''Truly Scrumptious'' is a song composed for the 1968 motion picture ''

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' is a 1968 musical-fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes with a screenplay co-written by Roald Dahl and Hughes, loosely based on Ian Fleming's novel '' Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car'' (1964). The film stars ...

'', and later performed in its 2002/2005 stage adaptation. The song was written by Robert B. Sherman & Richard M. Sherman. It is about the lead female character, Truly. The first time we hear the music to the song is when Truly (played by Sally Ann Howes in the film) motors up to the Potts' windmill with the children. It is later sung to her by Adrian Hall and

Heather Ripley Heather Ripley (born c. 1961) is a Scottish former actress. She is best known for the film '' Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' (1968), in which she played Jemima Potts. Early life Ripley was raised in Broughty Ferry, outside of Dundee, Scotland. Her fa ...

(as Jeremy and Jemima), the twin children of widower

Caractacus Potts Caractacus Pott (Caractacus Potts in the film adaptation) is one of the main characters in Ian Fleming's novel ''Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang'' and its Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, film adaptation. The film version of the story makes several changes to h ...

(played by

Dick Van Dyke Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925) is an American actor, entertainer and comedian. His award-winning career has spanned seven decades in film, television, and stage. Van Dyke began his career as an entertainer on radio and telev ...

in the film), and she sings the second verse back to them. It occurs at the beach scene in the middle of the film when all the characters begin to fall in love with each other.

Reprise

This song is reprised later in the story as a

counterpoint In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tradi ...

to another song entitled "

Doll on a Music Box "Doll on a Music Box" is a song originally from the 1968 musical film, ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (film), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang''. It was subsequently performed in the 2002/2005 stage musical ''Chitty the Musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' as well ...

". When the song is sung a second time, in counterpoint, it is then sung by Caractacus. Truly sings the counterpoint as an expression of her own, "real life" emotional detachment. The counterpoint is staccato whereas "Truly Scrumptious" has a legato melody.

Visual metaphor

This sequence is a part of Caractacus's story, which he is telling to Truly and his children. In the song, Caractacus plays a flimsy rag doll, too flexible for his own good; whereas, Truly plays a precious, too-cutesy doll which is too rigid for her own good. Twice during the counterpoint, the rag doll approaches the doll, only to be slapped in the face. This mirrors the earlier "real life" story where Caractacus's first two interactions with Truly are mistimed as well (first in the workshop, then when Caractacus accidentally runs Truly's car off the road). The rag doll keeps trying, when suddenly he captures his own reflection and realizes how foolish he appears. It is only when Truly momentarily breaks character and shoves him slightly into the mirror to get his attention that he returns to his character. The rag doll properly courts the doll and is about to kiss the doll's hand, when she retracts her hand from him just in time. Rigidity wins out. Only at the end of the movie do Caractacus and Truly truly see eye to eye.

Popular culture

*In 1992, the "

"/"Truly Scrumptious" counterpoint was reenacted as part of a surrealistic sequence of the

1992 film Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 ''Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since the ...

, '' Arizona Dream'' starring

Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Award ...

Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...

, Faye Dunaway and Lili Taylor. *In 2002 and 2003, the song "Truly Scrumptious" was used as the backing music for a string of three British public information films by the Food Standards Agency promoting good food hygiene, voiced by Dervla Kirwan. *In 2006, the song "Truly Scrumptious" was sung in the BBC TV series '' How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?''. *In 2008, the song "Truly Scrumptious" was sung in the BBC TV series '' I'd Do Anything''. *The song was parodied for use in a UK advert for Truvia sweetener in 2012, sung by

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n soprano Ebony Buckle.

External links

Press release for Truvia advert launch
*

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Truly Scrumptious (Song) 1968 songs Songs from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Songs written by the Sherman Brothers