Writer, director, composer, lyricist, producer, and Kritzerland head honcho Bruce Kimmel had a long and beautiful friendship with Richard M. Sherman, one-half of the legendary Sherman Brothers songwriting team. Last year, Bruce unveiled Richard and Me, a new memoir chronicling their friendship. Now, he’s ready to unveil The Sherman Brothers Album as it was meant to be heard. Bruce produced the original sessions for the album 25 years ago but didn’t get the opportunity to see the album to fruition – leading to an unfortunately missed opportunity for fans of the duo…
The Weekend Stream: July 19, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. We’ve got a gem from Linda Ronstadt’s vault, a new update of a Disney classic and a fascinating sit-down with one of folk’s most important matriarchs – plus tributes to artists we lost this week and a potential hint at a very exciting reissue from one of the pivotal duos in ’70s rock. Linda Ronstadt, “How Do I Make You” / “Rambler Gambler” (Asylum/Rhino) (Apple / Amazon) This week, song…
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Soundtrack Watch: Intrada, La-La Land Kick Off 2025 with a Bang
The last few months were positively packed with soundtrack reissues – not one, but two Black Friday-sized batches from La-La Land, and a generous array of in-demand titles from Intrada, as well. Well, if you can believe it, those roll-outs could have been even bigger – and La-La Land and Intrada are proving it with their first releases of 2025 (for LLL, all titles that were meant to release last year). There’s something for everyone: music from a Jim Henson cult classic, an action-packed sequel scored by a legendary pop producer, a…
Holiday Gift Guide Review: ‘Mary Poppins: 60th Anniversary Collection’
I. In Every Job That Must Be Done, There is An Element of Fun When you’re a child – no matter where you’re from, or how perceptive you may be about such things – it’s easy to get a sixth sense about something you watch or read and just feel is different from the rest of what you’ve watched or seen. The Wizard of Oz is that way for many people. So too is Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers’ series of books about a magical nanny that was adapted into a colorful musical film by Walt…
It’s a Jolly Holiday: ‘Mary Poppins’ Vinyl Box Announced for 60th Anniversary
When Richard M. Sherman, one half of the legendary songwriting team The Sherman Brothers, passed away last month, The Second Disc was quick to pay tribute to all the duo’s great works for Walt Disney films and elsewhere. But their most towering achievement is probably the song score to the whimsical Mary Poppins. This summer, to celebrate the film’s 60th anniversary, Disney will release a limited edition vinyl box set collecting the film’s original soundtrack, rare archival material and no less than four out-of-print albums from the Disney discography. The Mary Poppins (60th Anniversary…
In Memoriam: Richard M. Sherman (1928-2024)
Joe and Mike would like to share a few words on the remarkable life and music of Richard M. Sherman. Mike starts things off with a look back at Richard and his brother Robert’s extraordinary achievements. Since the first whistles came from Mickey Mouse’s lips in Steamboat Willie, the work of Walt Disney and his media empire has been inexorably tied with music. From lilting tunes in early animated and live-action features (“Heigh-Ho,” “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah”) and forays into classical revivalism in 1940’s Fantasia, to the modern Broadway…
Some Disc! ‘Charlotte’s Web’ Soundtrack Makes CD Debut From Varese
In 1973, Hanna-Barbera’s animated adaptation of E.B. White’s beloved children’s novel Charlotte’s Web was released; over time, it became a multi-generational classic. 45 years later, a major milestone occurs with the first ever CD release of the film’s winning soundtrack, courtesy of Varese Sarabande. Though White professed to not care for the film, condemning it as “a travesty” and admitting “I don’t care much for jolly songs,” Charlotte’s Web has incredibly gained fans with time. The story of Wilbur, a timid pig (Henry Gibson) saved from slaughter by the kind arachnid Charlotte…
For Now, For Always: A Second Disc Interview! Bruce Kimmel Announces “Unsung Sherman Brothers”
“In every job that must be done/There is an element of fun/You find the fun and snap!/The job’s a game!” For more than fifty years, the tuneful team of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman found the fun in their own job: songwriting. Together, “The Boys” penned memorable hits by Annette Funicello and Ringo Starr, defined the sound of Disneyland with unforgettable songs like “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” and “It’s a Small World,” and made timeless movie magic with Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Charlotte’s Web, Chitty Chitty Bang…
