An Amazing Scrapbook of Two Prolific Composers
Walt's Time - From Before to Beyond by Robert B. Sherman & Richard M. Sherman. 1998, 252 pages.
The Sherman Brothers need little introduction to Disney fans. Prolific composers of music for films and theme park attractions, they have written some of the most memorable songs in Disney history.
This book, which looks at their long career, finally saw the light of day after the Sherman Brothers met Bruce Gordon and Dave Mumford. Just like The Nickel Tour, publishers felt that there was no commercial appeal in this book. Bruce and David had self-published The Nickel Tour and thought that they could do the same with Walt's Time. The Sherman Brothers, after shopping the book around since 1981, had worked with Jeff Kurtti to have a majority of it written. Bruce and Dave met with Jeff and they agreed to self-publish. The Sherman Brothers were thrilled to work with Bruce, David and Jeff.
The book was created to resemble a scrapbook of their career. It starts with their first day on the Disney lot where they land the title song for the Parent Trap while auditioning a song for the Horsemasters. It then launches through the highlights of a majority of their Disney work. The middle section is dedicated to their father, Al and looks at everything that he published and his successes. During the section on their father, they look at their family history and how Al Sherman influenced his children. It is obvious from Walt's Time that the Sherman Brothers were profoundly influenced by their father and Walt Disney. When the brothers speak of either man, the text is filled with love, gratitude and wonder.
The third section details more of their work with the Disney Company, before and after Walt's passing. It also looks at the body of work they have done since leaving the company. Stage productions, theatrical work and animated films make up the bulk of their work in the '70's, 80's and 90's.
The Brothers spend a lot of time discussing their interactions with Walt Disney and how Walt was an amazing and optimistic person. The song There's a Great, Big Beautiful Tomorrow was inspired by Walt Disney. Their proudest moments include It's a Small World and Mary Poppins. They wrote the songs for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang after receiving Walt's blessings to work on the outside project. Albert Broccoli (producer of the Bond movies) also owned the rights to Fleming's children's novel about the car. Broccoli brought the idea to Walt, who declined saying he had too much on his plate and wanted more creative control. After the success of Mary Poppins, Broccoli gathered most of the creative team that had worked on Mary Poppins. The Brothers were also involved with two of the biggest animated films of the 60's as well: The Jungle Book and Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree.
Obviously, the Sherman Brothers' influence has been felt greatly in the theme parks. The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room, Magic Highways, Magic Journeys, Makin' Memories, Astuter Computer Review, the Best Time of Your Life and Miracles From Molecules.
Looking at everything the Sherman Brothers have done is a tad bit overwhelming!
Bottom Line: I enjoyed this book and was completely astounded by how prolific the Sherman Brothers actually are. The book is designed beautifully and features awards, personal recollections and photos from every period of their career (just like a scrapbook!). This is book is clearly for music fans, fans of the Sherman Brothers and fans of Disney films from the 1960's.
Unique Volume Loaded With Disney Memorabilia !!
Every one of the more than 250 extra large Disney scrapbook pages is filled with unique, full color memorabilia from Walt Disney, and Robert and Richard Sherman, the song writers that created a world of popular music. Everything from pictures and memorabilia of Annette, Haley Mills, and Julie Andrews, to Tommy Sands, 101 Dalmations, The Carousel of Progress, and the Enchanted Tiki Room are featured. Items are grouped by decades. You can spend endless, enjoyable hours just looking in this huge volume that weighs 4 pounds !! Well worth adding to your Disney or music or movies or entertainment library.
It's docious-ali-expi-listic-fragi-cali-roopus backwards!
What a great book about in my opinion the best songwriters! The Shermans had the opportunity to be with Disney during what I believe was the peak of the Disney Co. Their songs have warmed the hearts of millions of people across the world. My mother had never heard of the Shermans but whenever I sing their songs she says "I love that song, I didn't know they wrote that..." I can count on their songs being family friendly and joyful. I love Winnie the Pooh was not at all surprised when I discovered who wrote the songs! I never get tired of reading Walt's Time. The pictures are great and layout is so different. It is fun to read the background stories that is behind each song. Such as A Spoon full of Sugar and how Robert's son gave them the inspiration. I know the price makes it difficult for some of us. I personally do not own the book, but I love to borrow it from my library. It is a must read for every Disney and Sherman fan out there!
It's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
This book is truly the gem of my library... A beautiful look at the careers of Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman! Reading this book brought back so many memories! Little did I realize that so many of my favorite Disney (and even non-Disney) musical films all had one special thing in common... the music of the Sherman Brothers. This wonderful book is formatted like a huge scrapbook... its fun to read, and just packed with rare photos, cartoons and other memorabilia that would delight any reader.
"Nowhere is there a more happier book!"
Wow!, What a feast of fun! Here's the story of two of this century's most prolific and popular songwriters, the Sherman Brothers, finally cronicled in a superb scrapbook. Discover the Sherman Brothers' insights into the enigma that was Walt Disney, and learn of their dream job with this man.. who nurtured their talent, producing a sound that is truly instantly recognisable, the world over. These are the guys who created "the biggest word you ever heard", who left us singing of a "small, small world".. and gave lyrical life to a "fantasmagorical machine" called Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!This is a lovingly remembered book by the Dick and Bob, put together with the help of a few amazingly dedicated fans. Bruce & David and Jeff have produced another gem of a book. With them, too much is never enough.. the photographic treasures, the office cartoons all give the impression of being invited to dinner with the Shermans. I was lucky enough to hear the Shermans at the piano for a preview of this book at a Disney fan's convention last year. That was a night I'll never forget.. as the brothers sang their way through the songs of my childhood. Now the feeling of that night (and my childhood) has been captured in print, and I can't be happier! Thanks guys, it's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious !
