Over the Memorial Day Weekend, songwriter, composer, and Disney Legend Richard Sherman passed away at 95. Along with his brother, Robert, the iconic songsmith had an exceptionally decorated career across genres and mediums, but the show’s not over yet.
The Sherman Brothers will forever be remembered as Walt Disney’s personal musical duo, but that doesn’t mean Richard Sherman was entirely out of the game even in his ’90s. Before his passing, the surviving Sherman lent his talents one last time in an upcoming animated feature by one of Disney’s legendary animators.
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Inside the Magic previously covered the development of Mushka, a short film by the incredible Andreas Deja. Although still waiting for its wide release, the tale of a little girl and her adopted Siberian tiger has an undeniable classic Disney quality that practically begs for a Sherman Brothers score.
Richard Sherman Gives Grand Finale
In the official announcement from Disney, Mushka is the last feature to have original handiwork by Sherman in its production. The studio shared the following statement.
“Most recently, Richard wrote a new song (with composer Fabrizio Mancinelli) for Disney Legend Andreas Deja’s 2023 animated short, Mushka. The song “Mushka’s Lullabye” was sung by acclaimed soprano Holly Sedillos.”
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From theme parks to iconic animated masterpieces, Richard Sherman had his hand in many projects at the The Walt Disney Company. Even in his later years, he still returned to the studio for occasional new compositions in films like “Busy Doing Nothing” in Christopher Robin (2018) and returning to Walt’s office for a rendition of “Feed the Birds” in Once Upon a Studio (2023).
Take a Bow
To say that the Sherman Brothers’ compositions are iconic barely scratches the surface. One only has to look at their official songbook to realize just how much their music has not only evoked some of the happiest moments of our childhoods but also had a tremendous impact on popular culture.
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“Mushka’s Lullaby” might not be the infectious earworm “It’s a Small World” might be, but the love and beauty felt in its music and lyrics is positively palpable. As they say, go out on a high note.
How will you remember the Sherman Brothers’ music? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!
