All Things Disney Music Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[KPmusmag]

For some reason, I have been listening to "The Happiest Millionaire" soundtrack quite a bit lately. My maternal Grandmother took me to see it at The Granada Theater in Santa Barbara, CA , where she had also taken me to see "Mary Poppins" ( and "The Sound of Music" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie" across the street at The Arlington Theater). Although I was young, at the time she she took me to see "Millionaire" I could cogently tell you the stories of "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music", but I recall that as we walked out of the theater after "Millionaire" I had no clue what I had just seen. It had been a pleasurable experience, and I listened to the the album often, but I really didn't understand the movie; but I liked the alligator and Fred MacMurray from "My Three Sons". In those days, Disney had a way of appealing to adults and children alike. So many good memories as a child of enjoying Disney movies with adult family members. I recall laughing at the Absent Minded Professor movies with my Dad , and being thrilled by "20,000 Leagues" at the drive-in with Dad and my Uncle. Sorry to ramble. The music really evokes memories.

 

[KPmusmag]

Listening to "The Happiest Millionaire" soundtrack, I also notice that the orchestrations remind so much of Disneyland of the era. The Overture, for example, makes me feel like I am entering "The Carousel of Progress".

 

[Mike Frezon]

The Overture, for example, makes me feel like I am entering "The Carousel of Progress".

And there ain't no better feeling than that! The CoP is my favorite Disney attraction (which makes me an old fuddy-duddy in the eyes of most).

And, I should add, The Happiest Millionaire is one of my absolute favorite Disney musicals!

 

[Jason_V]

And there ain't no better feeling than that! The CoP is my favorite Disney attraction (which makes me an old fuddy-duddy in the eyes of most).

And I just listened to that whole track on the Musical History of Disneyland yesterday. One of my faves.

 

[Joel Arndt]

Count me in as a huge fan of the CoP, also. Wasn't it sponsored by GE originally? And I see it's still operating at DisneyWorld in FL.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Yes and yes, Joel.

It went through a change at one time...which resulted in the use of an entirely different song. It changed from It's a Great Big Beautifyul Tomorrow to The Best Time of Your Life in the 1980s). It has since been put back to IaGBBT (thankfully). I say "thankfully" but like most attractions, people tend to favor the version they see for the first time. So the people who first saw the CoP with TBToYL will likely prefer THAT version. Both songs were written by the Sherman Brothers.

Fun fact, the voice of the grandfather in the last act of the WDW CoP is provided by Rex Allen (the original voice of the main character in the original CoP).

 

[Jason_V]

Yep...GE is all over the music for CoP. It's no longer in DisneyLand...I really hope it's still active at WDW when we go in November.

 

[Mike Frezon]

It will be (pending any maintenance, of course). They even spiffed up the exterior not too long ago, Jason!

 

[Jason_V]

Woo hoo! The group I'm (theoretically) going with is gonna hate me.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Hey! Everyone gets to do their favorite ride!

This'll get you psyched up and you can be singing it constantly between now and November!

There's a great big beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of everyday
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow
And tomorrow's just a dream away

Man has a dream and that's the start
He follows his dream with mind and heart
And when it becomes a reality
It's a dream come true for you and me
image: http://static.urx.io/units/web/urx-unit-loader.gif

So there's a great big beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of everyday
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow
Just a dream away......

 

[Mike Frezon]

 

[Joel Arndt]

I've seen it with both songs. Of course, the first few times I saw it was with the original song TAGBBT, which I prefer. Glad it's been restored. Jason, I'm so jealous! I need to get back to WDW. Been too long! The last time I visited WDW was in 1993(!) and CoP was closed for one of its renos.

 

[Jason_V]

Joel, I think I'm going to make it to all three of the Disney USA resorts this year. We spent a day at Aulani a week ago; gonna be in Anaheim for a work conference in July...so of course I'm going to DisneyLand and DCA; and then November to WDW. I haven't been to the latter since almost the same time you were.

 

[Joel Arndt]

That's fantastic Jason. Sounds like a Disney overload I would love.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I've been very good and haven't listened to the new Beauty and the Beast soundtrack yet at all. (I am seeing the film tomorrow.)

In order to scratch my Disney musical itch, though, I have been revisiting several other films, including the animated Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Pocahontas. The latter is not something I had put in for a good while -- I greatly prefer the 10th Anniversary director's cut of the film on the 2005 DVD, which is inexcusably not presented intact on the Blu-ray, so it is one of the rare films that I won't upgrade to Blu-ray on the basis that the cut I want is not there. But I tend to watch Blu-rays more often, so pulling out Pocahontas on DVD has been more rare than it would be than if the the 10th Anniversary cut were available on Blu-ray.

Anyway, revisiting the film also caused me to finally pull the trigger on ordering the Legacy Collection soundtrack from Amazon, which I've wanted since it came out but for some odd reason never actually got before. It's yet to be shipped, but thanks to AutoRip, I've already got the MP3s and have noticed a couple odd lyric changes in "Savages."

First of all, on my copy of the original soundtrack, which I purchased in 1995, the settlers refer to the natives as "dirty redskin devils." This is the lyric I have always assumed that it was because, even though I have seen the film many, many times over the years, I've played the CD while working at my desk even more often than watching the film. On the DVD -- and on the new Legacy soundtrack -- the line is "dirty shrieking devils," which -- when I heard it in the film this afternoon and then on the new MP3 -- threw me through a loop.

Also, earlier in the same song on both the 1995 soundtrack and the new Legacy one, Radcliffe says, "Their whole disgusting race is like a curse." The 2005 DVD has changed this to "This is what you get when races are diverse!" But, here's the strange thing: like I said, the new soundtrack retains the "whole disgusting race" line, and it was released in 2015 -- ten years AFTER the DVD.

Because I don't have the Blu-ray, for reason discussed above, I cannot check to see what it is there, but I'm very curious if anybody else has it.

Since I was six years old, I also don't remember what this lyric was during the theatrical release or VHS (which I owned for many years, but no longer have.)

My own personal inkling would be that both "redskin devils" and "whole disgusting race is like a curse" were judged as politically incorrect by Disney, and they instituted the change at some point, like when Aladdin's "when they cut off your ear if they don't like your face" line was changed for video. But the irony of changing in this case -- if that is indeed what happened -- is that the whole song is about the settlers being fascist and insensitive to/misunderstanding of the native Americans, so keeping the "politically incorrect" lines actually make a much stronger statement in demonstrating how out-of-touch Radcliffe and the others are being.

But -- that's just a guess. And I would very much like to find out what actually happened, when and why these changes were made.

Does anyone know more?

On another note, it's interesting and commendable that the Legacy CD reflects the 10th Anniversary cut's inclusion of both "If I Never Knew You" and the short reprise of it in Pocahontas' and John's farewell, even though it was released after the Blu-ray eliminated that cut of the film from general availability.

 

[KPmusmag]

I came across a copy of the Mike Sammes version of "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" today. I thought hard about it, and I believe I have not heard this album in at least 40 years. I do prefer the soundtrack album. But listening to it today, I discovered some unused/alternate lyrics that I found interesting.

"With a Flair" contains an entire verse not used in the soundtrack:

Give them moans and groans
and soporific tones
and your purse will burst, so prepare.
I prognosticate at the going rate
from a levitating chair.
I have a faithful following of dupes who enjoy
this folderol I feed them with a flair.
With an entrance that's astounding
and an exit that's confounding,
though my tricks are mediocre, who's to care?

And this gem from the very end of "Portobello Road" (which reminds me of Bert's lyric, "Something is brewing, about to begin..." etc):

Anything you're purchasing
is more than it seems;
you're buying the story
of mysteries and dreams.

There are some nice moments in this recording, although it does have a generic sound and the vocalist for "Substitutiary Locomotion" could have been stronger. Still, an enjoyable rediscovery after so many (I can't believe how many) years.

 

[KPmusmag]

Just a note about my Bedknobs post: in looking through the excellent book "Mouse Tracks", it is revealed that the female vocalist on "Substitutiary Locomotion' was Judy Carne from "Laugh-In" (p 130). Apparently it was some sort of audition recording. She must have signed a waiver of some sort because based on her Broadway Cast Album performance in "The Boyfriend" I think she could have done better, and her name is not present on the album.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Well, the home release of the Newsies musical is happening a lot earlier than I thought.

Disney sent me an email this afternoon announcing its digital release on May 23 via Disney Movies Anywhere.

NEWSIES THE BROADWAY MUSICAL is coming to Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere May 23rd. Loaded with fun extras, behind the scenes videos and more!
Pre-order yours today!

But it doesn't say a word about a Blu-ray or DVD release.

 

[Jason_V]

I've pimped the FutureWorld Sound Series a few times over the years, but figured it's worth an update. I went over to download the last Pavilion (Communicore) set I didn't have... and found out Disney has asked all the music be removed from the site. It's strange since some/all of this music has been online and fairly well promoted for years.

This isn't entirely unexpected, but I have to think there's a reason for it now as opposed to, say, two years ago or whatever. Maybe (hoping) Disney is planning on doing some for EPCOT's 35 anniversary in October?

 

[Jake Lipson]

It's not "Disney," but since I know there are a lot of Alan Menken fans out there via his Disney work, I thought it would be worth bumping this thread to mention we're getting a new Alan Menken score. Mr. Menken is the composer whose work most defined my childhood with his incredible run of '90s Disney films, so to be honest he could probably score the phone book and I would buy it. On Friday this week comes the release of the Broadway cast album for the musical version of A Bronx Tale, which Alan Menken composed with his frequent Disney collaborator Glenn Slater doing lyrics. I've heard some of it on YouTube already and I have to say it's really good.

Official release date for the CD is Friday, May 12 but it's in stock and shipping now from the label. http://www.sh-k-boom.com/a-bronx-tale. It's also on digital services already.