We've all been inspired by Disney movies. Whether it was to dream a little more or wish for something we always wanted, Disney films have inspired generations of kids worldwide. It was precisely the way that Walt Disney wanted it. He wanted to create stories inspiring people to grow beyond their small lot in life.
After World War II, Disney films found an audience with two young boys living in Liverpool, England. The lads grew up on Disney films, and it forever altered the course of their lives. And together, Paul McCartney and John Lennon would inspire another generation of musicians and artists. And here's how those two worlds collided.
McCartney grew up eating meat, despite being one of the most famous vegetarians in the world. After seeing Bambi (1942) for the first time, McCartney became aware of animal cruelty.
McCartney told the BBC:
You look through a lot of these great stories – Dumbo, his mum is quite badly treated. A lot of these classic stories, through their efforts, kids – as I once was – have grown up feeling it’s a bad idea to be cruel to animals.
He had now dedicated his life to the protection of animals because of what he saw as a kid in a Disney movie. Disney also inspired John Lennon to write one of the Beatles' classic songs.
Lennon said in his final interview:
My mother was always… she was a comedian and a singer. Not professional, but, you know, she used to get up in pubs and things like that. She had a good voice. She could do Kay Starr. She used to do this little tune when I was just a one- or two-year-old… yeah, she was still living with me then… The tune was from the Disney movie – ‘Want to know a secret? Promise not to tell. You are standing by a wishing well.’ So, I had this sort of thing in my head and I wrote it and just gave it to George to sing. I thought it would be a good vehicle for him because it only had three notes, and he wasn’t the best singer in the world.
A lovely story about inspiration with a shot at George Harrison at the end: the Beatles, like the rest of us, grew up on Disney films, and they inspired us to try and change the world.
Walt Disney Animation was planning on returning the favor to the Beatles, but it was not to be. 1967, when Disney was working on The Jungle Book, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney were meant to lend their vocals to the film as the four vultures. Disney and the Beatles fans would have gone crazy, especially if they had been singing.
But it never came to fruition; the band members decided not to lend their vocals to the film, citing scheduling issues. But how great would seeing the Fab Four in a Disney film have been?
Sadly for us fans, we will never hear a Beatles song in a Disney movie, but at least we know they loved Disney like the rest.
