Walt Disney's Three Little Pigs

I recently picked up this cool looking 33 1/3 Long Playing Record of Walt Disney's story of the Three Little Pigs with the song: "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" complete with record and 24 page book. This edition is copyright 1965 Walt Disney Productions and printed in the USA. Side one of the record is the audio story to go along with the book and side two of the record has the Disney classic "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf". The song was probably the most famous song to come out of a short cartoon. The original song composed by Frank Churchill was a best-selling single, mirroring the people's resolve against the "big bad wolf" of The Great Depression; the song actually became something of an anthem of the Great Depression. When the Nazis began expanding the boundaries of Germany in the years preceding World War II, the song was used to represent the complacency of the Western world in allowing Hitler to make considerable acquisitions of territory without going to war, and was notably used in Disney animations for the Canadian war effort. The song was further used as the inspiration for the title of the 1963 play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

The World is a Circle

Here is an LP I picked up recently at a local thrift shop. I immediately assumed this was a record from Disney's "It's A Small World", as it had the Disneyland Records label in the top right hand corner and the artwork on the front was very similar to that of the artwork on the albums I had from IASW. As per usual I pulled all the albums I liked and took them up to the counter to purchase them without spending too much time looking them over. It wasn't until I got home that I realized that this one had nothing to do with IASW. The album is from 1973 and is distributed by Buena Vista Distribution Co. Inc. The music it turns out is is music based on Lost Horizon.
Here is what it says on the back of the album: The Lost Horizon Story. James Hilton's best selling novel "Lost Horizon" was first released as a motion picture by Columbia on February 27, 1937. The film was produced and directed by Frank Capra and the cast included Ronald Coleman, Name Wyatt, John Howard, Edward Everett Horton, H. B. Warner, Isabel Jewell, Thomas Mitchell, Sam Jaffe and Margo. The film was an enormous success and the idea of Shangri-La became all the world's dream.
Now Ross Hunter has produced a musical version of "Lost Horizon" with music by Burt Bacharach and lyrics by Hal David. This version is also released by Columbia Pictures and contains another great cast; Peter Finch, Liv Ullmann, Sally Kellerman, George Kennedy, Michael York, Olivia Hussey, Bobby Van, James Shigeta and Charles Boyer as the High Lama and John Gielgud as Chang.
Several months ago the president of Disneyland Records and the national sales manager each driving their separate ways to work on the Los Angeles Freeway heard on their car radios two songs from "Lost Horizon." The president heard "The World Is A Circle" and came excitedly into the office exclaiming, "The World Is A Circle" from "Lost Horizon" has got to be a hit and it's a children's song. The national sales manager had heard "Question Me An Answer" and has the same comment. SO it was immediately decided to record three songs from "Lost Horizon," the third being "Living Together, Growing Together" which in the meantime has become a big hit with the 5th Dimensions. We decided to combine these three songs with four other wonderful songs for children out of big shows. "Dites Moi" from the wonderful Broadway show and motion picture "South Pacific," the fabulous "Inch Worm" from "Hans Christian Andersen" probably one of the most beautiful children's songs ever written, and two songs from the Broadway show and motion picture "Fanny." "Be Kind To Your Parents" and "I Like You."
Sadly I have no idea what the music sounds like, as instead of the correct album, there was a copy of a RCA Victor Red Seal Record with song titles such as "Serenade 3 - Golden Days", "Summertime in Heidelberg" and "Drink, Drink, Drink".

Disney Sing Along Songbook

Here is a neat item I found among the books at a local thrift shop. Its a 1987 Disney Sing Along Songbook. I am not a big fan of songs books, but I love the cover on this one, and the fact that it has a Disneyland Records logo on the back made it an instant sale for me. And the fact that it was 25 cents didn't hurt either.
This particular song book is a "Holiday Favorites" version, covering all the Christmas favorites; Frosty the Snow Man, Good King Wenceslas, The first Noel, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, Silver Bells, Deck the Halls, Winter Wonderland, Silent Night, Here We Come A-Caroling, I Wish It Could Be Christmas All Year Long, and From All Of Us To All Of You.
Apparently this song book came with a cassette tape of the songs, but unfortunately I didn't find the cassette with the book.
Here are a bunch of the pages from the book.

Snow White and The 7 Dwarfs

Here is a cool old 78 I picked up last weekend for 10 cents. When I originally bought it, I was just interested in it because it has a really cool retro label on the center of the record. It wasn't until I got home that I realized it had a recording of Snow White and The 7 Dwarfs with Full Cast & orchestra. It is a Cricket Record from 1953. The reverse side has Tunes For Little People; Little Jack Horner, Little Bo Peep, Little Boy Blue, all with full cast and orchestra.
I am not able to listen to it yet, as my current record player does not play 78's. I know it came with some software to allow me adjust records recoded at regular 33 speed into 78, but I have not used it yet and am not sure how it works without breaking out the manual.

Western Songs for Children

This weekend I made the trip to some of my favorite thrift shops, and they didn't disappoint! I came home with 4 big bags of stuff, including about 40 records, many of which were Disney or Disney related. Here is one of my favorite I found, "Western Songs for Children" from 1963. I absolulty love the front cover artwork of the two kids dressed as cowboys, about to have a gun fight while a little dog looks on.
Songs on the album are;
Side 1:
1) A Cowboy Needs a Horse - Fess Parker
2) Pony Express - Chorus
3) Streets of Laredo - Rex Allen
4) Wringle Wrangle - Fess Parker
5) Pioneer's Prayer - Chorus
Side 2:
1) Westward Ho the Wagons - Chorus
2) Ballad of John Colter - Fess Parker
3) Who Shot the Hole in My Sombrero - Rex Allen
4) Kit Carson - Stan Jones
5) Goodnight Little Wrangler - Fess Parker
The song titles are not actually listed on the album cover, but the back cover does feature an ad for other "Walt Disney Musical Highlights for the Entire Family, including Many original Sound Tracks", all for just $1.98 each! Of the 15 albums pictured, I currently have 12, so that leaves 3 more I still need to find. Of course there are also 32 albums listed but not pictured that I may or may not still need. So the hunt continues!

Twas the Night Before Christmas and I decided to blog...

Tonight is Christmas Eve and I have decided to blog. Not a creature was stirring, well, OK, my Apple Mighty Mouse was. Here is a great little record I found at a thrift shop and brought home to my house... It is the Disneyland Record and Book: The Story of The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, 1970.
Enjoy and have a Merry Christmas all!

Walt Disney's "The Happiest Millionaire"

I picked up some great albums the other day including a few Hawaiian lounge style LPs which I have already added to my iTunes collection, and two Disney related albums.
Favorite Songs from Walt Disney's Mary Poppins - The sound stage chorus - recorded in London, England and this one, Songs from Walt Disney's "The Happiest Millionaire" from 1967.
I don't think I have even seen the movie "The Happiest Millionaire" and while listening to this album (as I type this), I have only heard the first track "Fortuosity" which has appeared on many Disney best of albums. Here we have 8 typical style Disney film scores, with "Detroit" standing out as my favorite.
From the back of the LP: "The song writing Sherman brothers, Richard and Robert, this year celebrate their 9th anniversary writing Walt Disney music. Since 1958 they have done the music and lyrics for more than 23 Walt Disney motion pictures.
Oscar awards for the score of "Mary Poppins" and one of its hit songs, "Chim Chim Cheree," was a high point in their careers and earned them a place among the world's most renowned contemporary song writers.
This recording of eight of their numbers from "The Happiest Millionaire" also features Richard Sherman as vocalist for three songs.
Since "The Happiest Millionaire," the brothers have completed songs for "The Jungle Book" and the new Disney musical feature "The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band."
World acclaim and honors have not dimmed their enthusiastic approach to musical challenges in new and future Walt Disney productions. They are modest about their success and excited about the future. As one of the top music writing teams in recent years, the future looks exceedingly bright - for them - for us - and for you."
Disneyland long-playing microgroove records can be played only on 33 1/3 RPM instruments. Disneyland stereophonic long-playing microgroove versions should only be played on stereo playback equipment.
This album is copyright 1967 Walt Disney Productions and manufactured in Canada by Walt Disney Music for Canada Limited.

1966 Pinocchio Record with Mail-In Card

I picked up some cool Disneyland "Record and book" records at the thrift shop today. One of them was the 1966 story of Pinocchio with songs from the original soundtrack of the motion picture. As well as being in near mint condition, I was excited to see that hidden behind the record inside, was a mail-in card from Disneyland Records in Great Neck, NY. It's always amazing to find this sort of stuff, even more amazing to find it in great condition, considering that this record was probably in some kids collection for years and usually these things are pretty beaten up.
As well as asking if you would like to receive more info on Disney merchandise (I'd love to see the merchandise info Disney was mailing out back in 1966), they also asked for the Child's birth date? Did they used to send something out to kids on their birthdays if they replied with this card? If so, I would love to know what the kids received! If by chance anyone reading this, ever did fill one of these cards out and received something in the mail from Disney, let me me know so I can share it with everyone else here at the Disneyland Records blog.

Walt Disney's Song Parade

Here is a record I picked up the other day with some nice graphics on the cover. It's Walt Disney's Song Parade with 25 Best Loved Songs from the Walt Disney Motion Pictures. The album is from 1957 and is on Golden Records, produced in Canada by Arc Sound Ltd, under licence from A. A. Records Inc.
It features the Golden Orchestra under the direction of Mitch Miller, with the voices of: Anne Lloyd, Mike Stewart, Dick Byron, The Sandpipers, Bobby Nick, Art Carney, Gil Mack, Susan Douglas, and the original voices of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and featuring Cliff Edwards as Jiminy Cricket.

Side 1:
1. 2nd Star to the Right (Introduction) Frontierland
2. Johnny Appleseed
3. Pecos Bill
4. Wringle Wrangle
5. Ballad of John Colter
6. Johnny Tremain
7. Libery Tree
8. Adventureland
9. Thumper's SOng
10. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
11. Laughing Place
12. Perri-Title Song

Side 2:
13. Fantasyland
14. Cinderella Work Song
15. A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes
16. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo
17. Alice in Wonderland
18. I'm Late
19. A Very Merry Unbirthday
20. How D'Ye Do and Shake hands
21. Peter pan
22. You Can Fly
23. 2nd Star to the Right
24. March of the Lost Boys
25. Tomorrowland (Part 1 and 2)

RCA Victor Little Nipper "Peter and the Wolf"

Here is a great looking old 78 RPM Little Nipper Story Book Album featuring Prokofieff's Peter and the Wolf from Walt Disney's "Make Mine Music", narrated by Sterling Holloway. The set it from 1949, and features 20 pages of illustrated story pages as well as 2 "non-breakable" records.
I picked it up at a local thrift shop for $4. I also recently purchased an Ion TTUSB10 Turntable which hooks up directly to my Mac via USB. And using the included Audacity software, you can record old 78 RPM LPs at 33 RPM and then use the software to correct the sound. Once I get the time, I am looking forward to adding a bunch of my old 78's to my iTunes collection.

Mickey Mouse Record Player

A while back I mentioned that I really wanted a Mickey Mouse record player. Well, the other day while checking out my favorite used record shop (Crazy Bob's), I found a Mickey Mouse record player in his front display window. I had to have it!
It's in great shape and works perfectly, which is amazing considering it's over 30 years old.
Here a few photos I took, as my son Kaden had fun checking it out.

Songs from Disneyland / Cliff Edwards

I attended the Neptoon Records Swap Meet today and picked up some really fun stuff. One of my favorites is this great Decca Records Extended Play '45 from the "Children's Hall of Fame Series" called "Songs from Disneyland" with 4 classic songs, sung by Cliff Edward, with orchestra directed by Sonny Burke. I don't see a year anywhere on the records, but since it says Disneyland and looks old, I am going to guess its from the mid to late 1950's.
Selections include:
"When You Wish Upon a Star" from Walt Disney's "Pinocchio", with chorus, Leigh Harline-Ned Washington.
"Give A Little Whistle" from Walt Disney's "Pinocchio", Leigh Harline-Ned Washington.
"Jiminy Cricket" from Walt Disney's "Pinocchio", Leigh Harline-Ned Washington.
"The Bird and the Cricket and the Willow Tree" from Walt Disney's "Melody", with the Rhythmaires, Sonny Burke-Paul Francis Webster.
Here is some info taken from the back of the record:
About Cliff Edwards... The voice of Cliff Edwards is a wonderfully sensitive instrument, with its own very special appeal for children (of all ages). Literally millions have heard Mr. Edwards' versatile voice in various Walt Disney film rolls; but if we had to select his most beloved and happiest characterization, most of us would pick his vocal impersonation of Jiminy Cricket in "Pinocchio."
Here to enjoy again and again, are the songs Cliff Edwards sang in "Pinocchio" plus another great favorite, "The Bird, the Cricket and the Willow Tree."
As any regular viewer (and just who isn't?) of Walt Disney's superb TV show, "Disneyland" will attest, the voice of Cliff Edwards is something of a fixture in the hearts and minds of us all.
About the Decca "Children's Hall of Fame Series." We have long felt children the world over deserve a Hall of Fame of their very own. When a children's favorite song or performance passes with flying colors, the trial of the years and successive generations of children, that song is a likely candidate for the "Children's Hall of Fame." Such songs, and the artists with whom they are identified, will be as enchanting to Tomorrow's children as they were to Yesterday's children. In this series, (and on this records for example) you will find songs of varying moods but with several universal qualities: here are songs that children the world over love to hear, love to sing - songs that make children happy!
This DECCA Unbreakable Record can be played only on 45 RPM instruments. For maximum protection, it should be kept in this package, away from heat.

Fisher Price Record Players

Tonight's post is not directly related to Disneyland Records, but I decided I would share it here anyway.
I recently purchased this Fisher Price record player off of my works buy & sell web site for $15.
I was looking for a record player to put into my bedroom where all my records are. I spend a lot of time looking though my record collection, but was never able to listen to any of them in that room.
This little Fisher Price record player is great. Its very compact and takes up very little space, and sounds amazingly good for something with the Fisher Price logo on it. And... its a fun addition to my record collection.
I also have the younger kids version of the Fisher Price record player as well. And just the other day, my mother was doing some renovations in her home, and found one of the plastic records for the Fisher Price record player under the cabinets in her kitchen. To the average person, that would have been nothing. To me, it was like finding buried treasure in the back yard!
Now, if I can just find a Mickey Mouse record player, my life will be complete.

Fisher-Price Talk-To-Me Book #2

I picked up some cool Fisher-Price Talk-To-Me Books a few months ago at the local thrift shop. I found 4 of them; Walt Disney's Ghost Chasers (Book No. 2), Walt Disney's Dumbo's Day At The Circus (Book No. 3), Walt Disney's The Clock Cleaners (Book N. 5), and Big Bird's Look and Listen Book (Book No. 8).
From the back of the book: "Fisher-Price has created the Talk-To-Me Player and Talk-To-Me Books. We've brought the incredible dimension of sound to bocks to make them more 'real' than ever before possible.
All that children have to do it place the Talk-To-Me Player over the sound discs on the pages of this talk-To-Me Book. Press the button and out pour the voices of well-loved friends."
Pictured here is the Ghost Chasers from 1977. As you can see from the photo, there are small 2 inch yellow discs on each page which contain the sound to go along with the text on that page. There are a total of 16 of these sound discs in this book. I don't remember these from my childhood, but I am sure that if I had any of these, I would have spend countless hours sitting and listening to them, just as I did with my favorite Disney LPs.
I don't have the Talk-To-Me Player yet, but I will be sure to keep my eyes peeled for one, as I would love to sit and listen to these books.

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.