Trust in Me (The Python's Song)
Encyclopedia
"Trust in Me" is a song in the widely popular Walt Disney
film, The Jungle Book
, from 1967. The song was sung by Sterling Holloway
playing the part of "Kaa
, the snake". The song was written by Disney staff songwriters, Robert and Richard Sherman. In the song, Kaa hypnotizes Mowgli, placing him under a trance. As the song concludes, Kaa readies himself to devour the boy, only to be stopped by Shere Khan
the tiger in his search for Mowgli.
due to Disney's feeling that the interpretation was keeping too true to the Rudyard Kipling
book. In a deliberate effort to keep the score "light", this song as well as the Sherman Brothers' other contributions generally concern darker subject matter than the accompanying music would suggest. In the case of this song, Kaa speaks and sings with a subtle, lilting lisp
giving the song a humorous dimension that it would not otherwise have.
musical film
, Mary Poppins
. The song was later discarded when the Sherman Brothers were called upon to write songs for The Jungle Book. The lyric for the "Land of Sand" was scrapped and in its place the Shermans wrote the lyric for "Trust in Me", melody intact.
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
film, The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book (1967 film)
The Jungle Book is a 1967 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Released on October 18, 1967, it is the 19th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It was inspired by the stories about the feral child Mowgli from the book of the same name by...
, from 1967. The song was sung by Sterling Holloway
Sterling Holloway
Sterling Price Holloway, Jr. was an American character actor who appeared in 150 films and television programs. He was also a voice actor for The Walt Disney Company...
playing the part of "Kaa
Kaa
Kaa is a fictional and exceptionally long Python molurus from the Mowgli stories written by Rudyard Kipling. Kaa is one of Mowgli's mentors and friends. He, Baloo and Bagheera sing for Mowgli "The Outsong" of the jungle. First introduced in the story "Kaa's Hunting" in The Jungle Book, Kaa is a...
, the snake". The song was written by Disney staff songwriters, Robert and Richard Sherman. In the song, Kaa hypnotizes Mowgli, placing him under a trance. As the song concludes, Kaa readies himself to devour the boy, only to be stopped by Shere Khan
Shere Khan
Shere Khan is a fictional tiger of the Indian jungle. He is the chief antagonist in two of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book stories featuring Mowgli. Shere Khan is named after an Afghan Prince Kipling encountered on his trips to Afghanistan...
the tiger in his search for Mowgli.
The Sherman treatment
The Shermans were brought onto the film by Walt DisneyWalt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
due to Disney's feeling that the interpretation was keeping too true to the Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
book. In a deliberate effort to keep the score "light", this song as well as the Sherman Brothers' other contributions generally concern darker subject matter than the accompanying music would suggest. In the case of this song, Kaa speaks and sings with a subtle, lilting lisp
Lisp
A lisp is a speech impediment, historically also known as sigmatism. Stereotypically, people with a lisp are unable to pronounce sibilants , and replace them with interdentals , though there are actually several kinds of lisp...
giving the song a humorous dimension that it would not otherwise have.
Origins of song
The song started as "The Land of Sand, " a song that was written originally for the 19641964 in film
The year 1964 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 29 - The film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is released....
musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
, Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins (film)
Mary Poppins is a 1964 musical film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, produced by Walt Disney, and based on the Mary Poppins books series by P. L. Travers with illustrations by Mary Shepard. The film was directed by Robert Stevenson and written by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, with songs by...
. The song was later discarded when the Sherman Brothers were called upon to write songs for The Jungle Book. The lyric for the "Land of Sand" was scrapped and in its place the Shermans wrote the lyric for "Trust in Me", melody intact.
Cover versions
- One of the least traditional uses of a Disney song has been the 1987 Siouxsie and the Banshees cover of "Trust in Me". This cover first appears on the Siouxsie and the Banshees LPLP albumThe LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
, Through the Looking Glass, and subsequently on several compilation albums. - The Holly Cole TrioHolly ColeHolly Cole is a Canadian jazz singer, particularly popular in Canada and Japan for both her versatile and distinctive voice, along with her adventurous repertoire, which spans such divergent genres as show tunes, rock, and country music.-Holly Cole Trio:In 1983, Cole travelled to Toronto to seek a...
covered "Trust in Me" on the 1991 release Blame It on My Youth. - Alternative rock group BellyBelly (band)Belly was an alternative rock band formed in 1991 by former Throwing Muses members Tanya Donelly and Fred Abong. The band was based in Boston, Massachusetts, though all of the original members grew up in Newport, Rhode Island. The band consisted of Donelly on lead vocals and guitar, Abong on bass,...
covered "Trust in Me" as a B-side to one of their singles in 1993. - In Mickey's House of VillainsMickey's House of VillainsMickey's House of Villains is a direct-to-video film produced by The Walt Disney Company. It is a film adaptation of the Disney Channel animated television series Disney's House of Mouse, starring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Daisy Duck and Disney Villains that have appeared in...
, during the "It's Our House Now" musical number, MinnieMinnie MouseMinerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi...
is tossed to Kaa, who sings two lines from "Trust in Me" to her. - Part of the song is on the soundtrack of the HalloWishesHalloWishesHalloWishes is a fireworks show that takes place during "Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party" at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom theme park...
fireworks show, mixed with AEIOU, song by the CaterpillarCaterpillar (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)The Caterpillar is a fictional character appearing in Lewis Carroll's book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.-Appearance in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland:...
of Alice in Wonderland as part of Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween PartyMickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween PartyMickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a separate-admission Halloween-themed event held annually during the months of September and October at the Magic Kingdom theme park of the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, outside Orlando, and at Disneyland Paris Resort outside Paris,...
at the Magic KingdomMagic KingdomMagic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
in the Walt Disney World resort. - The Dead Brothers made their version of "Trust in Me" in a very dark, psychedelic and bluesy style. This cover appears on their fourth album Wunderkammer.
- Susheela RamanSusheela RamanSusheela Raman is an acclaimed British Tamil musician. Raman has released five albums since 2001. Her debut album Salt Rain was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2001.-Early years:...
covered "Trust in Me" on her debut album, "Salt Rain" in 2001. - Selena GomezSelena GomezSelena Marie Gomez is an American actress and singer best known for portraying Alex Russo in the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place...
covered the song for DisneyMania 7DisneyMania 7Disneymania 7 is the seventh and latest installment in the Disneymania series. It features a variety of contemporary performers taking on their own remixes of classic Disney songs...
.