My Own Home facts for kids

"My Own Home" is a song from the classic Walt Disney movie, The Jungle Book, which came out in 1967. The song is sung by Darleen Carr, who plays the character of Shanti, a human girl. The famous Disney songwriters, Robert and Richard Sherman, wrote this song. It even inspired the song "On the Nile" by Sarah Brightman and was used in the Slum Dogz song "The Jungle Book".

The Sherman Brothers shared a story about how the song came to be:

"The native girl sings "My Own Home" as Mowgli watches. Singer Darleen Carr was at the Disney Studio filming Monkeys, Go Home, and we asked her to record a demo of our new song. Walt (Disney) loved the demo, and many months later, when director Woolie Reitherman said 'We need to find a voice for the girl,' Walt, with his amazing memory, replied, 'You've already got her!'"

Creating the Song

Walt Disney himself brought the Sherman Brothers to work on The Jungle Book. He felt that the movie, based on Rudyard Kipling's book, was a bit too serious for families. So, he wanted the music to be lighter and more fun.

Music and Meaning

Even though the music for "My Own Home" sounds gentle, the song talks about deeper feelings. It's like a special, beautiful song that draws you in. The music has a hint of Indian style, fitting the movie's setting. The movie's composer, George Bruns, also used parts of "My Own Home" earlier in the film's soundtrack. This helped prepare the audience for when the song finally appears at the end of the movie.