New Disney Music on iTunes: Jan 29, 2008

NEW DISNEY RELEASES added to iTunes on January 29th, 2008:
1) Italiannette (BV 3304) – Remastered from the original 3 track Master
2) Annette Sings Anka (BV 3302) – Remastered from the original full track Master
3) Westward Ho the Wagons (WDL 3041) – Remastered from the original full track Master
4) Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House (DQ 1257) – This is the original “White-Cover” release, narrated by Laura Olsher, and was remastered from the original full track master.
5) Walt Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The first classic Disney soundtrack premier on iTunes. Along with the album, you get a Digital Booklet with behind-the-scenes photos, and illustrations, “Producer’s Note” outlining the background of the project, and there is liner notes from composer John Debney.

PREVIOUSLY RELEASED ON WONDERLAND, Also to be released on iTunes:
1) Meet Me Down On Main Street
2) A Musical Tour of France with Maurice Chevalier
3) Songs from Lady and the Tramp
4) The Disney Afternoon
5) Country Bear Jamboree (the show element has been replaced with the restoration from the Musical History of Disneyland Box Set).

On the subject of iTunes, it seems that some albums are deleted from the iTunes store after a while. I have noticed a few Nightwish tracks that I purchased are no longer listed for sale. And I noticed while looking for these new Disney tracks, that the two Firehouse 5 Plus 2 albums that used to be listed (I hadn't bought them yet - darn!) are no longer listed either. So, it would seem that if you are interested in any of this stuff, you might want to purchase them sooner than later.

The Golden Age of Walt Disney Records 1933-1988

If you enjoy Disney collectibles you can listen to, then you need this book! The book is called The Golden Age of Walt Disney Records 1933-1988, and is a price guide for Disney fans and record collector by R. Michael Murray. The book is a comprehensive colorful guide to over 3,200 recorded Disney releases, complete with photos and collector values. The book was released in 1997 and can easily be found on Amazon, or eBay, which is where I picked up my copy years ago for under $10.
The book stats with a short history of recorded Disney music, which is a very interesting and informative 7 page read. There is also a section on condition and pricing of records, which I pretty much skipped right over. I always find prices in books like this are somewhat of a puzzle. Something that you have been desperately looking for is listed as being next to nothing, but something else you seem to see at every thrift shop is listed as being extremely high priced. Obviously prices can swing from very low to very high on just about any item - just check out eBay and see the prices that a single item are being offered for, and better yet, the price that that item is selling for. One can sell for $50, while another that is listed as being in the same condition etc, can sell for $5.
This is the book where I first found a listing for the album "Walt Disney Takes You To Disneyland". I had come into possession of 3 copies of this record in a span of about 5 months. The first copy I bought off of someone on the usenet (this is before the internet really took off and way before eBay). I paid $50 for this album, which is way more than I ever pay for my records - but this one just sounded so cool, I had to have it, I just could not believe how much I was spending for a Disney record, when I was used to picking them up for a few bucks each. Then a few months later I found 2 copies of the same album in a local used record shop for $3.99 and $4.99 respectively. I started to think I really got hosed on the first one, paying so much. In this book, I learned that this was the first record on the Disneyland record label created entirely by Disneyland Records. I was also relieved to read in this book that the album "Walt Disney Takes You To Disneyland" was valued at $75... So, the price listings in these books are good for something.
My collection of Disney records is still considerably small, so, I guess the listings are really just a way for me to see what kind of material is out there. Currently I am concentrating of collecting as many as possible of the record / book 45's that Disney released, so the complete listing of these records in the book is a great way to see what I am still missing.
I spend most of my time just flipping though the book looking at all the great full color album covers. Seeing all the amazing Disney vinyl I still don't have, really gets me excited whenever I am flipping though albums at a thrift shop etc, hoping to find some of these missing gems!

Sing Along With Jimmy Dodd

Here is a neat album I picked up today in a record shop discount bin for $1. It is called Sing Along with Jimmy Dodd [DQ 1235] and is dated 1963, and printed and manufactured in Canada by RCA Victor Company, Ltd.
Side 1:
1) Rag Mop
2) Harrigan
3) M-O-T-H-E-R
4) Do-Re-Mi
5) Mickey Mouse Cha-Cha-Cha
Side 2:
1) Massachusetts
2) Alphabet Song
3) "A" You're Adorable
4) Encyclopedia
5) I've Got A Gal in Kalamazoo
What's a little strange to me is that the album does not list the album tracks on the back. The only songs listed are the 2 on the front; "Alphabet Song" and "Kalamazoo". The back of the record jacket is a generic back cover showing "Walt Disney's Musical Highlights for the Entire Family, including Many Original Sound Tracks - all for only $1.98. These sort of generic back covers are helpful for those of us interested in seeing what albums we are missing from our collections, but not so good for those buying the album who would actually like to know what is on the album they were about to purchase.
There is also a waring on the back cover letting us know, "This is a Disneyland Long Playing Microgroove unbreakable Record can be played only on 33 1/2 RMP instruments."

A Musical History of Disneyland

It finally arrived today! I received my copy of the 50th Anniversary "A Musical History of Disneyland" collection, which includes 6 audio CDs containing over 7 hours of Disneyland music, as well as an exclusive 72 page hardcover book.
I have been wanted this ever since I first heard about it back in 2005. The original sets also included a reproduction of the very first Disneyland Records LP "Walt Disney Takes You To Disneyland" on gold vinyl. The original sets were only available at Disneyland, or though the Disneyland mail order, and the cost was over $100, and shipping though Disneyland mail order is incredibly high to Canada, so as much as I wanted it, I never did buy it. It showed up on Amazon.com about a year later, without the vinyl reproduction, and with a price tag of about $100. At the time the US/Canadian conversion was still pretty high and the cost of shipping to Canada, and the almost assured costs of duty when crossing the boarder were still enough to keep me from buying it. When it finally showed up on Amazon.ca with a slightly lower cost, I was excited, but still never shelled out the cash to buy it.
Finally this Christmas when I was asked by my mother what I would like for Christmas, I though about it for a while and came up with the two items that I really, really wanted; the Disneyland Records display unit, and the Musical History of Disneyland set. Since I knew that I would have many changes to pick up the CD set, but would probably never see another Display unit like this one, I decided to ask for some cash to help out with the purchase of the display unit. But I still wanted the CD set. Upon visiting the Amazon.ca web site over the Christmas holiday and seeing that they were showing 'just 1 copy left' of the "A Musical History of Disneyland", I decided to take the plunge and order my copy before it was too late. A day or two later when I received the conformation email letting me know my copy had been mailed, I was thrilled! Today it arrived. It's been added to my iTunes collection, and I am listening to it while I type this. I am currently listening to "Country Bear Vacation Hoedown".
I always love those photos I see on the internet of people unpacking new computers etc as if they were some sort of incredible treasures. So I decided to take some pictures of my own. I now present the 'unboxing' of my "Musical History of Disneyland" CD set. Enjoy!















If you are looking for a review and complete listing of what is on the set, check out the review on Mouse Planet.