Born in Chicago, Illinois, Kostal opted not to attend college, instead teaching himself musical arranging by studying the symphonic scores available at his local library. His first professional job was as a staff arranger for Design for Listening, an NBC radio show based in his hometown [1].
After moving to New York City, Kostal was hired for Sid Caesar's popular variety series Your Show of Shows, and followed this with a stint at The Garry Moore Show. In the latter part of the decade he began working on Broadway, orchestrating for Shinbone Alley, The Music Man, Fiorello!, and West Side Story. His work on the latter resulted in his being hired to score the 1961 screen adaptation with Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, and Sid Ramin. The quartet won both an Oscar and a Grammy Award for their contributions. Kostal later went on to collaborate with Saul Chaplin for the 1965 film adaptation of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music and won an Oscar for Best Music Scoring.
For the remainder of his life, Kostal divided his time primarily between stage and screen, with an occasional detour into television to work with such people as Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, and Leonard Bernstein. He supervised the five Sherman Brothers musical film scores at four different movie studios between 1964 and 1978. In 1982, he conducted the digital re-recording of the music to Walt Disney's 1940 animated feature Fantasia. Although he used Leopold Stokowski's original arrangements, many purists were upset by the change, and the studio reinstated the original Stokowski recordings in 1990.
Kostal died of a heart attack in Studio City, California. In 2004 he was named a Disney Legend in recognition of his contributions to films released by the studio.
Overture
Irwin Kostal Lyrics
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Chim, chim, cherry
A sweep is as lucky
As lucky can be
Chim, chimney, chim, chimney
Chim, chim, cheroo
Good luck will rub off
Chim, chimney, chim, chim
Cherry, chim, cheroo
Um, diddle, diddle, diddle
Um diddle a
Um, diddle, diddle, diddle
Um, diddle a
The lyrics in this song, "Chim Chim Che-ree" from Mary Poppins, take on a playful and optimistic tone as they describe the good fortune that can come from encountering a chimney sweep. The repeated chant of "Chim, chimney, chim, chimney / Chim, chim, cherry" creates a lighthearted and catchy rhythm that sets the tone for the rest of the song. The verse continues to describe how a chimney sweep can bring good luck to those around him, and even "good luck will rub off when he shakes hands with you." This suggests that the mere presence of a chimney sweep can have a positive impact on those in their vicinity.
The addition of the nonsensical phrase "Um, diddle, diddle, diddle / Um diddle a" adds to the fanciful and surreal atmosphere of the song. It may also serve to emphasize the childish wonder and imagination that the film promotes throughout. Overall, these lyrics embody the fantastical and magical spirit of Mary Poppins.
Line by Line Meaning
Chim, chimney, chim, chimney
Referencing the chimney sweeps in Mary Poppins; indicates the start of a medley of songs about their craft
Chim, chim, cherry
The sweeps' cheerful greeting
A sweep is as lucky
Despite their dirty and dangerous job, chimney sweeps are considered lucky in British tradition because they prevent chimney fires and bring good luck to a household
As lucky can be
Reinforcing the message of the previous line
Good luck will rub off
Chimney sweeps are known to bring good luck to those they encounter, symbolized by their blackened hands
When he shakes hands with you
This line refers to the belief that shaking hands with a sweep or touching their soot-covered equipment would bring good luck
Um, diddle, diddle, diddle
A nonsensical phrase used to transition between songs
Um diddle a
Continuation of the aforementioned
Um, diddle, diddle, diddle
Another nonsensical phrase used to transition between songs
Um, diddle a
Continuation of the aforementioned
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Richard Sherman, Robert Sherman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind