Ten Feet Off the Ground: Musical Magic
“Music has always had a prominent part in all our products, from the early cartoon days,” said Walt Disney. From the classic tunes behind his Silly Symphonies, or the timeless originals in his motion pictures, Walt Disney always stressed the importance of the magic of music. “…In fact,…I cannot think of a pictorial story without thinking about the complementary music which will fulfill it.”
“Of course, we wanted the songs to stand out in their own merits…and most of them did very well. But our first concern was to make sure that each song helped us tell our story.” Who can forget “It’s a Small World” or “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” or “When You Wish Upon a Star?” Stories and meanings have been told for centuries through themes and instrumentals. As songwriter Richard Sherman once said, “Walt Disney understood that a song is what people carry away with them. People can go to a Disney picture or park and be enchanted by it, but when they go home, the song is what they keep.”
Richard Sherman also noted how Walt Disney really enjoyed songs that mean more than what was said. For example, let’s look at a song from Walt’s 1964 hit Mary Poppins:
Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.
’Feed the birds,’ that's what she cries,
While overhead, her birds fill the skies.
All around the cathedral the saints and apostles
Look down as she sells her wares.
Although you can't see it, you know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that he cares.
Though her words are simple and few,
Listen, listen, she's calling to you:
’Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.’
This song may be remembered by its tune: but behind this masterpiece, one of Walt Disney’s favorite songs, is the message of giving that little extra something to make someone’s day brighter, actions that Walt was in full support of. “…My long experience and by strong personal learning, the selection of musical themes, original or adapted, we were guided to wide audience acceptance,” Walt said.
Walt Disney’s influences of progress and dreaming can be found in the hit “There’s a Great, Big, Beautiful Tomorrow,” which was also written by the Sherman Brothers. In this song, the story of dreaming and doing is laid out: “Man has a dream, and that’s the start. He follows his dream with mind and heart. And when it becomes a reality, it’s a dream come true for you and me!” In this case, the theme song carried out the meaning of the attraction between the scenes of the Carousel theater. Further songs, such as “One Little Spark” from the 1983 Journey into Imagination, have continued to pass along these important meanings through classic tunes.
Songs continue to delight and inspire Disney park-goers and film audiences. Through tune and through meaning, the magic of music will always be a necessity.
“[Walt] didn’t have to be a musician…he was musical.” – Richard Sherman
“Music has always had a prominent part in all our products, from the early cartoon days,” said Walt Disney. From the classic tunes behind his Silly Symphonies, or the timeless originals in his motion pictures, Walt Disney always stressed the importance of the magic of music. “…In fact,…I cannot think of a pictorial story without thinking about the complementary music which will fulfill it.”
“Of course, we wanted the songs to stand out in their own merits…and most of them did very well. But our first concern was to make sure that each song helped us tell our story.” Who can forget “It’s a Small World” or “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” or “When You Wish Upon a Star?” Stories and meanings have been told for centuries through themes and instrumentals. As songwriter Richard Sherman once said, “Walt Disney understood that a song is what people carry away with them. People can go to a Disney picture or park and be enchanted by it, but when they go home, the song is what they keep.”
Richard Sherman also noted how Walt Disney really enjoyed songs that mean more than what was said. For example, let’s look at a song from Walt’s 1964 hit Mary Poppins:
Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.
’Feed the birds,’ that's what she cries,
While overhead, her birds fill the skies.
All around the cathedral the saints and apostles
Look down as she sells her wares.
Although you can't see it, you know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that he cares.
Though her words are simple and few,
Listen, listen, she's calling to you:
’Feed the birds, tuppence a bag,
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.’
This song may be remembered by its tune: but behind this masterpiece, one of Walt Disney’s favorite songs, is the message of giving that little extra something to make someone’s day brighter, actions that Walt was in full support of. “…My long experience and by strong personal learning, the selection of musical themes, original or adapted, we were guided to wide audience acceptance,” Walt said.
Walt Disney’s influences of progress and dreaming can be found in the hit “There’s a Great, Big, Beautiful Tomorrow,” which was also written by the Sherman Brothers. In this song, the story of dreaming and doing is laid out: “Man has a dream, and that’s the start. He follows his dream with mind and heart. And when it becomes a reality, it’s a dream come true for you and me!” In this case, the theme song carried out the meaning of the attraction between the scenes of the Carousel theater. Further songs, such as “One Little Spark” from the 1983 Journey into Imagination, have continued to pass along these important meanings through classic tunes.
Songs continue to delight and inspire Disney park-goers and film audiences. Through tune and through meaning, the magic of music will always be a necessity.
“[Walt] didn’t have to be a musician…he was musical.” – Richard Sherman
