You know that feeling when a song just hits different? Not the "dance around your kitchen" kind of hit, but the kind that makes you stop and stare out the window for a second. For Walt Disney, that song was "Feed the Birds." Most of us know it as the mary poppins tuppence a bag lyrics, a haunting lullaby that feels way more serious than the rest of that "Supercalifragilistic" movie.
There’s a legendary story at the Disney studios about the Sherman Brothers, the guys who wrote the music. Every Friday afternoon, Walt would call them into his office. He’d look out the north window of his suite and say, "Play it." Richard Sherman would sit at the piano and play those chords. When he finished, Walt would usually whisper, "Yep. That’s what it’s all about."
But what was it actually about? If you look at the mary poppins tuppence a bag lyrics, it’s not really a song about pigeons.
The Real Story Behind the Tuppence a Bag Lyrics
The song is officially titled "Feed the Birds," but everyone remembers the chorus: “Feed the birds, tuppence a bag. Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.” It’s based on a very small moment in P.L. Travers' original books—specifically Chapter 7 of Mary Poppins Comes Back. The Sherman Brothers realized this wasn't just a scene; it was the entire point of Mary Poppins coming to the Banks household.
What’s a Tuppence, Anyway?
Back in Edwardian London (where the movie is set), a "tuppence" was just two pence. It was a tiny, almost worthless amount of money. The whole conflict of the movie hinges on this tiny coin.
Think about the bank scene. Mr. Banks wants Michael to invest his tuppence. He wants to talk about compound interest, railroads in Africa, and "fiduciary duty." He sees money as power.
Mary Poppins, through the mary poppins tuppence a bag lyrics, is trying to teach the kids—and their dad—that the "worth" of that coin isn't in what it earns, but in what it gives. Buying a bag of crumbs from the old Bird Woman is an act of pure, selfless charity. It doesn't benefit you. It just helps a hungry bird and a lonely woman.
A Look at the Mary Poppins Tuppence a Bag Lyrics
The lyrics are surprisingly religious, too. Not in a "going to church" way, but in a spiritual way.
“All around the cathedral the saints and apostles
Look down as she sells her wares
Although you can't see it, you know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that he cares.”
The Bird Woman (played by Jane Darwell in her final film role) sits on the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral. The lyrics suggest that the "saints and apostles" are watching. It’s a heavy concept for a kids' movie. It suggests that small acts of kindness are what actually matter in the eyes of the divine, rather than the "giant empires" the bankers sing about later.
The Contrast of the Music
If you listen to the melody, it's a 3/4 waltz time, but it’s played very slowly. It sounds like a hymn. Most Disney songs from that era are bouncy and bright. This one feels dusty and old, like a memory.
The Sherman Brothers actually borrowed the "Listen, listen, she’s calling to you" line from an old 1880 folk song called "Softly and Tenderly," which was a popular Christian invitation hymn. They wanted it to feel like a calling.
Why the Song is the "Heart" of the Movie
Without the mary poppins tuppence a bag lyrics, the movie is just a story about a magical nanny who does cool tricks.
The song provides the stakes. When Mr. Banks walks to the bank at night to be fired, the orchestra plays a dark, somber version of this theme. He passes the steps of St. Paul’s. The Bird Woman is gone. He realizes he missed his chance to be kind, and he's left with nothing but his "fiduciary duty."
It’s the most emotional moment in the film because it’s the moment a "cold" man finally starts to feel something.
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Fun Facts Most Fans Miss
- Jane Darwell’s Cameo: Walt Disney personally asked Jane Darwell to play the Bird Woman. She was living in a retirement home and originally said no, but Walt wouldn't take no for an answer. He sent a limo to pick her up.
- The Snow Globe: The snow globe Mary Poppins holds while singing wasn't filled with snow. It was filled with tiny white birds that "flew" around the cathedral when shaken.
- The Modern Version: In the 2023 Disney short Once Upon a Studio, Richard Sherman returned to Walt's original office to record a new version of the song on the same piano he used in 1964. He was 94 years old at the time.
Putting the Lesson into Practice
It's easy to look at "tuppence" as a historical relic, but the sentiment is still real. The next time you see someone who needs a little help, or you have a chance to do something that has zero benefit for you but helps someone else, think of the song.
Kindness doesn't have to be a grand gesture. Sometimes it’s just two cents and a bag of crumbs.
If you want to experience the magic again, go back and watch the scene without any distractions. Notice how the choir comes in at the end. Notice the way the birds are animated. It’s a masterclass in how a simple song can define a legacy.
Check out the full mary poppins tuppence a bag lyrics below to see the poem in its entirety:
Early each day to the steps of Saint Paul's
The little old bird woman comes
In her own special way to the people she calls
"Come, buy my bags full of crumbs.
Come feed the little birds, show them you care
And you'll be glad if you do
Their young ones are hungry, their nests are so bare
All it takes is tuppence from you."
Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag
Feed the birds, that's what she cries
While overhead her birds fill the skies.
All around the cathedral the saints and apostles
Look down as she sells her wares
Although you can't see it, you know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that he cares.
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Though her words are simple and few
Listen, listen, she's calling to you
"Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag."
To truly appreciate the songwriting, try playing the song on a piano or guitar and pay attention to the minor key shifts—it’s where that "sad but hopeful" feeling comes from.