Mike’s Favorite Original Songs of the Decade: #140 – “A Cover Is Not a Book,” from Mary Poppins Returns

140. “A Cover Is Not a Book,” from Mary Poppins Returns

If I had to describe the Mary Poppins Return songs and my feelings about them, I’d say, “A hearty respect, but no love.” Because they’re all really solid. But I just don’t have the warmth toward them that I do the songs from the original. But they’re all really well-written and performed. This is basically an English beer hall song. They’re singing the same hook and working their own story/verses in there. I’m not a huge fan of working the Lin-Manuel Miranda rap in there, but apparently that’s a thing that has to be done for him in movies, so I get it. It’s a very fun song that is always better than I think it’s gonna be when I put it on.