Concept Drawings of the Disneyland Music Shop

Here are two great pieces of concept artwork for the Disneyland music shop on Main Street USA. First up is a piece of concept art for the Music Store done sometime before Disneyland's July 17th, 1955 opening. I love that there is a player piano in the shop along with a wall of what looks to be player piano rolls for sale - which Disneyland did sell early on. I also love the table and chair that look like they hung out here before their emergence in the séance room of the Haunted Mansion 14 years later.

Next is a commemorative poster (Disneyland 1999) featuring the concept art of Imagineer Sam McKim, that was created to mark the opening of the "20th Century Music Company" on Main Street on June 20, 1999. Over the years, the shop has sold limited edition pins, Disney sheet music, cds, and other souvenirs, and this concept art provides a fantastic look at the inside of this unique location.

Official Mickey Mouse Club Records

I found a bunch of Walt Disney's Official Mickey Mouse Club records today in an antique store. There were about 15 of them, but I decided to just pick out a few. I came home with two different copies of The Official Mickey Mouse Club March, and the Official Mickey Mouse Club Pledge. I had to buy three because two or four would not have made a Mickey head in my photo.

Les Robinson Des Mers Du Sud

I visited a record store the other day, they had a very tiny selection of Disney records, but they did have this odd record in their soundtrack section. It is a French Canadian Disneyland record of The Swiss Family Robinson titled Les Robinson Des Mers Du Sud which oddly looks fake. I could not find a date on the record, and when I looked on line, what I found was a French Canadian album listed as 1004-22 with a much more official looking album cover. I listened to my copy and found it to be a retelling of the story in French, with sound from the film, and very little music.
First, here is the album cover of the album I have, along with the record labels. I noticed that mine says SIDE 1, while the other says FACE 1.

And here is the more official looking album I found on line, which is listed at 1004-22.

Walt Disney's The Grasshopper and the Ants

I picked up these two really nice looking Walt Disney's The Grasshopper and the Ants records. Both records have lots of wear, but I was happy to pick them up for just $2 each!

The first is a 45 RPM Capital Record-Reader from 1949. It comes with two records and 20 page colour book. It was adapted and produced by Alan Livingston, with original Walt Disney score adapted by Billy May. Told by Don Wilson with members of the original cast.

The second one is a "Little Gem" Disneyland Record 45 RMP picture sleeve record with the song "The World Owes Me a Living" from 1962.

Donald Duck & Uncle Scrooge's Money Rocket

Here is a neat record I picked up on a trip downtown last week. It is Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge's Money Rocket - A Fun Story. This is a Walt Disney "Little Gem" record, 45 RPM, LG-702, 1961 Walt Disney Productions, with a price on the sleeve of 29 cents. This record was manufactured in Canada by RCA Victor Company, LTD.  The record sleeve was printed in the U.S.A.
I love the graphic of Donald and Uncle Scrooge flying in space on a rocket which is spewing money out if it! Side 1 has part one of the story and part two is on side 2. the Cast includes Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge and Jiminy Cricket.
From the back of the record: Walt Disney 12-inch long playing records for children. If you and your children enjoy this Walt Disney Gem record we know you'll be happy to learn that the Disney Studio had prepared a wonderful library of 12-inch LPs for children.
This Little Gem record, while complete in itself, is only a small portion of the high quality and good musicianship found on the Disney 12-inch LP line. We invite your attention to the following LP titles which are available at your favorite record store. (See picture below for complete listing of LPs.)

Two New 'Still Sealed' Albums

On a recent trip to one of my favorite record stores in Washington State, I found these two Disney vinyl albums which were both still factory sealed.
First is ST-1911 "Walt Disney's Story of the Absent Minded Professor" featuring the "Flubber" song, sung by Fred MacMurray,  and narrated by Sterling Holloway. The album is from 1961 and has a large price sticker on the front which says "Fantastic Savings, 87¢"
The second album is ST-3952 "Walt Disney Presents the story of George and the Happiest Millionaire", a magnificent full-color illustrated book and long-playing record. Narrated by Mike Sammes, Music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. This record is from 1967, and has a price tag on it that says Price "B".

It's always fun to wonder how and why there are 'still sealed' Disney albums to be found. Were these albums bought by a parent for a child, who didn't happen to like Disney music and didn't care to open and listen to it. Or maybe they didn't own a record player. Or possibly it was purchased by someone such as myself who bought it strictly as a collectors item. Of course, I would have opened it to play it (over and over)!

Record Store Day 2019

Record Store Day 2019 happened on Saturday, April 13th, and this year there were three Disney albums released; "Mickey Mouse Disco", "Disney Songs the Satchmo Way" by Louis Armstrong and "Simply Sherman, Disney Hits from the Sherman Brothers". I was lucky enough to find all three records at my local Sunrise Records store here in Canada.
I have noticed that my "Mickey Mouse Disco" album is slightly different from the ones I am seeing online. Mine says "Disney", while I see most online say "Walt Disney Presents", and the Disneyland Records logo is missing from the top corner of mine. So, I am guessing that the Canadian version is slightly different from the US version.
Here are pictures of my 3 records.

Mini Sleeping Beauty Story Tape with Songs

I just picked up there two very cool mini "Story Tape with Songs" booklets, minus the cassette tapes. They look just like the regular, larger 7 inch version, but these are only 5 inches square, and because of the size, they came only with cassettes, not records. The Sleeping Beauty one has a date of 1965 and the Snow White one has a date of 1966. On the inside back cover it lists 12 of these mini "Story Tape with Songs" titles. The first photo shows the size comparison of the mini ones with the regular 7 inch version. The second photo is the back of each. A photo of the inside front page of each. A listing of the other titles in the series. And another photo showing the size comparison.

Disneyland Records Children's Corner Display

Here are some photos I found online years ago of a Disneyland Records store display rack. At the time I remember contacting the person who had posted the photos and they said it was for sale, but for some reason the offer didn't seem legitimate, so I passed on it. I have seen the photos pop up a few times since then in various different places. I always wished I could have added this to my collection. Check out the photos and the following info that accompanied the photos the last time I saw them online.

"You are bidding of a vintage 1960's? Disneyland Records store display, from a nonsmoking collector. I do not have any information of this display, I have not been able to find any information online about it. it is in good condition but does have wear. The wire hangers were painted gold originally but have rusted with age, they could easily be sanded and repainted if desired. It had been disassembled and well packed for sae shipment in a large box. The display is about 5 feet high and 3 feed wide. I did not get an exact measurement before boxing the display.

It was saved from the stage area of a record store that had closed after being in business for forty years, that was 10 years ago."

Two More Sleeping Beauty Records

Sleeping Beauty is my favourite Disney movie and I love collecting any records related to the movie. Yesterday we went for a drive and ended up walking around a old timey main street in a town we had not been before. I was happy to find a record shop and even more happy to see they not only had a kids section, but everything was priced affordably. I come home with a few new Disney records for my collection including these two Sleeping Beauty records.

First is the Official Mickey Mouse Club LP (MM-32) Songs from Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty from 1959, with Darlene Gillespie as Briar Rose.
Side 1:
Hail to the Princess Aurora
I Wonder
Once Upon a Dream
Side 2:
Sing a Smiling Song
Skumps
and Sleeping Beauty

Next is A Disneyland long-playing record from 1972, Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty (FS-917), with four complete songs;
Once Upon a Dream
I Wonder
Hail to the Princess Aurora
Skumps
Also included is the story of Sleeping Beauty with Disneyland story reader Robie Lester.

Neither of these is in great condition, but at just a dollar each, it was a great bargain. And my copy of Songs from Walt' Disney's Sleeping Beauty is a one of a kind as the kid who owned it used a red pen to very neatly colour in the black and white back cover.

The Great Disney Vinyl Collection

Here are three Disney vinyl albums I would love to add to my collection! These are just a few of the awesome designs created by a graphic designer named Guillaume Cote. I'm not able to read his web site, but it looks like this a designer who is a huge Disney fan and has created an entire catalogue of faux Disney vinyl albums. You can check out all of this work on his web site. If only these actually existed!

Blanca Nieves Y Los Siete Enanos

This is the Spanish version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from Chile,  1966 [STC-9001-X].

I love the cover artwork which manages to get Snow White, the Prince, the seven dwarfs and the woodland creatures all in one great scene.

Something that makes this album a little different is that the cover is just a folded piece of cardboard. The top and bottom of the cover is not sealed like a normal album jacket. This one can just be folded open. The inside is completely blank.

Le Carnaval Des Animaux

While going through the records at a local thrift shop, I found this nice addition to my collection. It caught my eye because of the odd colour of the Disneyland Record logo on the top right corner. When I had a look at the cover I realized it was a French album from Walt Disney Music of Canada Ltd.