Chim Chim Cher-ee

"Chim Chim Cher-ee" is a song from Mary Poppins, the 1964 musical motion picture. It was originally sung by Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews. "Chim Chim Cher-ee" is also featured prominently in the award winning Cameron Mackintosh/Disney stage musical of the same name which premiered in London at the Prince Edward Theatre in 2004. Mary Poppins premiered on the Broadway stage on November 16, 2006. The song can be heard in the Mary Poppins scene of The Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios and during the Mary Poppins segment of Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations at Disneyland.

The song won the 1964 Academy Award for Best Original Song. In 2005, Julie Andrews included this song as part of "Julie Andrews Selects Her Favorite Disney Songs."

Songwriters
The song was written in by Robert B. Sherman & Richard M. Sherman (the "Sherman Brothers") who also won an Oscar and a Grammy Award for Mary Poppins' song score.

Inspiration
The song was inspired by one of the drawings of a chimney sweep created by Mary Poppins' screenwriter, Don DaGradi. When asked about the drawing by the Sherman Brothers, DaGradi explained the ancient British folklore attributed to "sweeps" and how shaking hands with one could bring a person good luck. In their 1961 treatment, the Sherman Brothers had already amalgamated many of the P.L. Travers characters in the creation of "Bert". His theme music became "Chim Chim Cher-ee". In addition to the "standard" version of the song which Bert sings to the children, he sings short snippets of the song to himself at various times, with different verses specific to an unfolding plot element.

Lyrics
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 shake '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 bottommost rung

Though I spends me time In the ashes and smoke In this 'ole 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 shake 'ands with you Or blow me a kiss And that's lucky too

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 shake 'ands with you

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 shake 'ands with you

I choose me bristles With pride, yes, I do A broom for the shaft and A brush for the flue

(Though I'm covered with soot from Me head to me toes, A sweep knows he's welcome Wherever he goes

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 shake 'ands with you

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 shake 'ands with you)

Up where the smoke is All billered and curled 'Tween pavement and stars is The chimney sweep world

When there's 'ardly no day Nor 'ardly no night There's things 'alf in shadow And 'alfway in light On the rooftops of London Coo, what a sight!

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! (On the) Chim chiminey chim chim Cher-ee chim cher-oo!"

Covers

 * John Coltrane on the 1965 album The John Coltrane Quartet Plays
 * Duke Ellington released a complete Album with Mary Poppins songs, Duke Ellington Plays Mary Poppins.
 * The Howard Roberts Quartet covered this song in 1965.
 * The New Christy Minstrels on the 1965 album Chim Chim Cher-ee and Other Happy Songs
 * Alvin and the Chipmunks on the 1969 album The Chipmunks Go to the Movies
 * Louis Armstrong on Disney Songs The Satchmo Way album.
 * Rex Gildo, in German on 1965's Chim-Chim-Cheri
 * Mannheim Steamroller on the 1999 album, Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse.
 * Joe Pernice (as "Chim Cheree") on the 2009 album It Feels So Good When I Stop
 * Esperanza Spalding on the 2010 album Everybody Wants To Be A Cat
 * Plastic Tree (in Japanese on the 2011 album V-Rock Disney
 * Turin Brakes as a 2011 single, with all UK proceeds going to Shelter (charity).
 * On 2013 album Disney - Koe no Oujisama Vol.3, which features various seiyus covering Disney songs, this song was covered by Takuma Terashima