Walt Disney Records’ newly created line of collectible CDs, Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection, celebrates the anniversaries of Disney’s most cherished and classic films that have been enchanting audiences for generations.
The label honors one of the most celebrated and beloved soundtracks of all time with the 50th anniversary release of the Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection Mary Poppins on August 26, 2014. The Mary Poppins collection features over 2½ hours of content, including the original soundtrack, The Lost Chords – previously released demos and newly recorded versions, plus cast and filmmaker interviews and a collectible 20-page booklet. Also included are excerpts from the historic “Mary Poppins” story meetings in 1961 with author P.L. Travers, as heard over closing credits of the critically acclaimed film “Saving Mr. Banks.” Grammy® winning producer, Randy Thornton contributed extensive liner notes.
First released in 1964, the Mary Poppins original motion picture soundtrack featured 14 original songs by legendary Disney songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman. The soundtrack was the #1 album for 14 consecutive weeks in 1965, maintaining the #1 position that year longer than the Beatles (Beatles’ 65, Beatles VI, and the Help!soundtrack), Elvis Presley (Roustabout soundtrack), The Rolling Stones (Out of Our Heads) and The Sound of Music soundtrack. “Mary Poppins” won five Oscars®, two of which the Sherman brothers received for “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and the film’s original musical score.
Showcasing the musical talents of Oscar®-winning legend Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins), beloved actor-comedianDick Van Dyke (Bert), British comedian David Tomlinson (Mr. Banks) and the Sherman brothers, Disc One of The Legacy Collection Mary Poppins revisits unforgettable favorites such as “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Jolly Holiday.”
The second disc features 8 pre-demo recordings, The Lost Chords tracks (7 demos and 7 newly recorded and fully orchestrated versions of those demos), plus liner notes by Randy Thornton and author Russell Schroeder. Over the last 20 years, Thornton has overseen the re-mastering, restoration and preservation of Disney’s classic soundtracks. Thornton explains The Lost Chords: “As part of The Legacy Collection we’ve included the composers’ original demo recordings for seven songs intended for “Mary Poppins” – some dating from the earliest stages of the film’s development. In addition to these historic demos, we’ve had the unprecedented opportunity to collaborate withRichard Sherman to record and present these songs in a way they may have sounded if they remained part of the film – fully orchestrated versions we hope finally give voice to songs that have remained silent for 50 years.”
Russell Schroeder provides an overview of The Lost Chords project as well as background on each song. Schroeder worked as an artist for The Walt Disney Company for 29 years. In addition to Disney’s Lost Chords Volumes 1 & 2, Russell authored several other books including Disney: The Ultimate Visual Guide, and Mickey Mouse: My Life In Pictures.
The third disc of The Legacy Collection Mary Poppins begins with over 40 minutes of excerpts from the seminal story meetings between Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers, the Sherman brothers and screenwriter Don DaGradi as they discussed the original outline for the movie, including the music. Also included is a 17-minute Hollywood Spotlight Microphone interview with Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, the Sherman brothers and Irwin Kostal (who arranged the music for “Mary Poppins,” “West Side Story” and “The Sound of Music”). The third disc concludes with a 1989 interview with Richard and Robert Sherman as they discuss their work creating the magical music of “Mary Poppins.”
The CD cover and 20-page booklet feature newly created artwork inspired by “Mary Poppins” from Lorelay Bove, a visual development artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios (“Tangled,” “Winnie the Pooh,” “Wreck-It Ralph”). Later this year, Bove’s art can be seen in the hardcover book, Lovely: Ladies of Animation: The Art of Lorelay Bove,Brittney Lee, Claire Keane, Lisa Keene, Victoria Ying and Helen Chen.
The CD booklet also includes a sampling of visual development art from the film and sketches from the P.L. Travers story meetings.
Track list follows:
DISC ONE – THE SOUNDTRACK
1. Buena Vista Fanfare
2. Overture
3. One Man Band
4. Sister Suffragette
Lead Vocal: Glynis Johns
Vocals: Hermione Baddeley and Reta Shaw
5. The Life I Lead
Vocal: David Tomlinson
6. The Perfect Nanny
Vocals: Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber
7. Air Mail • Admiral Boom • The Not-So-Perfect Nannies • Mary Poppins Arrives
8. A Spoonful of Sugar
Vocal: Julie Andrews
Whistling: Julie Andrews
9. Pavement Artist
Vocal: Dick Van Dyke
10. Jolly Holiday
Lead Vocals: Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke
Additional Vocals: Bill Lee, Ginny Tyler, Paul Frees, Marc Breaux, Marni Nixon and Thurl Ravenscroft
11. Jolly Holiday (Reprise)
Lead Vocals: Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke
Penguin Waiters: Daws Butler, Peter Ellenshaw, Dal McKennon, J. Pat O’Malley, Richard Sherman and David Tomlinson
Kazoo: Richard Sherman
12. Penguin Dance
Belly Slap Soft Shoe: Irwin Kostal
Kazoo: Richard Sherman
13. The Carousel Horses
14. Supercailfragilisticexpialidocious
Lead Vocals: Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke
Pearlie Chorus: Richard Sherman and J. Pat O’Malley
15. Pavement Artist (Reprise)
Vocal: Dick Van Dyke
16. Stay Awake
Vocal: Julie Andrews
17. Trouble at Uncle Albert’s
18. I Love to Laugh
Vocals: Ed Wynn, Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke
19. A British Bank (The Life I Lead)
Vocals: David Tomlinson and Julie Andrews
20. Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag)
Vocal: Julie Andrews
21. Father’s Footsteps
22. Fidelity Fiduciary Bank
Lead Vocals: David Tomlinson and “Nackvid Keyd”
Banker Chorus: Arthur Malet, Bill Lee, Thurl Ravenscroft, Allan Davies, William R. Cole
23. Panic at the Bank
24. Chim Chim Cher-ee • March Over the Rooftops
Vocals: Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber
25. Step in Time
Lead Vocals: Dick Van Dyke, The Chimney Sweep Chorus and Cast
26. A Man Has Dreams (The Life I Lead/A Spoonful of Sugar)
Vocals: David Tomlinson and Dick Van Dyke
27. Mr. Banks Is Discharged
28. Let’s Go Fly a Kite
Lead Vocals: David Tomlinson, Dick Van Dyke and the Londoners
DISC TWO – PRE-DEMOS and THE LOST CHORD
Pre-Demos
1. The Perfect Nanny Performed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
2. Jolly Holiday Performed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
3. The Pearly Song [Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious] Performed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
4. Stay Awake Performed by Richard M. Sherman
5. Chim Chim Cher-ee Performed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
6. I Love to Laugh Performed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
7. Tuppence a Bag [Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag)] Performed by Richard M. Sherman
8. Let’s Go Fly a Kite Performed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
The Lost Chords of Mary Poppins
9. Mary Poppins Melody [Pre-Demo] Performed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
10. Mary Poppins Melody [New Recording] Performed by Kate Higgins
11. Admiral Boom [Demo] Performed by Richard M. Sherman
12. Admiral Boom [New Recording] Performed by Randy Crenshaw, Jeff Gunn and Dennis Kyle
13. The Right Side [Pre-Demo] Performed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
14. The Right Side [New Recording] Performed by Juliana Hansen
15. The Chimpanzoo [Demo] Performed by Richard M. Sherman
16. The Chimpanzoo [New Recording] Performed by Bob Joyce, Jeff Gunn, Randy Crenshaw and Dennis Kyle
17. The Land of Sand [Pre-Demo] Performed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman
18. The Land of Sand [New Recording] Performed by Kate Higgins, Juliana Hansen, Jeff Gunn and Bob Joyce
19. The North Pole Polka [Pre-Demo] Performed by Richard M. Sherman
20. The North Pole Polka [New Recording] Performed by Jeff Gunn, Bob Joyce, Richard M. Sherman, Kate Higgins and Dennis Kyle
21. The Eyes of Love [Pre-Demo] Performed by Richard M. Sherman
22. The Eyes of Love [New Recording] Performed by Juliana Hansen
23. Overture [Album Version]
DISC THREE
1. – 21. The Mary Poppins Story Meetings
22. Hollywood Spotlight Microphone
23. The Sherman brothers Reminisce About Their Work on Mary Poppins