ROBERT SHERMAN PASSES

 

Robert Sherman, one half of The Sherman Brothers, has died. He and his brother, Richard, wrote the songs to Mary Poppins, the theme songs for The Tiki Room and It's A Small World and a ton more.

Songwriter Robert B. Sherman, who co-wrote memorable songs in films such as Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book, as well as the ubiquitous Disney tune It's a Small World (After All), has died. Sherman died peacefully in London on Monday at the age of 86, his agent Stella Richards confirmed on Tuesday.

"His rule in writing songs was keep it singable, simple and sincere," said his son, Jeffrey Sherman. "He was a very simple guy — complex but simple. If you ever want to know about my Dad, listen to the lyrics of his songs."

Robert Sherman and his younger brother Richard were the sons of Rosa and Al Sherman, who was a successful composer on New York's Tin Pan Alley. Together, the brothers became an award-winning song writing duo who created wrote more than 150 songs for Walt Disney films.

In addition to songs for Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the prolific pair also wrote the musical scores for such films as:

The Sword and the Stone
The Parent Trap
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
The Aristocats
Charlotte's Web
Tom Sawyer
Huckleberry Finn
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Snoopy, Come Home
The Tigger Movie

The duo's catchy, family-friendly tunes earned them a raft of honours, including gold and platinum albums, two Academy Awards, a Grammy, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and entry into the U.S. Songwriters Hall of Fame.

When former U.S. president George W. Bush awarded the brothers the National Medal of Arts in 2008, he hailed them for creating music that "helped bring joy to millions."

War hero-turned-songwriter Sherman grew up in New York and Beverly Hills, Calif. In 1943, at the age of 17, he joined the army and was stationed in Europe during the Second World War. He eventually received multiple honours for his military service, including a Purple Heart medal.

In the early 1950s, Sherman also married Joyce Sasner and the couple began their family.

Selected songs by the Sherman Brothers:

It's a Small World (After All)
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
A Spoonful of Sugar
Chim Chim Cher-ee
Truly Scrumptious
Me Ol' Bamboo
Trust in Me
Wanna Be Like You

The first Sherman Brothers Top 10 hit arrived a few years later: Tall Paul, sung by Annette Funicello in 1958. The successful track for the former Mousketeer helped draw the attention of Disney executives and led to the Sherman Brothers being hired as staff songwriters for Walt Disney Studios.

It's a Small World (After All), which the pair wrote for the 1964 World's Fair in New York could be considered their most enduring composition. It is one of the most translated and performed songs on the planet since it plays on a continual loop at Disney theme parks worldwide.