Jeff Caplan’s Minute of News: Remembering Disney’s greatest songwriter ever, Richard Sherman

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SALT LAKE CITY — How many of us can say that we made the world smaller — and words, bigger?

Only one person claimed that honor. Richard Sherman packed a lot of life into 95 years. And with his death last week, Sherman — a Disney songwriter — leaves behind songs loved by generation after generation.

 

Along with his brother, Richard Sherman wrote a spoonful of sugar.

He was the most prolific Disney songwriter ever. Winning two Oscars, two Grammies, and too many hearts to count.

Sherman wrote songs for The Jungle Book, Charlottes’ Web, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Mary Poppins. He was Walt Disney’s go-to guy. But he’ll be most remembered for the ubiquitous tune once voted the #1 earworm in music history. Meaning once it goes in your ears, you can’t get it out of your head.

Sherman said for that song, people want to kiss me or kill me. It’s one or the other.

But he also wrote hit songs, like “You’re Sixteen,” which was re-recorded by Ringo Starr.

70 years later the premise of that song might make you cringe, but there’s nothing controversial about one of his best-known songs.

 

If you think about it, who dreams up words like “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?” The answer is Richard Sherman. The son of a songwriter and father of three who made the world smaller — and words bigger.     

Jeff Caplan is the host of Jeff Caplan’s Afternoon News on KSL NewsRadio. Follow him on Facebook and X. 

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