Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Fifty years ago this week (August 26 to be exact)

The Perfect Nanny
by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman


Wanted: A nanny for two adorable children

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

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,
Jane and Michael Banks

The rest is, as they say, history.


6 comments:

  1. I beg to differ sire, I believe that "Mary Poppins" was actually released on August 27th 1964. Or were you hinting about the birth of your beloved son? Whatever the sub-text I think you would mnake a fine Bert, the Cockney jack-of-all-trades if the Canton Theatrical Group should ever plan to stage "Mary Poppins". Your English accent would surely be better than Dick Van Dyke's!

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  2. Yorkshire Pudding, I direct your attention to the first sentence of the second paragraph of this article. Apology accepted.

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  3. After your kind remarks I really feel a bit of a philistine.
    I detest the Sound of Music and Mary Poppins.

    Too sweet by a long way for me.

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  4. I read Mary Poppins a few years ago as a distraction during a period of medical mayhem. She was difficult, demanding, vain and soooo much more interesting (to me) than the Disney version.

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  5. I had a dream recently where Mary Poppins and Nanny MacFee got very drunk indeed together and had a riotous time with their magical capabilities. Just thought I'd throw that in. The word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious alone gives some kudos to the whole film - however, I am with E.C in so much as the books are far better than the film.

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<b>Always true to you, darlin’, in my fashion</b>

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