Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman

Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay!
Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay!

Welcome again to Fun-Time Friday! What’s in a word? Well, all through the Scriptures, we witness the extraordinary power of words: from the first word of creation (Light!), through the tetragrammaton representing the ineffable name of God (translated Yahweh or Jehovah and appearing in English bibles as the all-capital “LORD”), and of course, Jesus – the Word made flesh. In James’ epistle, we learn that the human tongue is a small fire that can set a whole forest ablaze (3:5). “With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God (3:9).” Words are powerful things, and we would do well to guard our speech.

Where is your Achilles Heel, linguistically speaking (sorry for the mixed metaphor)? Mine’s when I get behind the wheel of a car. I can usually think good thoughts about my fellow men and women, but something happens once the ignition key turns. I get impatient, intolerant, insufferable. Spongebob Squarepants uses the word “tartarsauce” when other, more sinister words come to mind. I needed a substitute word, too, so I came up with “picklebutt”. I have no idea where it came from, but it makes a great epithet. Now, I know that the Lord would probably say that I’m still in danger of that virtual murder and adultery business of Matthew 5, but at least this word keeps the interior of the Excursion G-rated while I continue to work on the interior of my heart.

And speaking of G-rated, today’s song comes from one of my all-time favorite films (and now, stage plays), Mary Poppins. Walt Disney wanted to make a musical out of his daughters’ favorite stories, P L Travers’ Mary Poppins series. He enlisted the help of two brothers, Richard and Robert Sherman, to write the score. The brothers had already written some hits for Mouseketeer Annette Funicello, The Parent Trap and Let’s Together (Yeah, yeah, yeah), as well as You’re Sixteen (You’re Beautiful and You’re Mine). They had also helped Walt come up with a theme song and theme concept for The Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland.

The Sherman Brothers again assisted Walt Disney with the concept of Mary Poppins. The original plan was to follow the Travers stories, with Mary flying in and out on the East wind, visiting various children in London. It was the Shermans who suggested that the story line should have the central Banks family around which the various adventures revolve.

In the 1964 film, Mary, Bert, Jane and Michael pop through a chalk painting for a Jolly Holiday. After Mary wins a horse race (on a runaway carousel pony), she sings about the perfect word to describe her pleasure:

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Mary is accompanied by a “Pearlie Band” and one of its members recounts his own story about the transformative power of the word:

Because I was afraid to speak when I was just a lad
My father gave me nose a tweak and told me I was bad
But then one day I learned a word that saved me aching nose
The biggest word I ever heard and this is how it goes:
Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

The year 1964 was a transformative one for the Sherman Brothers. They took home Oscars for Best Score and for Best Song (for another new coined word of theirs, Chim-Chim-Cheree), as well as a Grammy for the score of Mary Poppins. Walt Disney also enlisted their help to fix a ride he was preparing for the New York World’s Fair. The idea was to have audioanimatronic (what is it with the Disney folks and these new words?) children promoting peace and brotherhood, singing their national anthems as guests rode through in little boats. The problem was; the whole audio experience was a nightmare. The Sherman Brothers came up with the idea that It’s a Small World, after all, they penned the song, and provided a seamless, cohesive expression of peace and unity in a simple, children’s song. The ride moved to Disneyland after the World’s Fair and now resides at every Disney theme park. Wikipedia says that It’s a Small World has become the most translated and performed song on earth. Now, I know that it’s popular to disparage the song, but I can tell you that our little boat was stuck in the ride for 20 minutes once and I survived without any residual damage. Without any residual damage.

When Disney brought Mary Poppins to the stage (first to London’s West End and then to Broadway), they moved the venue of the song back to the book’s original location of Mrs Corry’s Word Shoppe. Mrs Corry is an exotic woman who concocts and sells words, much like a perfumer would mix scents (note to Pat and Vanna: buying a vowel is so last year – this lady trades in whole words). Mary introduces Jane and Michael to the world’s longest word, and a huge musical number ensues. In the film version, after the singers and band have exhausted every aspect of the word, Mary tells Bert:

Mary Poppins: You know, you can say it backwards, which is "dociousaliexpiisticfragicalirupes" – but that's going a bit too far, don't you think?
Bert: Indubitably!

Even as child, I knew that they weren’t truly saying it backwards, but were making it easier, rhythmically, to fit in the song. In the new London and Broadway stage versions, though, they do the complete inversion. Wrap this one around your tongue a few times:

Suoicodilaipxecitsiligarfilacrepus

And then, in the final verse, the Sherman Brothers echo St James’ warnings:

So when the cat has got your tongue there's no need for dismay
Just summon up this word and then you've got a lot to say
But better use it carefully or it may change your life
One night I said it to me girl
And now me girl's my wife!

There’s great power in words. There can also be great joy! Sing it out!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!