Public summary
Composer Richard M. Sherman explains developing one song for the animated version of THE JUNGLE BOOK. Richard and brother Robert, his collaborator for fifty years, wrote “I Want to Be Like You,” to be sung by an ape and a back-up band made up of monkeys. Feeling the playful tune would be right for popular singer and bandleader Louis Prima, the Shermans auditioned it for him. Prima and his band initially feigned offence at being considered monkeys, but genuinely admired the buoyant song. When they performed it for the filmmakers, the film’s animators incorporated the band's lively stage promenade and antics into their cartoon counterparts.
