Birds in Music: Feed the Birds (1964)

This iconic song from Mary Poppins, written by the Sherman Brothers in 1964 and sung by world-class Julie Andrews, is best known for being the lullaby that Mary sings to the Banks children.  The “birds” theme actually emerges in several important parts of the film (it is the first song you hear in the opening medley, as well as when Mr. Banks is walking alone through the empty streets of London to the bank — unknowingly on his way to being fired from his banking job) which leads some to believe that this song, which is about charity and helping those in need, encapsulates the true heart and soul of what is otherwise considered a pretty lighthearted movie. An example of a simple melody that is both deep and soaring. It is reputed to have been Walt Disney’s favorite.

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