Liberal Arts Blog — Waltzing Through Covid (VII) — “Favorite Things”, “Feed the Birds”, “Rainbow Connection”
Liberal Arts Blog — Saturday is the Joy of Sports, Dance, Fitness, and All Things Physical Day
Today’s Topic — Waltzing Through Covid (VII) — “Favorite Things” (Sound of Music), “Feed the Birds” (Mary Poppins), “Rainbow Connection” (The Muppet Movie)
If you know of a person who has brought more sheer joy to more people than Julie Andrews, please tell me. If there is one song of hers that epitomizes that joy, it’s “Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music (1965). And sure enough it’s in waltz time! I didn’t realize this until I started doing research for this series and discovered how many of the most irresistible songs of all time are just made for waltzing. Two more are “Feed the Birds” from Mary Poppins, and “Rainbow Connection” from the Muppet Movie (1979, sung by Kermit the Frog (that is, Jim Henson). This is the final installment of the Waltz series. Next week, the tango. Experts — please chime in. Correct, elaborate, elucidate.
FAVORITE THINGS (1959) — If you don’t know these lyrics by heart yet, well it’s time. If you haven’t waltzed to the song yet, well, it’s time for that too.
1. “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things.”
2. “Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudel, door bells and sleigh bells an schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings, these are a few of my favorite things”
3. “Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes, snowflakes that stay on your nose and eye lashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs, these are a few of my favorite things”
NB: “When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don’t feel, so bad.”
My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music
FEED THE BIRDS (1964) — Walt Disney’s Favorite Song for a very good reason
1. “Early each day to the steps of St. Paul’s the little old bird woman comes
In her own special way to the people she calls, come buy my bag full of crumbs
Come feed the little birds, show them you care, you will be glad if you do
Their young ones are hungry, their nests are so bare, all it takes is tuppence from you.
2. “Feed the birds tuppence a bag, tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag
Feed the bird that’s what she cries while overhead the birds fill the skies
All around the cathedral the saints and apostles look down as she sells her wares
Although you can’t see them, you know they are smiling each time someone shows that he cares”
3. “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”
NB: 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” The song is played four times in the film — reflecting Disney’s view that “that’s what it’s all about.”
Feed The Birds — Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews)
THE RAINBOW CONNECTION — “someday we’ll find it…the lovers, the dreamers, and me”
1. “Why are there so many Songs about rainbows And what’s on the other side Rainbows are visions They’re only illusions and rainbows have nothing to hide
So we’ve been told and some chose to Believe it But I know they’re wrong wait and see Someday we’ll find it The Rainbow Connection The lovers, the dreamers and me
2. Who said that every wish Would be heard and answered When wished on the morning star Somebody thought of that And someone believed it And look what it’s done so far What’s so amazing That keeps us star gazing What so we think we might see Someday we’ll find it That Rainbow Connection The lovers the dreamers and me
3. Have you been fast asleep And have you heard voices,I’ve heard them calling my name Is this the sweet sound that calls The young sailors The voice might be one and the same I’ve heard it too many times to ignore it It’s something that I’m supposed to be Someday we’ll find it The rainbow connection The lovers, the dreamers and me
NB: La lala la lala la la la lala la la la
Jim Henson Memorial “The Rainbow Connection”
FOOTNOTES I — “Favorite Things” — Mary Martin, John Coltrane, Ariana Grande
1. “Favorite Things” was originally sung by Mary Martin in the 1959 production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music, where the setting was the abbess’s office not Maria’s bedroom during a thunderstorm.
2. The song was famously covered by John Coltrane and it became one of his signature songs.
3. Most recently Ariana Grande has used the melody and concept in her song “7 Rings” which has, perhaps not so surprisingly become “one of the best selling songs in digital history.” It’s in 6/8 rather than 3/4. Still waltzable.
NB: The list of covers is endless. What’s your favorite?
Ariana Grande — 7 rings (Official Video)
Cover versions of My Favorite Things by Julie Andrews | SecondHandSongs
8 Jazz Covers Of “My Favorite Things” That Are Better Than “7 Rings”
FOOTNOTES II — “Feed the Birds” — “the metaphor for the whole film”
1. The song was written by Richard and Robert Sherman (better known as the Sherman brothers) — the most prolific song writing team in motion picture history. Richard mostly did the music, Robert the lyrics. But they both did both and I have not been able to find out what the division of labor was for this song.
2. The role of the bird woman is played by Jane Darwell (1879–1967), a two-time Academy Award winning actress. This was her final appearance on screen at the age of 84. She is perhaps most famous for her role as the matriarch of the Joad family in the 1940 film adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath” (starring Henry Fonda). She had appeared in over 170 films and came out of semi-retirement at Disney’s request. She would pass away just three years later.
3. “The Sherman Brothers were inspired by a scene from the Mary Poppins book series, written by P.L. Travers. Robert explained: “We seized on one incident in Chapter 7… ‘The Bird Woman.’ And we realized that was the metaphor for why Mary came, to teach the children — and Mr. Banks — the value of charity. So we wrote the song and took it up to Walt’s office and played it and sang it for him. He leaned back in his chair, looking out the window, and he said: ‘That’s it, isn’t it? That’s what this is all about. This is the metaphor for the whole film.’ And that was the turning point in our lives.”
NB: “In a 2014 interview with Performing Songwriter, the Sherman Brothers used this as a prime example of their songwriting philosophy. Richard Sherman explained: “We write for family audiences, that’s our thing. We try to write with a broad spectrum of meaning. You can listen to ‘Feed The Birds, Tuppence A Bag’ and one person will say, ‘Oh, it’s a guy that’s trying to make a pitch to buy breadcrumbs and feed pigeons with them.’ And somebody else might say, ‘Oh maybe it’s more a song about being kind and giving a little love to people that need it.’ There’s a double way of looking at it.” “A dramatic orchestral rendition is used when Mr. Banks passes by the Bird Woman’s usual spot at St. Paul’s Cathedral, only to find that she isn’t there. Although we don’t know for sure, the somber scene suggests the woman has died.” If this scene didn’t make you cry, have you seen the film?
FOOTNOTES III “Feed the Birds” — avatars of the “bird woman”
1. “Alluded to in the Disney film “Enchanted,” a tribute to and parody of Disney films, in the form of an old woman named Clara who sells bird feed for “two dollars a bag.”
2. The “Pigeon Lady” in “Home Alone 2” played by Brenda Flicker, the first Irish woman to win an Academy Award (for “My Left Foot”).
3. Is there a city in the world without a “bird woman” or a “bird man”? Cambridge had Dorothy Steele for decades before she was killed at age 77 when she was knocked out of her wheel chair in a hit and run accident in late February 2016.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feed_the_Birds
Mary Poppins (film)
https://812filmreviews.com/2018/11/29/why-feed-the-birds-is-the-best-disney-song-ever/
Julie Andrews “Feed the Birds” Sheet Music in E Minor (transposable) — Download & Print
Dorothy Steele: Final Resting Place, organized by Kristen Joy Emack
FOOTNOTES IV — THE RAINBOW CONNECTION — Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson
1. Sung by Jim Henson (the voice of Kermit) in The Muppet Movie (1979), the “Rainbow Connection” was actually written by Paul Williams (1940 — ) and Kenneth Ascher (1944- ).
2. Henson (1936–1990) was the creator of The Muppets and a master puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, screenwriter, composer, and film maker. He was a major factor in the success of Sesame Street. According to PBS, Henson was “the spark that ignited our fledgling broadcast service.”
3. Henson’s memorial service at the cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City in 1990, held just five days after his death, opened with the Sesame Street theme and “Rainbow Connection.”
NB: On the program notes for the memorial service were these words from a letter Henson had written to his children four years earlier: “Please watch out for each other and love and forgive everybody. It’s a good life, enjoy it.”
Kermit the Frog “The Rainbow Connection” Sheet Music in A Major (transposable) — Download & Print
Jim Henson
https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Jim_Henson%27s_Memorial
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YOUR TURN
Please share the coolest thing you learned this week related to sports, dance, fitness. Or the coolest thing you learned about Sports, Dance, of Fitness in your life — whether on the field, on the dance floor or in the gym, whether from a coach, a parent, a friend, or just your own experimentation.
This is your chance to make some one else’s day. Or even change their life. It’s perhaps a chance to put into words something you have never articulated before. Or to cement in your own memory something cool you might otherwise forget. Or to think more deeply than otherwise about something dear to your heart.
