Singers and Vocalists, Song Lyrics

Timeless Hit Mary Poppins Songs Lyrics

Irwin Kostal, Richard M. Sherman, and Robert B. Sherman were the visionary composers behind Mary Poppins’s magical soundtrack.

Kostal’s orchestration paired perfectly with the Sherman Brothers’ catchy melodies and witty lyrics, creating a musical experience that brings magic to every scene.

Their heartfelt storytelling through music changed simple concepts into timeless classics, earning them prestigious accolades such as Academy Awards and Grammys.

Together, their collaboration created joyful songs that have cemented Mary Poppins as a cherished musical treasure across generations worldwide.

About the Album

The Mary Poppins album is the original motion picture soundtrack from the beloved 1964 Disney film. It features a charming collection of songs composed by the Sherman Brothers and orchestrated by Irwin Kostal, and it depicts the movie’s magical and whimsical spirit.

Detail	Information
Released	1964
Album	Mary Poppins (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Writers	Irwin Kostal, Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman
Producers	Jimmy Johnson Jr.

1. Overture: Mary Poppin by The Sherman Brothers

Instrumental

Chim, chimney, chim, chimney
Chim, chim, cheree
A sweep is as lucky
As lucky can be

Chim, chimney, chim, chimney
Chim, chim, cheroo
Good luck will rub off
When he shakes hands with you

Chim, chimney, chim, chim
Cherry, chim, cheroo

Um, diddle, diddle, diddle
Um diddle ay
Um, diddle, diddle, diddle
Um, diddle ay

2. One Man Band by The Sherman Brothers (Instrumental)

3. The Life I Lead by David Tomlinson

George Banks

I feel a surge of deep satisfaction
Much as a king astride his noble steed
When I return from daily strife to hearth and wife
How pleasant is the life I lead!

Winifred Banks, spoken

Dear, it’s about the children…

Mr. Banks, spoken

Yes, yes, yes

(sung)

I run my home precisely on schedule
At 6:01, I march through my door
My slippers, sherry, and pipe are due at 6:02
Consistent is the life I lead!

Mrs. Banks, spoken

George, they’re missing!

Mr. Banks, spoken

Splendid, splendid

(sung)

It’s grand to be an Englishman in 1910
King Edward’s on the throne; it’s the age of men
I’m the lord of my castle, the sov’reign, the liege!
I treat my subjects–servants, children, wife
With a firm but gentle hand, noblesse oblige!

It’s 6:03 and the heirs to my dominion
Are scrubbed and tubbed and adequately fed
And so I’ll pat them on the head and send them off to bed
Ah, lordly is the life I lead!

A British nanny must be a gen’ral
The future empire lies within her hands
And so the person that we need to mold the breed
Is a nanny who can give commands!

(spoken)

You getting this, Winifred?

Mrs. Banks, spoken

Oh yes, dear, every word!

Mr. Banks, sung

A British bank is run with precision
A British home requires nothing less!
Tradition, discipline, and rules must be the tools
Without them…Disorder! Catastrophe! Anarchy!
In short, you have a ghastly mess!

4. Sister Suffragette by Glynis Johns

WINIFRED BANKS

We’re clearly soldiers in petticoats
And dauntless crusaders for women’s votes
Though we adore men individually
We agree that as a group they’re rather stupid

Cast off the shackles of yesterday!
Shoulder to shoulder into the fray!

Our daughters’ daughters will adore us
And they’ll sing in grateful chorus:
“Well done, Sister Suffragette!”

From Kensington to Billingsgate, one hears the restless cries
From ev’ry corner of the land: “Womankind, arise!”
Political equality and equal rights with men
Take heart, for Missus Pankhurst has been clapped in irons again!

No more the meek and mild subservients, we
We’re fighting for our rights, militantly
Never you fear!

WINIFRED, ELLEN, and MRS. BRILL

So, cast off the shackles of yesterday!
Shoulder to shoulder into the fray!

WINIFRED BANKS

Our daughters’ daughters will adore us

WINIFRED, ELLEN, and MRS. BRILL

And they’ll sing in grateful chorus:
“Well done! Well done! Well done, Sister Suffragette!”

5. The Perfect Nanny by Karen Dotrice & Matthew Garber

JANE, spoken

Wanted, a nanny for two adorable children

(sung)

If you want this choice position
Have a cheery disposition
Rosy cheeks, no warts

MICHAEL, spoken

That’s the part I put in

JANE

Play games, all sorts
You must be kind, you must be witty
Very sweet and fairly pretty
Take us on outings, give us treats
Sing songs, bring sweets

Never be cross or cruel
Never give us castor oil or gruel
Love us as a son and daughter
And never smell of barley water

MICHAEL, spoken

I put that in too

JANE

If you won’t scold and dominate us
We will never give you cause to hate us
We won’t hide your spectacles so you can’t see
Put toads in your bed or pepper in your tea

Hurry, Nanny
Many thanks
Sincerely

BOTH

Jane and Michael Banks

6. A Spoonful of Sugar by Julie Andrews

MARY

In every job that must be done
There is an element of fun
You find the fun and snap! The job’s a game
And every task you undertake
Becomes a piece of cake
A lark! A spree!
It’s very clear to see

That a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
The medicine go down, the medicine go down
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way

A robin feathering his nest
Has very little time to rest
While gathering his bits of twine and twig
Though quite intent in his pursuit
He has a merry tune to toot
He knows a song
Will move the job along

Oh, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
The medicine go down, the medicine go down
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way

The honey bees that fetch the nectar
From the flowers to the comb
Never tired of ever buzzing to and fro
Because they take a little nip
From every flower that they sip
And hence (And hence)
They find (They find)
Their task is not a grind…

7. Pavement Artist by Dick Van Dyke

BERT

Chim-chiminey, chim-chiminey, chim-chim cher-oo
I does what I likes and I likes what I do
Hello, art lovers

Today I’m a screever, and as you can see
A screever’s an artist of highest degree
And it’s all me own work from me own memory

Chim-chiminey, chim-chiminey, chim-chim cher-oo
I draws what I likes and I likes what I drew

No remuneration do I ask of you
But me cap would be glad of a copper or two
Me cap would be glad of a copper or two

Chim-chiminey, chim-chiminey, chim-chim cher-oo
La-dum, da-da-dum, da-da-da-da-dum
Mmm-hmm

8. Jolly Holiday by Dick Van Dyke & Julie Andrews

BERT

Ain’t it a glorious day?
Right as a mornin’ in May
I feel like I could fly

MARY, spoken

(“Now Bert, none of your larking about”)

BERT

PIG

The daffodils arе smilin’ at the dove
*oink, oink*

BERT & FARM ANIMALS

When Mary ‘olds your ‘and
You feel so grand
Your ‘eart starts beatin’ like
A big brass band!
It’s a jolly ‘oliday with Mary
No wonder that it’s Mary that we love

Orchestral Break

(“It’s true that Mavis and Sybil ‘ave
Ways that are winning
And Prudence and Gwendolyn
Set your ‘eart spinning
Phoebe’s delightful, Maude is disarming”)

PENGUINS, spoken

(“Janice, Felicia, Lydia”)

BERT, spoken

(“Charming
Cynthia’s dashing, Vivian’s sweet
Stephanie’s smashing, Priscilla a treat”)

PENGUINS, spoken

(“Veronica, Millicent, Agnes, and Jane”)

BERT, spoken

(“Convivial company, time and again
Dorcas and Phyllis and Glynis are sorts
I’ll agree are three jolly good sports
But cream of the crop, tip of the top”)

BERT & PENGUINS spoken

(“Is Mary Poppins, and there we stop”)

9. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious by Dick Van Dyke & Julie Andrews

MARY POPPINS

It’s… supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough, you’ll always sound precocious:
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay
Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay
Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay
Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay

BERT

Because I was afraid to speak when I was just a lad
Me father gave me nose a tweak and told me I was bad
But then, one day, I learned a word that saved me achin’ nose

MARY POPPINS & BERT

The biggest word you ever heard, and this is how it goes:

Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough, you’ll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay
Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay
Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay
Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay

MARY POPPINS

He traveled all around the world and everywhere he went
He’d use his word, and all would say, “There goes a clever gent!”

BERT

When Dukes or Maharajas pass the time of day with me
I say me special word, and then they ask me out to tea

MARY POPPINS & BERT

Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough, you’ll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

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

MARY POPPINS, spoken

You know you can say it backwards, which is “dociousaliexpilisticfragicalirupus”… but that’s going a bit too far, don’t you think?

BERT, spoken

Indubitably!

MARY POPPINS, sung

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 could change your life

MAN, spoken

For example…

MARY POPPINS, spoken

Yes?

MAN, spoken

One night I said it to me girl, and now me girl’s my wife
Oh, and a lovely thing she is, too

MARY POPPINS & BERT

She’s….
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

10. Stay Awake by Julie Andrews

MARY

Stay awake, don’t rest your head
Don’t lie down upon your bed
While the moon drifts in the skies
Stay awake, don’t close your eyes

Though the world is fast asleep
Though your pillow’s soft and deep
You’re not sleepy as you seem
Stay awake, don’t nod and dream
Stay awake, don’t nod and dream

11. I Love to Laugh by Ed Wynn, Julie Andrews & Dick Van Dyke

UNCLE ALBERT

I love to laugh, loud and long and clear
I love to laugh, it’s getting worse every year

The more I laugh, the more I fill with glee
And the more the glee, the more I’m a merrier me
It’s embarrassing, the more I’m a merrier me

MARY

Some people laugh through their noses
Sounding something like this, dreadful
Some people laugh through their teeth, goodness sakes
Hissing and fizzing like snakes
Not at all attractive to my way of thinking

BERT

Some laugh too fast
Some only blast
Others, they twitter like birds

MARY

You know, you’re as bad as he is

BERT

Then there’s the kind
What can’t make up their mind

12. A British Bank (The Life I Lead) by David Tomlinson & Julie Andrews

MR. BANKS

A British bank is run with precision
A British home requires nothing less!
Tradition, discipline, and rules
Must be the tools
Without them… Disorder! Chaos! Moral disintegration!
In short, you have a ghastly mess!

MARY, spoken

I quite agree!

MR. BANKS

The children must be molded, shaped, and taught
That life’s a looming battle to be faced and fought

(spoken)

In short, I am disturbed to hear my children talking about popping in and out of chalk pavement pictures, consorting with racehorse persons, foxhunting! Yes, well, I don’t mind that quite so much. At any rate, it’s tradition! But tea parties on the ceiling? I ask you: having tea parties on the ceiling? And highly questionable outings of every other kind!

(sung)

If they must go on outings
These outings ought to be
Fraught with purpose
Yes, and practicality
These silly words like superca… superca.. .superca…

MARY, spoken

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

MR. BANKS, spoken

Yes, well done, you’ve said it

(sung)

…And popping through pictures
Have little use, fulfill no basic need!
They’ve got to learn the honest truth
Despite their youth
They must learn…

MARY (MR. BANKS, spoken)

…About the life you lead (Exactly!)
They must feel the thrill of totting up a balanced book
A thousand ciphers neatly in a row
When gazing at a graph that shows the profits up
Their little cup of joy should overflow! (Precisely!)
It’s time they learned to walk in your footsteps (My footsteps…)
To tread your straight and narrow path with pride (With pride!)
Tomorrow, just as you suggest
Pressed and dressed
Jane and Michael will be at your side

13. Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag) by Julie Andrews

MARY

Early each day to the steps of St. Paul’s
The little old bird woman comes
In her own special way to the people she calls
“Come, buy my bags full of crumbs.”

Come feed the little birds, show them you care
And you’ll be glad if you do
Their young ones are hungry, their nests are so bare
All it takes is tuppence from you

Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag

“Feed the birds,” that’s what she cries
While overhead, her birds fill the skies
All around the cathedral the saints and apostles
Look down as she sells her wares
Although you can’t see it, you know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that he cares

Though her words are simple and few
Listen, listen, she’s calling to you:
“Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.”

14. Fidelity Fiduciary Bank by David Tomlinson & Dick Van Dyke

MR. DAWES SR.

If you invest your tuppence wisely in the bank, safe and sound
Soon that tuppence, safely invested in the bank will compound

And you’ll achieve that sense of conquest as your affluence expands
In the hands of the directors who invest as propriety demands

MR. BANKS, spoken

May I, sir?

MR. DAWES SR., spoken

Carry on, Banks

MR. BANKS (MR. DAWES SR., spoken)

You see, Michael
You’ll be part of railways through Africa (Exactly)
Dams across the Nile (The ships, tell them about the ships)
Fleets of ocean Greyhounds (More, tell them more)
Majestic, self-amortizing canals (How it fires the imagination)
Plantations of ripening tea

BANK DIRECTORS

All from tuppence prudently, thriftilly, frugally invested in the
To be specific
In the Dawes, Tomes, Mousely, Grubbs Fidelity Fiduciary Bank

MR. BANKS (MR. DAWES SR., spoken)

Now, Michael
When you deposit tuppence in a bank account, soon you’ll see
That it blooms into credit of a generous amount semiannually

BANK DIRECTORS

And you’ll achieve that sense of stature as your influence expands
To the high financial strata that established credit now commands

You can purchase first and second trust deeds
Think of the foreclosures
Bonds, chattels, dividends, shares
Bankruptcies, debtor, sales, opportunities
All manner of private enterprise
Shipyards, the mercantile, collieries, tanneries
Incorporations, amalgamations, banks

MR. BANKS

You see, Michael

BANK DIRECTORS

Tuppence
Patiently, cautiously, trustingly invested in the
To be specific
In the Dawes, Tomes, Mousely, Grubbs Fidelity Fiduciary Bank

15. Chim Chim Cher-ee by Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, Matthew Garber & Karen Dotrice

BERT

Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee
A sweep is as lucky as lucky can be
Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-oo
Good luck will rub off when I shakes ‘ands with you
Or blow me a kiss, and that’s lucky too

Now as the ladder of life ‘as been strung
You may think a sweep’s on the bottom-most rung
Though I spends me time in the ashes and smoke
In this ol’ wide world, there’s no ‘appier bloke

Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee
A sweep is as lucky as lucky can be
Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-oo
Good luck will rub off when I shakes ‘ands with you

BERT, JANE & MICHAEL

Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee
A sweep is as lucky as lucky can be
Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-oo
Good luck will rub off when I shakes ‘ands with you

BERT

I choose me bristles with pride, yes I do
A broom for the shaft and a brush for the flue
Up where the smoke is all billered and curled
‘Tween pavement and stars is the chimney sweep world
Where there’s ‘ardly no day and ‘ardly no night
There’s things ‘alf in shadow and ‘alfway in light
On the rooftops of London – coo, what a sight!

BERT & MARY, BOTH

Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee
When you’re with a sweep, you’re in glad company
Nowhere is there a more ‘appier crew
Than them wot sings, “Chim chim cher-ee, chim cher-oo”
Chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee, chim cher-oo

16. Step in Time by Dick Van Dyke

BERT & CHIMNEY SWEEPS

Step in time, step in time
Come on, mateys, step in time
Step in time
Step in time, step in time
Step in time, step in time
Never need a reason
Never need a rhyme
Step in time, you step in time!

Kick your knees up!
Kick your knees up, step in time
Kick your knees up, step in time
Never need a reason
Never need a rhyme
Kick your knees up, step in time

Round the chimney!
Round the chimney, step in time
Round the chimney, step in time
Never need a reason
Never need a rhyme
Round the chimney, step in time

Flap like a birdie!
Flap like a birdie, step in time
Flap like a birdie, step in time
Never need a reason
Never need a rhyme
Flap like a birdie, step in time

Up on the railing!
Up on the railing, step in time
Up on the railing, step in time
Never need a reason
Never need a rhyme
Up on the railing, step in time

Over the rooftops!
Over the rooftops, step in time
Over the rooftops, step in time
Never need a reason
Never need a rhyme… step in time!
Over the rooftops!
Over the rooftops!

Link your elbows!
Link your elbows, step in time
Link your elbows, step in time
Link your elbows
Link your elbows
Link your elbows!

Step in time, step in time
Step in time, step in time
Never need a reason
Never need a rhyme
Step in time, you step in time!

MS. BRILL, spoken

Ahh! They’re at it again!

BERT & CHIMNEY SWEEPS

They’re at it again, step in time
They’re at it again, step in time
They’re at it again, step in time

Ow!
Ow, step in time
Ow, step in time
Never need a reason
Never need a rhyme
Ow, step in time

Votes for women!
Votes for women, step in time
Votes for women, step in time
Votes for women!

It’s the master!
It’s the master, step in time
It’s the master, step in time

What’s all this?
What’s all this?
What’s all this?

17. A Man Has Dreams by David Tomlinson & Dick Van Dyke

Like you say, Guv’nor…

(sung)

You’ve got to grind, grind, grind at that grindstone
Though child’ood slips like sand through a sieve
And all too soon they’ve up and grown
And then they’ve flown
And it’s too late for you to give
Just that spoonful of sugar to ‘elp the medicine go down
The medicine go down, medicine go down

(spoken)

Welp, goodbye Guv’nor. Sorry to trouble you.

18. Let’s Go Fly a Kite by David Tomlinson, Dick Van Dyke & The Londoners

MR. BANKS

With tuppence for paper and strings
You can have your own set of wings
With your feet on the ground
You’re a bird in a flight
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite

Oh, oh, oh
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height
Let’s go fly a kite
And send it soaring up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite

BERT

When you send it flyin’ up there
All at once you’re lighter than air
You can dance on the breeze
Over houses and trees
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite

ENSEMBLE

Oh, oh, oh
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height
Let’s go fly a kite
And send it soaring up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite

19. Let’s Go Fly a Kite (Pre-Demo) by Richard M. Sherman

Mr. Banks:
With tuppence for paper and strings
You can have your own set of wings
With your feet on the ground
You’re a bird in a flight
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite

Oh, oh, oh!
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let’s go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite!

When you send it flyin’ up there
All at once you’re lighter than air
You can dance on the breeze
Over ‘ouses and trees
With your first ‘olding tight
To the string of your kite

Oh, oh, oh!
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let’s go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Let’s go fly a kite!

20. Tuppence a Bag by Richard M. Sherman

Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul’s
The little old bird lady comes
In her own special way to the people she calls
“Come, buy my bags full of crumbs
Come feed the little birds, show them you care
And you’ll be glad if you do
Their young ones are hungry
Their nests are so bare;
All it takes is tuppence from you.”

Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag
“Feed the birds,” that’s what she cries
While overhead, her birds fill the skies
All around the cathedral the saints and apostles
Look down as she sells her wares
Although you can’t see it, you know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that he cares
Though her words are simple and few
Listen, listen, she’s calling to you:
“Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Walt Disney Contribute to the Soundtrack of Mary Poppins?

Walt Disney provided valuable guidance throughout the process and strongly supported Feed the Birds, considering it the emotional core of the film.

Which Song from Mary Poppins is a Famous Tongue Twister?

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is the playful and unforgettable tongue twister that became one of the film’s most loved songs.

How did Critics Receive the Mary Poppins Music?

Critics loved the music for its fun, emotional songs and creative style, calling it one of Disney’s best soundtracks.

Casey Monroe

Casey focuses on writing about singers and vocal performers. They've been in this field for about 8 years. Casey's articles look at both the technical side of singing and the stories behind the artists. They studied music performance in college and worked as a vocal coach for a while. This background helps Casey explain complex singing ideas in ways that are easy to grasp. Casey likes to talk with singers from different genres to get a wide view of the singing world. When not writing, they often go to concerts and music festivals to stay up-to-date with live performances.

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