In the News: "It's a Small World" turns 50. Sing along!

The timeless Disney tune "It's a Small World" that wafts through our memories from past theme park vacations turns 50 this year, and on Thursday, Disney parks worldwide hosted a global sing-along.

At Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, a huge chorus of the song was performed in front of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom by cast members and a children's choir from Central Florida Performing Arts.

The kids, who didn't seem to mind belting out several takes of what some consider an earworm, sang for a live broadcast on "Good Morning America." Tributes to the song will also be held throughout the park all day, and other parks around the world also held sing-alongs.

Not that the parks are in short supply of the song on any regular day. Disney officials estimate that during a 16-hour operating day, the song is played, on average, 1,200 times.

It was written by Richard and Robert Sherman at the request of Walt Disney himself. The brothers won Academy Awards in 1965 for the music for "Mary Poppins."

The "It's a Small World" song and animatronic attraction debuted at the 1964 New York World's Fair in a salute to UNICEF. It was moved to Disneyland in California in 1966 then recreated at the other Disney parks. The attraction opened at the Florida park in 1971.

While some adults may complain about the infectious nature of the song, the gentle boat ride is a calm and air-conditioned respite from the crowds and heat and little kids love it.

With its hundreds of costumed dolls, the attraction was considered high-tech back in the 1970s. It's definitely different than many of the other new theme park offerings these days. There's no 3D, no complicated storyline.

Also in tribute to the song is what Disney is calling the first-of-its-kind online global sing-along. Fans can record videos of themselves singing the catchy tune at SmallWorld50.com, where many truly painful renditions in multiple languages already are playing.

You also can create virtual small-world dolls on the site to benefit UNICEF, the United Nation's Children's Fund. Disney will donate $1 (to up to $100,000) for each video and doll created on the site.

We defy you to evict this earworm from your brain.

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