Music and the Fictive Dream
Mary Poppins and "A Spoonful of Sugar"
I believe almost everyone has heard of the delightful musical Mary Poppins. A family favorite since its production by Walt Disney in 1964, Mary Poppins is based on the book series by P.L. Travers, directed by Robert Stevenson and won 13 Academy Awards. It was Walt Disney's first live-action film, and something I found so interesting, is despite the setting of the fantasy-comedy musical being London in 1910, the entire production was filmed at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California using painted London background scenes.
The musical is a story of and Depression-Era family in London who is in search of a nanny for their two children, Jane and Michael Banks. After many interviews, Mary Poppins, played by Julie Andrews, magically appears from the sky and tells their stern father, Mr. Banks, she will accept the job. This was to his surprise because he never offered her the job! Mary Poppins is strict, but kind, and the children come to love her. She takes them on some enjoyable outings, which entail an abundance of fun fantasy scenes- from meeting Mary's friend, Bert (Dick Van Dyke), and jumping into his sidewalk chalk painting for a magical carnival horse race adventure to tea parties on the ceiling with an uncontrollably laughing uncle of Mary Poppins, Uncle Albert.
Throughout the musical, the children learn to love and respect Mary Poppins. She also has an influence on Mr. Banks, who at first is very angry at all the nonsense outings the children have had with Mary, but then softens and realizes that his answer to the problem of having happy, healthy children is spending more time with them like laughing and taking them to the park. It concludes with Mary feeling her job is done (the wind changes) because Mr. and Mrs. Banks are out with their children flying kites and enjoying each other as a family should.
Mary Poppins is the perfect example of a musical in that it tells a story using songs and exhibits the talent of the writers and performers. From the very first song, "The Perfect Nanny", sung by Jane and Michael, which gives an example of the type of care-giver they really need as opposed to their parents' caregiving, to Mrs. Banks' pro-suffrage song "Sister Suffragette", to "I Love To Laugh" demonstrating that there can be too much nonsense to be had, they all carry a prominent moral or value.
One of the most well known songs from Mary Poppins is "A Spoonful of Sugar" performed by Julie Andrews. In this upbeat song, Mary shows the children how to tidy the nursery with a magical snap of the fingers showing the children that when you add an element of fun to a daunting task it is made more pleasant. It is delightful to watch the nursery get tidied up when the children learn to snap and the audience sees the tasks completed quickly without any real work from Jane and Michael. The message in the song is of having a good attitude while completing your work.
Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman composed all of the songs in the musical and "A Spoonful of Sugar" was written after Julie Andrews was offered the role as Mary Poppins but didn't really want to accept it because she was not happy with the original song that was composed for her. She wanted something more catchy, so Walt Disney asked the Sherman Brothers to write another song that might better appeal to Andrews. Robert Sherman got the idea from his son who had just taken his polio vaccine and had told his dad that it wasn't a shot but medicine placed on a sugar cube that he then swallowed. The next day he gave the lyric "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down" to his brother Richard who came up with a melody and eventually they had a song that Andrews though was acceptable.
The song is in the F# Major key with three major chords, and resembles the one-step, a ballroom dance popular in the beginning of the 20th century. There are two instrumental bridges with Andrews whistling as if it were the animatronic bird in the film singing.
Julie Andrews performs the song perfectly in my opinion and it really helps the musical take a fun turn from its anxious beginning. It has become so popular that that many musicians have used it as a cover song, such as Burl Ives in 1964, Harry Connick, Jr. on his album Songs I Heard in 2001 and Kacey Musgraves on We Love Disney in 2013. I love the part in the movie, Shrek The Third, when Queen Lillian, who is played by Andrews, hums the melody after breaking out of prison. What a throwback!
So how about you? Do you have a favorite Mary Poppins song? Maybe it's time to have a musical movie night and enjoy this old favorite. It's sure to be
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious !
“Mary Poppins (Film).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Nov. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Poppins_(film).
I absolutely adore Mary Poppins and the timeless songs that come with it! "A Spoonful of Sugar" is undoubtedly one of the most memorable and uplifting tunes in the entire musical. Julie Andrews' performance in the film is nothing short of spectacular, and it's fascinating to learn the backstory of how this iconic song came to be.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Julie Andrews initially hesitated to accept the role of Mary Poppins due to her dissatisfaction with the original song shows her commitment to delivering the best performance possible. Walt Disney's decision to have the Sherman Brothers write a new song that better suited her preferences ultimately resulted in a classic that resonates with audiences today.
The message behind "A Spoonful of Sugar" is genuinely heartwarming. It reminds us all that adding a touch of joy and positivity to even the most mundane tasks can make a world of difference. The scene where Mary Poppins magically tidies up the nursery while teaching the children this valuable lesson is a highlight of the film.
I loved the film Saving "Mr Banks," where Walt tried to convince Sue Smith that Mary Poppins would be a comedy but instead a journey through her life to help people across the world see her story better. The song "Chim Chim Cher-ee" is my favorite after watching the movie.
As a fan of Dick Van Dyke and the enchanting world of Mary Poppins, I've always appreciated the depth and charm that each character brings to the story. Learning about the real story of Mary Poppins and Walt Disney's efforts to bring it to the screen adds another layer of appreciation for this beloved classic.
Thank you for sharing this delightful blog post about "A Spoonful of Sugar" and Mary Poppins. It's a beautiful reminder of the magic of musicals and how they can touch our hearts and bring joy to our lives.
I love Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, but it's definitely on par with " A Spoonful of Sugar." What is quite crazy when you think about Mary Poppins and how she became this mother figure we all love and adore is that the author of the Mary Poppins book series, P.L. Travers, never intended for her beloved character to become a cultural icon. Travers was famously unhappy with how Disney adapted her work into the 1964 film and even wept during the movie's premiere! A great classic choice for this assignment!
ReplyDeleteHello Lisa! I love Mary Poppins, what a fantastic movie and story! I think that "A Spoonful of Sugar" is actually my favorite song from that movie. The whimsy is real! I love the part with the robin! The Mary's melody and the robin's counter melody is so precious, and simple. The whistling often comes to mind when I do chores like dishes, laundry, or cleaning my room. I just watched 'Sound of Music' last Friday and Julie Andrews is such a gem! I had never noticed that the song has three major chords. No minor chords!? Wild. Thank you for pointing that out. The ballroom dance feel adds so much to the toys and clothes flying around the room in that scene. Lovely blog post Lisa, thank you for sharing!
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