainland and reconnecting with her Polynesian roots.   That's the contrived part but it does tie together the series of beautiful hula dances, powerful warrior dances/chants, and fire-knife dancing.  The dinner is served family-style and includes ribs, chicken, pineapple, etc.  The dessert is a chocolate mousse volcano.  Everyone is served these treats, which appear to have smoke coming from them, at the same time, for a little fun and drama.

One performer whom I haven't seen at all is Yehaa Bob.  I have heard fantastic things about his show at Port Orleans Riverside and someday I will get over there and catch a performance.

If you ever get the pleasure of visiting Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort, be sure to check the events schedule and spend some time with B'Lou Crabbe.  He is part storyteller, part musician, part Shadow sidekick and part magician.

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is My Dreams of Disney.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ A World View

2nd Stop ~ Growing Up Disney

3rd Stop ~ My Dreams Of Disney

4th Stop ~ Disney Donna Kay

Final Stop ~ Heidi's Head

On the DL with Chad: The Sound of (Park) Music

When I first started thinking about writing for 'Growing Up Disney', one of the first questions I asked was what my articles should entail exactly.  I've probably mentioned it before but my primary goal is to bring a smidgeon of Disneyland history into what I write.  So, the task before me every article becomes answering the question, "What aspect of Disneyland have I not talked about yet, but is important to me?"

Way back when we first started our own blog at Days in the Park, we wrote an article called "The Sound of (Park) Music", which you may have already noticed is the same title I've given this article.  But no, it's not the same one at all.  It'll get even trippier by the time I'm done, I assure you, but I'll explain more about that and why as I go on.  Although the article isn't the same, the topic, however, is!  In my mind, Disneyland (just as I'm sure Walt Disney World is the same) and its music are inseparable.  It doesn't take long at all to notice something is amiss whenever we're strolling along and notice the music isn't strolling through the air like it normally does.  When we're on an attraction and the speakers aren't working properly and there's no music, we don't even like that, for pete's sake!  I suppose that makes us rather hardcore, but we're okay with that for the most part.  Disneyland without music just isn't Disneyland; enough said, I suppose.

As important as music is to Disneyland, and Disney, the community was saddened to learn this week, of course, of the passing of Robert Sherman.  One half of the Sherman Brothers, these two were instrumental to Walt Disney and scored, composed and all that music creation entails countless tunes that are used in the Disney Parks, films, and probably anything else Disney-related that you can think of.  Without the Sherman Brothers, I feel it's safe to say that Disneyland just would not be the same, whether it was the penning of "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" from Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room (I can't imagine enjoying a Dole Whip Float without listening to that song), or "It's A Small World (After All)" from everyone's favorite attraction (come on, it's okay to admit it now!).

Pretty quickly everyone's favorite question on the social networks became, "What was your favorite Sherman Brother's song?"  I abstained from answering anyone at the time, not out of a sense of obstinance, but because I knew the time would come when I would want to write about it, and this seemed a good forum to do so.

My favorite Sherman Brothers tune just happens to be 'Feed the Birds' from the film Mary Poppins.  To me, it's always been just an absolutely beautiful work of music, both in composition and lyric, and it's theme of charity and giving to others can't be beat by anything, period.  Just my opinion, though!  And you can't do better than that if the legend that it was Walt Disney himself's favorite tune is in fact true.  As it goes, when Walt Disney would spend time with the brothers himself, and was in such a mood to do so, he would simply say the words "play it" to the brothers and that was the song he intended to hear, and that was the song that they played for him.   

Why the picture of Club 33, though?  Well, as amazing to me as the tune is from the film, there does exist an even more amazing version, which is how I'm tying in this article on my favorite Sherman Brothers tune with a little Disneyland history.  Almost everyone knows about Club 33 and its place within Disneyland history.  Built in the 60s (but completed before Walt Disney was able to see it), Club 33 was built to be an exclusive club within Disneyland where Walt would be able to host dignitaries and persons of importance within The Park.  Now, it serves as a members-only exclusive dining club within the walls of Disneyland that although many know about, even fewer ever get to experience for themselves.  I have had the honor myself, and part of its beauty is in the musical decor (along with the physical) that peppers the old Club.  Part of that musical decor is an absolutely beautiful rendition of the Sherman Brothers 'Feed the Birds' tune, all instrumental (piano and violin/cello), with no lyrics, and but almost more potent than the original tune, in my personal.  As if I needed another reason for 'Feed the Birds' to be my favorite tune, this clinches it.  Whenever I feel in a rotten mood myself, I pop it in, play it, and I can't help but smile whenever I do.  I am fortunate enough to own a copy of the track (as part of a set of Disneyland music I bought some time ago), but it's getting harder and harder to come by and may even be out of print for all I know.  But it definitely bears mentioning that it exists, and if you can get a copy or listen to it in some way (if a friend you know has it), you definitely should!

So, this is how I've chosen to weave a memorial, some Disney music, and Disneyland history all into the same article.  The irony is, I noticed later, that my title is a riff on The Sound of Music, which is a Julie Andrew's movie, who sang the original 'Feed the Birds' in Mary Poppins, which is the song this article is based on.  I took it as a sign to move ahead.

Without music, Disneyland just isn't the same; heck, most things aren't.  But it's especially important to everything about The Parks: the different lands, attractions, and shows.  Without it, it would just be bland, and Walt Disney knew this for himself, and hired and worked with only the best people to produce the best for whatever it was that he was doing.  His giving attitude and ethos in this regard has benefited, and will benefit us, for generations to come.

Thank you for all that you've given to us with your music, Mr. Robert Sherman.  Our Disneyland just wouldn't be the same without you.  

Contributed by Chad E of Rancho Cucamonga, CA. I'm a married dad with three little boys doing the stay-at-home-dad/youth ministry/seminary student/card carrying Disneyland Annual Passholder (Premium!) thang! And when I have the time, I also like to blog and podcast about The Disneyland Resort and am the co-creator of both Days in the Park and the Days in the Parkcast podcast.

Read more fabulous DIsneyland articles from Chad:

• On the DL with Chad: An Introduction!
• Why DisneyLAND means the World to Me
• The D55s
• Will the Real Magic Kingdom Please Stand Up?
• When the Present Becomes History

Guest Post: Little Ones Enjoy the Little Things at Walt Disney World

I often get questions from clients wanting to know about which rides to ride for their young children. They are often concerned there won’t be enough to do for their little ones. They always want to know how many days they will need to spend when traveling to Disney World. It’s difficult to fathom how much there is to do while at the parks and looking at a park map alone can be a bit deceiving if you’ve never visited.

I was thinking about some of my family’s previous trips to Disney World and some of the highlights that my son has enjoyed over the years. Sure, he loves Test Track, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain and plenty of other rides but here are some of his absolute park favorites that may come as a surprise.

Playgrounds: I used to get frustrated when I would have to literally drag him out of the play areas in the parks. Darn you, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, The Boneyard in Dinoland USA, and the former Ariel’s Grotto and Pooh’s Playful Spot! (Note: there will be a new play area in the new Fantasyland expansion and there is now the fun interactive queue at The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.) Doesn’t my child understand we came to ride RIDES and not run around on playgrounds? Doesn’t he understand we could do that at home in Atlanta for free? It wasn’t until I stopped and allowed myself to see them through his eyes that I understood why he loves them so much. They aren’t your typical playgrounds. They are amazingly themed areas featuring cool slides, tunnels, water features, and more. While at the parks, kids are usually standing in line or are sitting on a ride so I’ve decided if he wants to go burn off some steam and run around like an absolute lunatic, it’s his vacation too so let him go for it.

Water: What do the spray ground and jumping fountains at Epcot, the squirting Tikis at Magic Kingdom, and the splash pad at Polynesian Resort all have in common? They are all areas my son has decided to spend unexpected hours running around fully clothed while on vacation. Sure he has gotten absolutely soaked but seeing the pure joy on his face having the time of his life has been priceless. I say let your kids have fun and get wet! If you’re staying on property, take time to enjoy the wonderful pool and water slides at the resorts. I’m pretty sure we spent just as much time at the pool at Wilderness Lodge as we did at the parks this past June because he‘s really into water slides at this time in his life. While my son went down the water slide for the 150th time, I was able to relax and sit on my patio while my little one took naps. A win win for all. I also enjoyed going down the slide quite a few times which my son thought was so cool. I know all too soon he more than likely won’t want mom in a bathing suit riding water slides with him so why not enjoy spending the quality time with him doing what he loves while I can (and besides that, they‘re fun)!

Tom Sawyer Island: May not sound very appealing to adults but I think most kids will find this island located in Magic Kingdom to be pure heaven. My guy loves to run around, going over the bridges, running through the tunnels, “shooting” at folks in the fort, etc. I think this attraction is often overlooked by parents and should be a do not miss for young children who enjoy adventure and what child doesn‘t have an imagination and enjoy some adventure?

Music: There are some different areas, particularly in Epcot where instruments can be found. My son will make a bee line for the drums every time.

Meet and Greets: I have mentioned this before but on our family’s first trip this is literally all my son wanted to do. Seriously. I waited in line after line getting autograph after autograph. I sure wish there had been a Fastpass option for Toontown Fair like there is at Town Hall now. There were times it wasn’t all that fun to be honest while standing in 100 degree humidity outdoors in September but seeing the pure joy on my son’s face when he got to hug and interact with the characters was worth every drop of sweat to me. He still talks about when Tigger took his blankie and covered his eyes with it and walked around pretending he couldn’t see. That was 4 years ago when he was 3.

Sometimes it really pays to just stop and enjoy the little things the parks have to offer. Don’t be in too much of a hurry. Allow yourself more time when possible and don’t just rush by everything between ride A and ride B. You may find opportunities you didn’t expect that will make priceless memories for you and your children and to me that’s what a Disney vacation is all about and why my family continues to go back as regularly as we do.

What are some of your family’s favorites in the parks that aren’t rides?

Contributed by Corby C. of Atlanta, Georgia. She is a proud wife and mom to Banks and Henley, a Disney Destination Planner with Travel with the Magic and one of our Minnie Moms.

Photo Flashback! School Days

In 1999 my high school had the opportunity to be part of the Magic Music Days at Disney. I am one of the drummers farthest from the camera, I played the tenors, quads or whatever your local drumline calls them. If you can't tell we are marching through Future World at Epcot. Our route took us from behind The Land and ending behind Horizons. There was lots of renovation going on at the time fixing up Innoventions. Horizons was freshly decommissioned and there were ride vehicles behind the building, if I could have only gotten one of them under our bus.

Photo Flashback! The Dapper Dans, 1979

Isn't it great that some things never change?  Here are the Dapper Dans harmonizing on Main Street USA during our visit in May of 1979.  The quartet has been performing at Walt Disney World since the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971.

I ran across a neat site with pictures of the Dapper Dans over the years.  It's mainly a Disneyland site, but the Florida performers do have a page.  Click here to visit their tribute website.