Songwriter Behind 'It's A Small World' Talks About Creation Of Classic Disney Tunes

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Oscar-winning songwriter Richard M. Sherman spoke to CBS2's Suzanne Marques about the creation of some of most memorable Disney classics, like "Chim Chim Cher-ee" from the 1964 masterpiece "Mary Poppins."

Sherman, 86, collaborated over the years with his late-brother, Robert, who died in 2012.

As Marques reports, the acclaimed Sherman brothers have created dozens of unforgettable Disney classics, including "Chim Chim Cher-ee."

"Chimney is a strange word. Bob, my brother, said, 'You know if we put it into kind of a sound, pattern like one chimeny, two chimeny, three chimeny sweep!' And I said, 'No, that's terrible.' " he recalls. "I said, 'Chimney is good,' but I said, 'We have to do something good. Let's make double talk out of it. Chim chimeny, chim chimeny, chim chim cheree.' "

Sherman's other works include "The Jungle Book."

"The fun of writing a piece for a jazz man like Louis Prima. He says 'Are you trying to make a monkey outta me?' and I said, 'No, you're not the monkey. These guys are the monkeys. You're the ape!' And he fell apart. He started to laugh," Sherman said.

The Sherman brothers won Oscars, Grammys and the National Medal of Arts and songs like, "It's a Small World (After All)," written for the 1964 World's Fair in New York, have become part of American music history.

"Walt [Disney] said, 'I want you to write me a simple folk song, just something that can be translated into different languages, played in different styles," he recalls.

Sherman said the original version of the song is not often heard but included the following lyrics: "It's a world of laughter, a world of tears. It's a world of hopes and a world of fears. There's so much that we share that it's time we're aware it's a small world after all."

"Originally, it was a very sincere song," he said. "It's one world. It's a world of laughter, a world of tears, hopes and fears. I wish to God people would hear those words. There's so much that we share, it's time we're aware, it's a small world and stop killing each other. That people would listen to that song. That's my prayer," he said.

A special concert featuring the iconic music of the Sherman brothers titled a "Spoonful of Sherman" is being held this Sunday. The symphonic concert begins at 4 p.m. at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center and features music from "Winnie the Pooh," "Mary Poppins" and "The Jungle Book." Click here for ticket information.