RIP Robert Sherman
 

Starting to get out that Robert Sherman has passed away. :( From his son Jeffrey's FB Page:

Hello to family and friends,

I have very sad news to convey.

My Dad, Robert B. Sherman, passed away tonight in London. He went peacefully after months of truly valiantly fending off death. He loved life and his dear heart finally slowed to a stop when he could fight no more.

I will write more about this incredible man I love and admire so much when I am better rested and composed. He deserves that.

In the meantime, please say a prayer for him. As he said, he wanted to bring happiness to the world and, unquestionably, he succeeded. His love and his prayers, his philosophy and his poetry will live on forever. Forever his songs and his genius will bring hope, joy and love to this small, small world.

I love you, Dad.

Safe travels.

Love,

Jeff

I just tweeted this about him: He wrote simple words that went deep and saved forever.

How very sad, the passing of a truly amazing man. He gave us so many wonderful memories and songs.

What a very sad loss to the world. His son's words were so touching and beautiful.

I left the morning news streaming on my phone and wandered away. Theo came running to find me, pointing at his ear.
"Did you hear something fun?" He nodded.
I walked back and NPR was playing "Small World" during a Robert Sherman tribute.
"Yes, you like this song," I said, suddenly hit with so many emotions.

I'll be forever grateful to the Sherman brothers, for their amazing contributions to my childhood, and their already substantial contributions to my 2-year-old son's childhood.

That's awesome. Le sigh. I fell in love with that song as a four-year old, about two years before it hit Disneyland. Later I could see how it could be grating, but now I can appreciate how malleable it is to so many 60's-era internationlistic arrangement interpretations that I am so glad were restored to Disneyland less than a decade ago. Le sigh, I also fell in love with many other Sherman Brothers songs at at age six, when Mary Poppins was released. I don't think I realized at the time it was the same composers.

But Theo's got me beat by a couple of years, so kudos to his good taste. And eternal thanks to Robert Sherman for his sizeable contributions to my eternal childhood. Please be sure to stop by Canada, France, the UK, Ireland, Holland, Germany, Uganda, Zimbawe, India, China, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay, Australia and Hawaii on your way to the afterlife. We will cherish your happy and beautiful music forever.

Hmm. My earlier post got auto-corrected into incoherence, or something.

Has anyone read Robert's autobiographical novel, Moose?

That was a nice piece, but did anyone else notice that Shaiman's bio takes up as much space as his tribute to Robert Sherman?