# "it's a small world after all" - where's it from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2002, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352 "2002-06-28T09:25:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/1 "2002-06-28T09:25:18Z")
Everyone knows the song “It’s a Small World After All.” (I don’t know if many people actually _like_ it.) But where is it from? I know it’s played on a ride in Disneyland and Disneyworld, but I’ve only been there a few times in my life and I don’t remember any other songs from any other rides. Was in some movie or TV show? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/2 "2002-06-28T12:59:54Z")
According to _Since The World Began_, by Jeff Kurtti (Hyperion, 1996): > [@](#): > > “It’s A Small World was the whimsical centerpiece of the UNICEF pavilion [at the 1964-65 World’s Fair]. With only nine months until the fair’s opening, Walt Disney was approached to design the pavilion. Even though his staff was working day and night on the other three fair shows, Walt accepted the challenge, and the Imagineers formulated what would come to be their most beloved ans successful attraction. Richard and Robert Sherman, Academy Award© winners for their work on _Mary Poppins_, contributed to the now-famous anthem.” In other words, the music was written specifically for the 1964-65 World’s Fair attraction, and was then used when the attraction was re-created at Disneyland and later Walt Disney World. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/3 "2002-06-28T13:00:29Z")
If I remember correctly, the _Wonderful World of Disney_ television show did a special program on the ride when it opened. It went into the design of the ride, the concept behind it and so forth. It seems I recall that they made a point of saying that the song was specially commisioned just for that ride. As for why the tune sticks with you so long after the ride as compared with other rides there; I believe it is because it is constantly played and on no other ride do they do play one song to such a great extent. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/4 "2002-06-28T14:08:51Z")
But on Peter Pan’s Flight the music loop that plays while you wait in line last about 17 seconds. Then it just repeats over and over and over and over. It’s a Small World is reported to be able to be sung in any language. (I wonder if you could do it in BASIC) But I think it would be infinetly creepier to be in there alone after with the song and motions turn off and surrounded by all those dolls. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/5 "2002-06-28T15:02:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zebra \* > \*\*But I think it would be infinetly creepier to be in there alone after with the song and motions turn off and surrounded by all those dolls. \*\* Yes, it would be… see my post here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=121833&perpage=50&pagenumber=2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=121833&perpage=50&pagenumber=2) (not quite alone, and the motions were still on, but … \) ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/6 "2002-06-28T15:40:37Z")
I used to think it was an eerie coincidence that every time I went on the IASWAA ride at Disney World the ride stopped right at the point where they’re singing it in about 500 languages… but I now I suspect they did that intentionally to _creep you out_… ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/7 "2002-06-28T15:50:06Z")
The song came _from hell!_ Um, sorry about that. I got stuck on the ride for 20 minutes and the song just kept playing and playing. And all those evil dolls, Satan-spawn I tell ya. There’s a Duff for you and a Duff for me… ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/8 "2002-06-28T16:41:35Z")
In the classic nuclear holocaust movie **Sekai Daisenso** , released stateside as **The Last War** , that song is featured in the closing moments. Interestingly, though, the movie was made in 1961, predating the song by approximately 3 years according to my admittedly public school education. I’d be curious to know if in the original Japanese version what the song was, if indeed there was a song. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/9 "2002-06-28T23:42:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Telemark \* > \*\*There’s a Duff for you and a Duff for me… \*\* No, no. That’s Duff Beer for me, Duff Beer for you, I’ll have a Duff, You have one too. A lot less annoying that that _other_ Little Children of the World™ ride, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/10 "2002-06-29T00:48:25Z")
Okay, check this out. I was watching the Tom Snyder show awhile back(before Craig took it over). I know, it was weird that I was watching it. Anyway here is a story he told. He had said on the air that he had always wondered who in the world wrote the song “It’s a Small World After All”. A few weeks after he said that, an elderly woman came up to him on the street and spoke to hiim rather angrily. Being the way Tom Snyder is, he took her out to lunch to calm her down. Turns out, _her husband wrote the song_ and was very proud of it. She didn’t like hearing Tom bash her husbands music on the air. She said her husband was told to write a song that could repeat itself over and over and that’s how he came up with it. Anyway, here’s the kicker. About a week later, Tom is walking down the street elsewhere, and an elderly gentleman came up to him. The gentleman said, “Tom Snyder, I just want you to know that _I_ wrote It’s a Small World after All and I don’t like hearing you attack it!” Tom paused. Tom says, “I ran into your wife last week and she yelled at me too.” “Well, it’s a small world,” the guy replies. True story. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/11 "2002-06-29T03:44:15Z")
It was a clause in the contract Disney signed when he sold his soul to **ALL MIGHT SATAN**. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/12 "2002-06-29T06:04:24Z")
…for the next four weeks (give or take). The ride is currently closed until July 26, 2002. [/end hijack] ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-small-world-after-all-wheres-it-from/116352/13 "2002-06-30T07:25:57Z")
A friend of mine wrote the following. Good for a laugh. [http://www.mrlizard.com/hellvision.html](http://www.mrlizard.com/hellvision.html) (Yes, it’s related to the OP!)