Covering the Mouse

Winnie the Pooh - Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward

2011-04-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

First off, let me say that I'm sorry for not posting in a while. I have a book project that I've been working on and deadlines are coming up. I hope to post on a semi-regular basis between now and July, fingers crossed.

I am really looking forward to the upcoming Winnie the Pooh movie this summer. As a fan of the traditional style of animation, plus the original Pooh shorts, the previews that I've seen have been a great tease.

As with most of these sequels, I fully expected to hear a cover of the title song on the film's soundtrack. Sure enough, a nice cover is brought to us by ZOOEY DESCHANEL and M. WARD.

Deschanel may be the more familiar of the duo, thanks to he film roles such as Elf and (500) Days of Summer, but together with M. Ward, they form the folk-pop duo SHE & HIM.

The pair met on the set of The Go-Getter which happened to star Zooey. The two found a comparable taste in music, and having heard her sing in Elf, Ward suggested they get together and record a few of her original songs. They have released two albums and even tour sporadically when Deschanel is not shooting a movie.

While not billed as She & Him, the pair contribute a few songs to the movie, including this cover which Zooey sings pretty conservatively. She has a great voice and I would have liked to hear her own it a bit more. So Long, the original song they wrote for the film, is really great.

The soundtrack album is supposed to arrive this Tuesday (April 11), but there is no listing that I can find on Amazon.

It's a Small World - Nikki Yanofski

2011-02-18T10:01:00.000-08:00

Last week here in Vancouver, we celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Winter Olympic Games that were held in our city last February. People flooded the streets of downtown Vancouver and relived the excitement and national pride that we experienced during the games.

It was during the games that sixteen year old Canadian singer NIKKI YANOFSKI found international fame as the singer of the Games' theme song, I Believe. Up until that time, Yanofski had already accomplished more than your average recording artist. She recorded a song for High School Musical 2, and her first full-length album, released in 2008 earned her two Juno Awards (think Canadian Grammy Awards) for New Artist of the Year and Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.

This past Tuesday, Disney released a new cover album, EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A CAT: DISNEY JAZZ, VOLUME 1, which includes a version of It's a Small World by Yanofski, a fitting song for someone who saw the world come together in one city! This version of It's a Small World is an fun, upbeat big band number that will have you tapping your toes the whole way through!

Some Day My Prince Will Come - Ayumi Hamasaki

2011-02-09T15:28:00.000-08:00

Ayumi Hamasaki decided that she would peruse a life of music at the age of fourteen. She was taken under the wing of Avex CEO Max Matsuura who began recording pop singles that did fairly well in the Japanese market. Her first full-length album was released in 1998 and it solidified her as a Japanese pop star.

Fast forward twelve years and Ayumi has a dozen albums, two dozen remix and compilation albums to her name! Her styles range from pop to RnB to rock to dance which make her accessible in many different markets. When her sales started to decline in the mid-2000s, she looked to the surrounding countries for a new audience. However, there was already a large foreign fanbase who eagerly welcomed her tour to their countries, selling out every show she performed!

In 2002 Ayumi recorded Some Day My Prince Will Come to help promote the rerelease of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Japan. The song was never sold as a single. It's very short, less than two minutes, and the intro takes up almost half of the track! But the pop/rock arrangement is quite good, as is Ayumi's English singing. The song fades out just as it picks up, making me wonder if there is a full-length version floating around out there somewhere.

Beauty and the Beast - Jordin Sparks

2011-02-07T13:26:00.000-08:00

Daniel Offer, when not writing, manages the FB Chat application "Chit Chat for Facebook." Chit Chat, the popular FB Chat software, makes it possible to send Facebook messages from ones computer desktop.

Beauty and the Beast received quite a bit of attention in 1992, when it was the first animated film to ever be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. At the time of its release, the film made more than $403 million in box office sales and won a number of Golden Globes, Academy Awards, and Grammys - many for the movie's soundtrack. The original version of Beauty and the Beast in the film took home the Golden Globe for Best Original Song, was nominated for Song of the Year at the Grammys, and won Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television.

As a music-oriented film, which has since been adapted into a highly successful Broadway musical, it's no wonder the soundtrack, and more specifically, the title song, has been covered time and time again. With the film and score's widespread popularity and success, it seems only natural Disney would select a popular young artist like JORDIN SPARKS to record a modern cover.

The film was released on Blu-ray for the first time in early October, and is currently listed as the number one modern classic available in Blu-ray on Disney's website. Sparks' cover of the famous title song and her music video are featured on the Diamond Edition Blu-ray as an extra.

Sparks has performed the song a few times publicly: most notably, at the opening of the new Disney Store in New York City in early November.

Sparks does an amazing job vocally, and in that respect the cover stays true to the original Celine Dion/Peabo Bryson version. However, the accompanying music is rather electronic sounding, carrying much more of a 'young' sound to it. Sadly, the music overpowers Sparks' performance at some points. The biggest issue seems to be the attempt to modernize the music, but keep the vocals true to the original version. The result is an odd mash-up that sounds more like a remix than a cover. The music sounds like a Sparks song: upbeat and filled with traditional pop notes. However, the discord between the notes and vocals leaves the cover lacking the romantic feeling that the Dion/Bryson version carried.

While the original song is touted as a popular love balled, Sparks' cover is much more fast paced and upbeat. It sounds more like a pop song one would hear on the Disney channel than one that could go down in history as a popular love song. The Dion/Bryson version became a hit, reaching the Top Ten charts in both the United States and United Kingdom. While it's unlikely Sparks' version will reach the same success, the singer is already widely successful on her own. At just 17, Sparks received international acclaim when she won Season Six of American Idol. Since then, she's won a number of awards and many of her singles have hit the Top Ten.

Cruella de Vil - The Replacements

2011-01-31T16:49:00.000-08:00

D. Offer writes about Cruella de Vil. Offer operates Chit Chat, a Facebook chat client that enables you to chat on Facebook without a web-browser.

There was a time that Disney songs were considered to be about as far from hip as possible. At least that's what I thought as a teenager in 1988, before I heard the tribute album STAY AWAKE: VARIOUS INTERPRETATIONS OF MUSIC FROM VINTAGE DISNEY FILMS. It was clear from the opening medley that this was far afield from the middle-of-the-road songs I had associated with Disney music in the past. Any collection of songs featuring Bill Frisell, Michael Stipe, Natalie Merchant and Los Lobos immediately grabbed my attention.

However, there was one track which intrigued me more than any other song and I immediately skipped ahead to it. This was Cruella de Vil from the movie 101 Dalmatians as performed by the seminal indie-rock group THE REPLACEMENTS. It was a peculiar collision of song, movie and artist: The Replacements were my all-time favorite group of all-time, especially since I had discovered them the previous summer, and 101 Dalmatians was my favorite Disney movie as a child.

In situations like this, the potential for expectations to go unfulfilled are usually high. This was especially true with the Replacements, who had a reputation for accidental brilliance or, depending on their mood, total indifference to quality. Their live shows were legendary, sometimes for all the wrong reasons. On a good day, the Minneapolis quartet could put on an electric show; on a bad day, a Replacements show was a drunken mess, collapsing into half-finished songs, half-baked cover versions and usually a screaming match between band members for good measure.

So the Replacements had a well-earned reputation for being the ultimate “hit-or-miss” band; therefore, it was with gritted teeth and a healthy dose of trepidation that I pushed play and prepared to hear if they would rise to the occasion or make a complete mess of things.

It turns out that I didn't need to worry. As he did with pretty much every artist on the album, producer Hal Wilner was able to coax the best out of the Replacements; most importantly, he was able to retain the core essence of each song while letting the bands find a comfortable place to make a song their own.

There's little doubt that the Replacements did that with Cruella de Vil. In the movie, the song serves as an introduction to the film's antagonist, and it matches her cosmopolitan temperament with a jazzy swing perfect for any supper club. This is the exact opposite of the Replacements' aesthetic; even though they had matured from their punk rock days of the early 1980s, the band's lead singer and songwriter Paul Westerberg was still interested in exploring the rougher edges of life; their most-recent album in 1988, entitled PLEASED TO MEET ME included songs such as Red Red Wine and I Don't Know.

It is to Wilner's credit that he recognized the strengths of the Replacements and played to them rather than trying to shoehorn them into the song. The Replacements turned a slick song into something gritty, emphasizing the ugliness underneath the character's grand exterior. Westerberg finds a solid guitar hook from the beginning and doesn't let go, using this as the focal point musically. It's rough around the edges but never needlessly noisy. In short, it's a perfectly post-punk take on a Disney classic.

Rock versions of Disney classics have become common today; that certainly wasn't the case in 1988 when STAY AWAKE: VARIOUS INTERPRETATIONS OF MUSIC FROM VINTAGE DISNEY FILMS was released. Cruella de Vil remains a standout track more than two decades later, showing that Disney songs could rock. It's a template that has been attempted by many bands over the years, but never with the same raw energy that the Replacements had in their version.

Kiss the Girl - Sons of Pitches

2011-01-28T12:49:00.000-08:00

You may not believe it, but there are actually a lot of a cappella groups out there! None of them seem to get radio play, but if you dig around you'll find them. I was digging around and found SONS OF PITCHES, a New York based singing group that unfortunately no longer exists. during the decade they were together they release three albums. Their second album, WITH A "P", from 2002, contains a track suitable for this site: Kiss the Girl from The Little Mermaid.

Rather than giving this track a serious treatment, Sons of Pitches has found a humorous way to make their version memorable. This humour is mainly provided by the back-up vocalists who sing funny lines and even squawk like birds! You'll be in for a surprise once you hit the middle of the song! Enjoy!

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Niki Blonski

2011-01-24T12:55:00.000-08:00

NIKKI BLONSKI was an unknown actor before she landed the role of Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 Hairspray remake. The role launched her to stardom, however it seems like she is now being typecast in roles that have her dealing with her self image. I'm not sure if that is her choice, but I've noticed the pattern with the TV movie Queen Sized and the short-lived TV series Huge.

Although Blonski isn't labeled a Disney Channel star, she appears on DISNEYMANIA 6 singing A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes. Nikki has a beautiful voice and this particular arrangement of the Cinderella classic is surprisingly good and not at the same level of cheese as a typical DISNEYMAINA cover.

Can You Feel the Love Tongiht - Cedella Marley

2011-01-21T14:05:00.000-08:00

The name Marley is synonymous with reggae music, but it's not just Bob, but also several of his relatives, including his wife and back-up singer, Rita, and their children, Ziggy, Stephen, Sharon and Cedella who all sing together as part of the group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.

While CEDELLA MARLEY is not touring with the Melody Makers, she is the CEO of Tuff Gong International, a recording studio and record production company, and produces a line of women's clothing called Catch a Fire Clothing, named after one of Bob Marley's albums.

But she still has time to recorded a few tracks here and there, including this version of Can You Feel the Love Tonight which she contributed to the excellent reggae Disney tribute, DISNEY REGGAE CLUB. Timon and Pumbaa's life philosophy fits so well with the reggae culture, so it makes sense to hear a few Lion King sings pop up on this album.

Ferdinand the Bull - Dixieland Swingers

2011-01-19T14:30:00.001-08:00

Here's a cool version of Ferdinand the Bull by a group I can find no information on, THE DIXIELAND SWINGERS. Have any of you heard of these people?

I Wan'na Be Like You - Ace Warrior

2011-01-14T14:17:00.000-08:00

Today's cover comes from the world of eurobeat. Producer Giancarlo Pasquini, also known as DAVE ROGERS, defined the eurobeat genre and is the brains behind most of the leading eurobeat groups.

This cover of I Wan'na Be Like You is performed by one of Pasquini's groups, ACE WARRIOR. Their sound differs from other eurobeat groups as they use electric guitar for a heavier sound.

You can find this track on EUROBEAT DISNEY 3, which you'll have to pay a pretty penny for if you want it imported from Japan.

Someone's Waiting For You - Julia Migenes-Johnson

2011-01-11T09:22:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite Disney songs is Someone's Waiting For You from the 1977 classic, The Rescuers. These days it seems that Disney has forgotten about this ballad, which was nominated for a Best Original Song Academy Award. It doesn't often pop up on Disney compilation albums, and it has never been covered by any of their teen pop stars on the Disneymania albums.

However, not everyone has forgotten about this song, and a few covers have popped up over time. Here's one by JULIA MIGENES (also known as Julia Migenes-Johnson.

Migenes is a soprano that has been working in the musical theatre scene almost her entire life. Her career began at a very young age with a child role in Madame Butterfly. Coming from a difficult home situation, she found the stage to be welcoming and full of new emotions. It was her home.

Over the course of her career, she has performed in some of the most popular shows on Broadway, including Show Boat and West Side Story and was part of the original cast of Fiddler on the Roof with Zero Mostel. She has also had an opera career which she began with the New York Metropolitan Opera.

Throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, Migenes has appeared in many films and TV shows, and has recorded several albums that range in style from opera, to showtunes, to jazz. She has an incredible arsenal when it comes to singing. Check out IN LOVE for this cover and other famous showtune numbers.

Medley from Alice in Wonderland - Erich Kunzel & the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

2011-01-10T13:58:00.000-08:00

To kick off the New Year, here is a great medley of songs from Alice in Wonderland. This film has more songs than any other Disney feature, and they are all fun and catchy thanks to the work of Oliver Wallace. Here is a list of the songs you will hear in this medley:

Alice in Wonderland
How Do You and Shake Hands
Golden Afternoon
I'm Late
Un-Birthday Song
Alice in Wonderland (reprise)

I haven't posted a song from A DISNEY SPECTACULAR in a few years, so some of you newer readers may not be aware of this album. I'm not usually into pops orchestra versions of these songs, but ERICH KUNZEL and the CINCINNATI POPS ORCHESTRA do a superb job of presenting these songs in a fashion that isn't too cheesy. The whole album is well worth a listen.

Second Star to the Right - Doris Day

2010-12-29T07:18:00.000-08:00

I'm still feeling a bit Christmasy, so let's talk a bit about The Second Star to the Right. While you won't hear it on North American radio stations at Christmas time, there are certain spots in Europe that consider Peter Pan's Second Star to the Right to be a Christmas song! I'm not exactly sure why this is the case, but I have a few versions of this song that are found on Christmas albums, like today's cover by 1940's big band singer DORIS DAY whose cover of this Disney classic can be found on MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM DORIS DAY & DINAH SHORE. Perhaps one could interpret the song as singing about the star of Bethlehem that led the Wise Men to baby Jesus.

There isn't a whole lot about Peter Pan to do with Christmas, save for the lines "Think of Christmas, think of snow. Think of sleigh bells, here we go" from You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly! However, the main theme about staying forever young is one that is often found in Christmas specials. What do you think? Where do you see Christmas in Peter Pan? Have you heard Second Star to the Right in a Christmas context?

From All of Us to All of You - Jiminy Cricket

2010-12-24T13:43:00.000-08:00

In North America, From All of Us to All of You may not have a special Christmas meaning, but to those in certain parts of Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland), memories of the family gathering around the TV set watching this Disney special are as common as those associated with A Charlie Brown Christmas or Mickey's Christmas Carol in America.

Originally a 1959 Christmas-themed episode of Walt Disney Presents, this holiday special combines clips from classic Disney shorts along with new animation featuring Jiminy Cricket, Mickey Mouse and Tinkerbell who act as the show's hosts.

Over its fifty year existence, it has been retitled and re-edited numerous times. You can find it on VHS under the title Jiminy Cricket's Christmas. However, the European version has not changed over the years and still draws incredible ratings every single Christmas Eve! One poll in 1997 said that just over half the population of Sweden was tuning in!

The title song is sung by Jiminy Cricket, and is a happy little tune. A different version was released on vinyl in the 60s which has popped up on various other Disney Christmas records. More recently, the vinyl version has been re-recorded by Disney Records, using the studio's current voices, Eddie Carroll as Jiminy and Wayne Allwine as Mickey. This is the version I am posting today, which can also be found on DISNEY HOLIDAY MAGIC 2009.

Have a very merry Christmas!

What's This - Flyleaf

2010-12-23T13:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas is almost upon us, and since all the malls a radio stations are playing Christmas tunes, why not here too?

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a must-see for me every holiday season. What I love most about this movie is the music, beautifully crafted by Danny Elfman. My hope is that more people cover What's This, bringing it up to the same level of Christmas popularity as other cartoon Christmas classics like You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch and Little Drummer Boy.

There are few covers of this one out there already, including this version by alternative metal band FLYLEAF. What sets this cover apart from the rest is the raw emotion in the vocal performance by lead singer Lacey Sturm. Lacey and the gang contributed this track to the Nightmare Before Christmas tribute album, NIGHTMARE REVISITED.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a rather obscure Disney Christmas cover!

Heigh-Ho - Diana Ross & the Supremes

2010-12-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

Today is the 73rd anniversary of Walt's first feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. People called Walt crazy during production, claiming that no one, not even kids, would want to sit through an entire movie of cartoons. I can't think of a better way to spend my time!

To celebrate this anniversary, I've chosen a cover from the unreleased Disney cover album by DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES. THE SUPREMES SING DISNEY CLASSICS was fully recorded in 1967, but for various reasons, got put on the shelf and never released. More recently, all but three of the songs from this record have seen the light of day on several Supremes compilation albums. Heigh-Ho can be found on 25th ANNIVERSARY, VOLUME TWO along with two other Disney tracks.

Judging from the opening of this track, I'm guessing that this song was meant to be the opening number on the album. It sure would be nice to know the order of the rest of the album.

It's a Small World - H2O

2010-12-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

In the late 90s, I was the perfect age to be swayed by the pop-punk rock craze brought upon the world of music by bands like Green Day, Offspring and Blink 182. I dove head first into the punk world, listening to many of the bands on the Epitaph record label.

One of those bands was H2O, a hardcore punk act from New York. At the time, they were an up and coming band, touring with big name acts like Rancid, No Doubt, Pennywise and the Misfits. Their first album, GO, was released in 2001, bringing H2O into the spotlight. They are one of the hardest working bands in the biz, playing about 200 shows, all over the world, per year!

In 2002, H2O recorded their take on It's a Small World, a version that evokes the feeling you often get by the end of sitting through that entire ride. It's loud, it's fun and it's on the Japanese exclusive DIVE INTO DISNEY.

It is just me or is this Christmas season busier than the past? I'm going to try my best to keep blogging through the holidays, but it probably won't be every day. Stay tuned for some great Disney Christmas covers!

New Disney Classics Medley - Lea Salonga

2010-12-08T13:01:00.000-08:00

Today is a big day for Covering the Mouse. As of this post, there are now 500 DISNEY COVER SONGS on this site for you to listen and enjoy!

I wanted to post a special cover for this occasion, a medley in particular since I don't get around to posting those too often. This medley is called the New Disney Classics Medley as it contains songs from the best Disney had to offer at the end of the 20th century. Here is the breakdown:

Go the Distance - Hercules

You'll Be In My Heart - Tarzan

Reflection - Mulan

The beautiful vocals are thanks to LEA SALONGA, who has made a considerable career out of singing show tunes from a very young age. Salonga was also the singing voice of the lead heroine in Mulan, which is why the audience applauds her when she begins singing Reflection, as well as the singing voice of Aladdin's Jasmine. You can find this song on LEA SALONGA, LIVE, VOLUME ONE, recorded in the Philippines in 2000.

Here's to another 500 Disney cover songs!

Gummi Bears Theme on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

2010-12-03T13:30:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to Kris who let me know that the November 23 showing of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon included a stirring rendition of the theme song to The Adventures of the Gummi Bears! The singer isn't mentioned by name [EDIT: Thanks to the reader who let me know that this singer is Bashir Salahuddin, one of Fallon's writers], but he is dressed like Tummi Gummi and his baritone voice carries the song very well (although I think he could pay a bit more attention to the piano).

At one point in the song you can see the guy holding up the words for the singer. Really? There aren't that many words! A little effort and they could be memorized in a few minutes! Oh well, it's only meant for a laugh. They don't know that us Disney cover fans take this sort of stuff seriously!

Once Upon a Dream - Mike Curb Congregation

2010-12-02T12:59:00.000-08:00

The final princess of the week is Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. Aurora spends most of the movie unaware that she is a princess which gives a different spin on her character. However, most of the characters in this movie are merely archetypes that don't really get developed much throughout the film, leaving them pretty bland. Aurora doesn't really do a whole lot in the movie other than sing about her dreams.

It is interesting to note that Aurora is the only Disney Princess to have both of her parents live all the way through the movie. Every other Princess loses one during the film, or is just plain absent.

Today's cover, Once Upon a Dream, is brought to you by MIKE CURB, and was performed by the MIKE CURB CONGREGATION for their 1995 album, WALT DISNEY'S GREATEST HITS.

Colors of the Wind - Sally Harmon

2010-11-25T12:57:00.000-08:00

With the craziness that was Thanksgiving weekend, I didn't get to finish up my Princess Week. So I'll finish it off this week!

Today's princess isn't one that is normally included in the Disney Princess lineup. She is not your conventional princess, but rather the daughter of Indian Chief Powhatan. I feel like this should count for something since Pocahontas' father rules over his tribe as a king would over his kingdom. Many of the fairy tale rules apply to Pocahontas as they would to any princess, including the arranged marriage that befalls so many royal ladies.

Disney's version of Pocahontas is a strong-willed, forward-thinking woman who is out of place in her society. She fits in with other modern Disney Princesses like Ariel and Jasmine, but her story doesn't end with a happy ever after.

I would consider Just Around the Riverbend to be a better theme song for Pocahontas, but not many people cover that one. So instead I've chosen Colors of the Wind, as performed by pop pianist SALLY HARMON on her album, SPOTLIGHT.

Part of Your World - Anna Maria Perez de Taglé

2010-11-24T12:54:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite Disney princesses is Ariel, the little mermaid. She's got the most personality out of all the princesses and since she's the star of the film, has a pretty good character arc (unlike Snow White).

Ariel's theme is Part of Your World, which, unlike other princesses, gives us a good picture of who she is. Snow White sings about cleaning and fantasizing, as does Aurora, and Jasmine doesn't have a song that I would call her theme. This version of Part of Your World is by Hanna Montana and Camp Rock Disney kid, ANNA MARIA PEREZ DE TAGLE, as heard on DISNEYMANIA 7.

A Whole New World - Fukui Mai

2010-11-23T12:53:00.000-08:00

One of the more modern Disney princesses is Aladdin's Jasmine, who, unlike Snow White, takes matters into her own hands. She is very strong-willed and has big ideas and dreams but lives in a society that doesn't see her potential. She is one of the better Disney princesses as she contributes to the many Aladdin stories through the years and is not simply the love interest or damsel in distress. Plus she has a freakin' pet tiger!

FUKUI MAI is a Japanese singer-songwriter who is under the Avex Trax record label, which distributes all of Disney's Japanese albums. She recorded a special version of A Whole New World for 2009's DISNEY'S DREAM POP - TRIBUTE TO TOKYO DISNEY RESORT® 25TH ANNIVERSARY.

Some Day My Prince Will Come - Emile Pandolfi

2010-11-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

This these week welcomes the release of Disney Animation's latest Princess-themed feature film, I thought it would be fun to have a princess week here at Covering the Mouse! All week I will be posting covers from animated films that feature Disney princesses. These will all be honest-to-goodness princess, not those who married into royalty like Belle or Cinderella.

It is fitting that the first princess to be featured this week is from Disney's first ever animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. As far as characters are concerned, Snow White is not the strongest. She is persecuted for just being who she is, and doesn't really do anything aside from singing throughout the entire film. The only action that contributes to the plot is her decision to eat the apple. Other than that, the various sub-characters lead her here and there, determining what she does next.

Most of Snow White's songs have become Disney classics, and since it is the oldest film, it has gathered to most covers. Here is Some Day My Prince Will Come by EMILE PANDOLFI from his 1993 Disney cover album, ONCE UPON A ROMANCE.

Baby Mine - Sindbad

2010-11-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

I don't know much about SINDBAD since all of the webpages I can find on him are in Japanese (or about the famous sailor). But I do know that he is an accomplished Japanese DJ who is killer on a turntable.

This really cool track comes from LOVEBEAT DISNEY, a collection of remixed Disney love ballads. I don't have anything else to say about it, other than I hope you enjoy it and your weekend!

Turkey in the Straw - Gil Goldstein

2010-11-18T15:28:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, Jamie here for another guest post. On this day in 1928, the landmark short film Steamboat Willie was released introducing the world to Mickey Mouse. Technically the Mickey short Plane Crazy was shown first as a silent short at an earlier test screening, but Steamboat Willie, which featured synchronized sound for the first time in Disney history, is identified by the Walt Disney Company as Mickey's first official appearance. In fact, they consider today his official birthday so Happy 82nd Birthday, Mickey!

Steamboat Willie prominently features the folk tune Turkey in the Straw as Mickey gleefully, and most would say sadistically, creates music utilizing a number of farm animals in an unconventional manner. If you thought him swinging a cat by the tail or choking a goose was cruel, just wait until you see what he does to a sow and her litter! Jazz pianist GIL GOLDSTEIN and his band pay tribute to Steamboat Willie with this spirited rendition of Turkey in the Straw. It comes from the Disney Japanese release DISNEY MEETS JAZZ: TRIBUTE TO WALT DISNEY, but it was later released in North America as DISNEY ADVENTURES IN JAZZ. Kurtis has called this one of the best Disney jazz albums and he's absolutely right.

A Whole New World - Native

2010-11-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

Japan has its share of great jazz artists, and one of the better groups is the four-piece combo from Nagoya, NATIVE. Their webpage sums them up the best when they say "the sound of Native is an open minded interpretation of classic Acoustic Jazz, and their music features many memorable melodies alongside delicate interplay between drum and bass."

The memorable melody in this case is A Whole New World, but this cover is unlike any other version of this song. It is upbeat and fun, but I tend to sit and listen carefully to the interesting chords and rhythms that lie underneath the familiar tune. Here is what saxophonist Tomoyoshi Nakamura had to say about arranging this cover:

It is my pleasure to reproduce Aladdin's theme song since it's my favorite Disney movie. The original song is a romantic ballad sung by a duet with a male and a female but I made it to up tempo afro-beat and swing combination. The key is changed from major to minor but the beauty in the melody remains the same. I truly feel how important the presence of the melody is. Hope you like a danceable Whole New World with club jazz taste by native.

You can find this track on the Japanese exclusive MODAL JAZZ LOVES DISNEY.

Vote for Covering the Mouse!

2010-11-15T13:48:00.000-08:00

Covering the Mouse has been nominated for a WDW Daily New Web Award for Best Disney Blog. The results are based on your votes so please HEAD ON OVER AND VOTE!

Polls are open starting today (November 9) and will close on Monday, November 15. You can vote once per 24 hours so please vote daily!

When You Wish Upon a Star - Billy Joel

2010-11-15T13:19:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite artists is BILLY JOEL. He music is full of life and inspiration and consider myself very fortunate to have seen him in concert a few years back. His career has spanned 45 years and is still going strong! I was first introduced to Billy Joel as a kid when I hear the Electric Mayhem (the Muppet Show house band), perform New York State of Mind. I loved the song and later found out that it was originally recorded by Joel. It remains my favourite of his many songs.

While that majority of the world will remember him for his many hit singles, including Piano Man, Still Rock and Roll to Me, Tell Her About It and Uptown Girl, just to name a few, Disney fans will always remember Billy Joel as the artful Dodger from the talking animal adaptation of Dickens' Oliver Twist - Oliver and Company.

Shortly after the release of that film, Joel recorded a beautiful version of When You Wish Upon a Star for the 1991 compilation album SIMPLY MAD ABOUT THE MOUSE which featured a variety of late 80s/early 90s pop stars. Please ignore the lame 90s introduction that takes up the first 2 minutes and 10 seconds of the track. It's actually a different song entirely, but the CD groups the two songs together into one track.

I Wan'na Be Like You II - Marco Marinangeli, Chaka Blackmon & Angela Eggleston

2010-11-11T10:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted an odd cover of I Wan'na Be Like You from the 1982 record MOUSERCISE. Today I am posting a cover of that cover.

It's not often that you get a cover of a cover. Usually artists like go to the original source for inspiration and add their own flavour to the mix. But since Disney Records released a new, updated version of MOUSERCISE in 2005, it makes sense to hear this version come back.

The 2005 version of MOUSERCISE is exactly what you would expect from Disney based on the majority of the label's output. It relies heavily on electronic beats and effects that allow it to fit in nicely with the rest of the DISNEYMANIA covers. However, this is a concept album and all of the tracks are strung together with a host introducing each song with a very lame pun.

Many of the tracks from the original disc have been replaced with more contemporary Disney hits, but I Wan'na Be Like You II made the cut. However, instead of having each of the cast take a verse (which was most of the charm of the original cover), the lead vocalist (whom I'm assuming is either MARCO MARINANGELI or CHAA BLACKMON) sings every part himself without even trying to sound like the characters he's supposed to be portraying.

I'm not 100% certain, but I think Chaka Blackmon and Angela Eggleston are studio musicians that work for Disney Records. Their names pop up on a number of discs that include heavy remixing such as the tracks found on this album. Marco Marinangeli is a Grammy Award-winning Italian produced who has worked on a number of Disney remix albums.

I Wan'na Be Like You II - Disney Singers

2010-11-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

Does anyone remember this classic record from 1982? MOUSERCISE was a huge hit for Disney Records when it was released. It could be that it was riding the wave of the 1979 hit record MICKEY MOUSE DISCO as well has the sudden Jane Fonda aerobics craze of that era. Whatever the reason for its popularity, this record spawned its own television series, one of the first original Disney programs created for the brand new Disney Channel! There was even a MOUSERCISE work-out video that was based on the TV series!

Most of the album is made up of remakes of classic Disney songs, with a few original numbers, including two songs performed by soul singer Edwin Starr. The track I have chosen to share with you today is called I Wan'na Be Like You II. The lyrics have been completely altered so that the cast of the Jungle Book lead you through a series of exercises based on their main character traits. I'm not sure who is doing the voices but they do a fairly good impersonation. Do any of you know?

It's a weird cover, but this is only part one! Tune in tomorrow for part two!

Un-Birthday Song - Freddie and the Dreamers

2010-11-09T09:48:00.000-08:00

It was on this day back in 1886 that Isaiah Edwin Leopold entered the world. You may know him better as Ed Wynn, the voice of Alice in Wonderland's Mad Hatter and Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins. Wynn's other Disney credits include That Darn Cat, Those Calloways, The Absent Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, Babes in Toyland and The Gnome-Mobile (which was released after his death in 1966).

To me, Wynn's voice is so recognizable and identifiable as the Mad Hatter that it is often hard to imagine anyone else in the role. While Johnny Depp did a respectable job putting his own spin on the character, I found myself longing for a little more giggle in his performance.

To celebrate the life of this incredibly funny man, I've chosen a cover of The Un-Birthday Song by British pop-rock quintet FREDDIE AND THE DREAMERS from their 1966 Disney cover album, IN DISNEYLAND. Freddie Garrity inserts his own wishlist into the song, asking for guitars and cars to suit his rockstar lifestyle.

DuckTales (Moon Theme) - brentalfloss

2010-11-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

Staring tomorrow, I will have some artwork in a special art show called 8-Bits of Destiny, featuring artwork inspired by the classic video games of 1985-1995. The art show will run for two weeks at Metropolis Comics and Toys and I strongly encourage you to check it out if you are in the Vancouver area.

As an added bonus, next Saturday (November 13) I will be presenting a special screening of retro video games that made their way to Saturday morning animation as part of my monthly 80's Cartoon Festival series. (Super Mario Bros Super Show, anyone?)

To tie in to this event, I have chosen a cover of the Moon Theme from the popular DuckTales Nintendo game from 1989. This version come from WHAT IF THIS CD... HAD LYRICS, an album choc-full of fantastic video game covers (with added lyrics) by nerd-rocker BRENTALFLOSS. This is a seriously good album, although the lyrics can get a bit raunchy.

Ciclo Sem Fim - Edu Lobo

2010-11-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

After the first Bossa Nova craze from the 40s died down, many new bossa nova artists emerged, but without the same sort of knowledge that was established by those who originally defined the genre.

However, there is one who has been called "the most important musician of the so-called second Bossa Nova generation", and that person is EDU LOBO. By the time he was in his twenties, he had mastered the art of Bossa Nova, creating vinyl masterpiece after vinyl masterpiece. He is still recording to this day with the same passion, heart and soul that he had back when he first began.

This version of Circle of Life and be found on one of my favourite Disney cover albums, DISNEY BOSSA NOVA.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Marjorie Hughes

2010-11-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

During the big band craze of the 40s, Frankie Carle was one of the more popular bandleaders. He conducted his own band from 1944 to 1955 and employed his own daughter, MARJORIE HUGHES, as the lead female vocalist.

The story goes that Carle's wife sneaked a recording of their daughter into the pile of female vocalists auditioning for the spot in Carle's band. Frankie immediately took interest in the demo, not knowing that it was his own daughter. When he found out, he decided to give her a shot, but changed her name to Marjorie Hughes so that no one would know that they were related, at least until he was satisfied that the public loved her.

Today's cover is Cinderella's A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes as recorded by Marjorie Hughes, backed by Frankie Carle's band, on October 18, 1949 for Columbia Records. You can find this song on ZIP-A-DEE-DOO-DAH, a collection of vintage Disney covers.

Everybody Wants to Be a Woof - Dodger

2010-11-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

At the turn of the 21st century, Disney produced a television series that notable for cramming in as many Disney characters as possible. It was also a vehicle to showcase their library of classic cartoons, something they don't seem to do on any of their stations anymore.

Each episode took place inside a nightclub where various Disney characters would perform skits or songs centered around their idiosyncrasies. Think "Ink and Paint Club" from Who Framed Roger Rabbit!

There would often be parody versions of classic Disney songs, such as this forty second ditty sung by a pack of dogs and conducted by Pluto. (It's a parody of Everybody Wants to Be a Cat, in case you didn't know.)

Check out the HOUSE OF MOUSE SOUNDTRACK version above, then watch the video below to see who is involved in this bark-fest. You'll see (from left to right) Rolly and Patch from One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Tito from Oliver and Co., Napoleon from Aristocats, DeSoto and Francis from Oliver and Co., Jock from Lady and the Tramp, Lafyette from Aristocats, and Dodger from Oliver and Co. I'm not sure who is playing Dodger, but it ain't Billy Joel.

This is Halloween - Coconut and the Duke

2010-10-29T14:15:00.000-07:00

Here's one for the bizarre category. COCONUT AND THE DUKE is the collaboration of two guys who met at college in Wisconsin. After college, the two went their separate ways, but thanks to the wonders of modern technology, they continued to make music together, recording their parts separately and emailing/uploading them to each other and mixing them together.

All of their music is available on the webpage, including this cover of Nightmare Before Christmas' This is Halloween. Their style is all over the map, creating a unique sound that is sometimes quite strange, yet strangely compelling.

There is a lot going on in this cover, from the instrumentation to the many different voices, so you may have to listen to it a few times. Plus, check out the equally bizarre music video!

Happy Halloween, everyone! Stay safe!

Grim Grinning Ghosts - Maxfield Matsumoto

2010-10-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

A few days ago MAXFIELD MATSUMOTO sent me his version of Grim Grinning Ghosts that he tells me is an interpretation using nothing but layered guitars and a drum track. This is a short but sweet arrangement that has some really interesting guitar work that shows he has put some though into each part. It sounds pretty cool, but I hope to one day hear a full band use this arrangement. I hear so much potential for what it could be!

Be sure to check out Matsumoto's other music and his youtube channel where you can see the Haunted Mansion that he has built out of Lego!

If you have a Disney cover that you have recorded for your band and are looking for some exposure, please feel free to send it my way and I'll try my best to get it up here for others to hear!

The Headless Horseman - Thurl Ravenscroft

2010-10-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, Jamie here for another guest post. Of course, Halloween is nearly upon us, so it's time to break out some spooky covers for the rest of the week!

One of my all-time favourite Disney tunes is The Headless Horseman performed by Bing Crosby in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow segment of The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad from 1949. It was written by Gene de Paul and Don Raye, the latter of which also wrote songs for The Andrews Sisters including Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.

This cover was recorded by Mr. THURL RAVENSCROFT who has a long history with Disney productions. His deep bass voice may be most famous as the voice of Tony the Tiger for Frosted Flakes. I'm sure you'd also recognize him for singing You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch. His voice can be heard throughout Disneyland on attractions such as the Enchanted Tiki Room, Splash Mountain, and It's a Small World, to name just a few, but he's most prominently featured on The Haunted Mansion singing lead on the theme Grim Grinning Ghosts. He also appears in numerous Disney features from Pinocchio, Dumbo, and Cinderella all they way through to The Aristocats and The Brave Little Toaster. For his contributions, he was named a Disney Legend in 1995, a program that honours men and women who have made a significant impact on the Disney legacy.

This particular track comes from the Walt Disney Records Archive Collection Volume 1, a compilation of rarities only available through iTunes.

Under the Sea - Gregory Isaacs

2010-10-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

I know I just posted a cover of Under the Sea, as well as one from DISNEY REGGAE CLUB, but yesterday saw the passing of a reggae legend, so I think you'll understand my cover choice for today.

In his teens, GREGORY ISAACS participated in as many talent contests as Jamaica had to offer, winning many of them. He made his recording debut in 1968 and by the end of the 70s was one of the most popular reggae artists in Jamaica.

Isaacs formed his own record label in 1973 and it was here that he scored his first hit, My Only Lover. He is credited as the creator of the reggae style known as "lover's rock", due to his smooth crooning.

"The Cool Ruler" mainly ruled over Jamaica during his 40 year career, but with the release of NIGHT NURSE in 1982, he started to find international fame. However, he was not able to bask in the glory as he spent six months in prison after being arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. This prison sentence, coupled with an addiction to cocaine, prevented Isaacs from rising to the fame his music deserved.

He has recorded over 500 albums during his 40 year career and has worked with nearly every reggae artist at one point or another. His final album, BRAND NEW ME, was released in 2008. Isaacs recorded Under the Sea for DISNEY REGGAE CLUB earlier this year. This would be his last official recording before his death yesterday after a long battle with lung cancer.

It's a Small World - riddim saunter

2010-10-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school I was bitten by the "rock star bug". I really wanted to be in a rock band. With some buddies, we formed a band and wrote some songs and pretty soon we were playing shows at school functions.

Well, that didn't turn into anything. Most high school bands don't. But that's not the case with RIDDIM SAUNTER. They formed a high school band in Japan in the late 90s and were heavily influenced by the ska boom surrounding those years. In 2005 they released their first album which brought them nation-wide fame, combining the musical styles of ska, punk and hip-hop.

Last year they recorded their take on the classic theme to the It's a Small World attraction from Disneyland for the Japanese album, DISNEY ROCKS.

Under the Sea - Doodlebops

2010-10-21T15:28:00.000-07:00

There are many things that Canadians can be proud to claim as their own: Ketchup chips, Tim Hortons, hocky, Trivial Pursuit, Wayne Gretzky, insulin, poutine, the CBC, Nanaimo bars, Mike Myers, zippers, the electron microscope...the list goes on.

On thing I'm not sure I'm proud of is THE DOODLEBOPS. This Canadian trio has been in the children's entertainment business for six years now and have won the hearts of many preschoolers around the world. I've been watching a lot more preschool programming, thanks to my son, and I like to base the quality of these shows on how well it captures my attention as an adult. The Doodlebops doesn't do it for me. My own personal favourite is Yo Gabba Gabba.

If you wish to hear a variety of children's performers singing classic Disney tunes, check out DISNEY MUSIC BLOCK PARTY where you can hear the Doodlebops singing Under the Sea.

A Spoonful of Sugar - Rhymes 'n' Rhythm

2010-10-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a track off of one of those albums that is quickly and cheaply made and found in your local drug store. THE GREATEST DISNEY CHILDREN'S THEME TUNES is by a group called RHYMES 'N' RHYTHM and is probably just one guy and his synthesizer. All the tracks are rather uninspired and probably not worth your time. In fact, the track I'm posting is one of the better tracks!

Here at Covering the Mouse, I don't just bring you the good! There are plenty of bad covers out there, and while I don't want to play them often, I feel that it is good to hear a bad cover once in a while.

Alice in Wonderland - Camarata Chorus & Orchestra

2010-10-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

The look and feel of many of the Disney animated films of the 40s and 50s is largely thanks to the incredible work of Mary Blair. Her bold colours and stylistic design choices can be seen all over films like Alice in Wonderland, Melody Time and Ichabod & Mr. Toad -- and let's not forget that the It's a Small World attraction was designed by her too!

Alice in Wonderland is probably my favourite example of her work. Check out this Flickr album and you will see how much her concept art ultimately influenced the production. Although her style was very modernistic and a bit abstract, nothing like the realism Disney tried to achieve in his films, she was still one of Walt's favourite artists and her work is clearly seen throughout these movies, even in the backgrounds that are supposed to appear more "realistic" (see the picture above).

If you are fan of her work, there are a few books that may interest you: The first is John Canemaker's wonderful celebration of her career, The Art and Flair of Mary Blair, although the image reproductions don't show off her incredible use of colour.

More interesting to me are the series of children's books that Disney released a few years ago, using abridged versions of the classic tales for the text and Mary Blair's concept art from the Disney features as the illustrations. This is a perfect outlet for her art and they not only make great books for your kids, but double perfectly for unique coffee table books. The three in this series are Cinderella, Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland.

Today's cover is the theme song to Alice in Wonderland, arranged by Disneyland Records' Musical Director Tutti Camarata for the 1957 album ALICE IN WONDERLAND: MUSIC FROM THE SCORE which is available exclusively through iTunes.

The Siamese Cat Song - Lawrence Welk and His Champagne Music

2010-10-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

If you were part of the generation that experienced the birth of television, chances are your family gathered around the set to watch the Lawrence Welk Show during the 50s and 60s. The show itself lasted until the early 80s, though it had lost much of its steam by that point.

Welk's popularity didn't stem from his television program, however. He had a long career as a bandleader performing live music and forming his signature sound, which has been dubbed "champagne music" due to its sound being "light and bubbly like champagne". He also had a radio program short before entering the TV world.

In 1956, he released an album on Coral Records called LAWRENCE WELK AND HIS CHAMPAGNE MUSIC PLAY THE MUSIC OF WALT DISNEY. The album featured the cast of singers that were currently on the show (this particular track features the the Lennon Sisters) and sports a cover with various Disney characters in bubbles coming from a champagne glass. The album was reissued in 1968 but doesn't include every song found on the original release. The Siamese Cat Song can only be found on the 1956 version.

When You Wish Upon a Star - Tony Bennett

2010-10-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

TONY BENNETT, one of the great American singers, has had a sixty year career of singing jazz and pop standards, mostly out of what is known as the Great American Songbook, a collection of songs from the 20s to 60s, primarily made up of Broadway showtunes and Hollywood musical numbers.

I'm not sure if Pinocchio's When You Wish Upon a Star is in the Songbook, but it really should be. It is a song that has transcended time and genre and is a theme for many people, places and era. Tony Bennett recorded this number for his children's album, THE PLAYGROUND, in 1998.

I Wan'na Be Like You - UB40

2010-10-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

I would find it very hard to believe, if you told me that you had never heard of UB40. Anyone born in the 70s or later should know that name, and even if you didn't recognize that name, surely you would have heard their cover of Neil Diamond's Red Red Wine or their version of Elvis' (Can't Help) Falling in Love With You at least once in your lifetime.

This 80s British reggae band certainly has a well-recognizable song which has been a mainstay on modern Adult Contemporary radio stations (at least here in Vancouver). Interesting fact: UB40 is the document that people in Britain had to fill out to claim their unemployment benefits.

UB40 are one if the more well known (to a North American audience, anyway) band to be included in the DISNEY REGGAE CLUB, an album of Disney tunes by reggae masters which was release a few months ago.

Taking a Break

2010-09-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a few weeks off of Covering the Mouse for a vacation. I'll be back on Tuesday, October 12 with more great covers, including Lawrence Welk, Tony Bennett and UB40!

See you in a few weeks!

Un sourire en chantant - Isabelle Aubret

2010-09-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

I am babysitting a two and a half year old friend today and he wanted to watch a movie, and out of all of the family movies I have (which is a lot), he chose Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Fine with me, I love it and I haven't seen it in a while anyway.

But however apathetic I felt about his film selection, my attitude quickly changed when I put it in my Blu-ray player. Every single time I watch Snow White I'm reminded of how spectacular the movie is. The art and animation is amazing. I love the music and the voices and the mood it all evokes. It isn't too heavy on plot or character development, but I can look past that since it was Disney's first attempt at anything like this.

It blows my mind when I realize that even though this one movie is fantastic, Pinocchio, which would come four years later, is even more so!

Today's cover is With a Smile and a Song by French singer ISABELLE AUBRET from her Disney tribute album UN JOUR MON PRINCE VIENDRA - CHANSONS DES FILMS DE WALT DISNEY ET JACQUES DEMY.

When You Wish Upon a Star - Little Anthony and the Imperials

2010-09-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

Last year, 50s doo-wop group LITTLE ANTHONY AND THE IMPERIALS were inducted into the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame. They were pioneers in rhythm and blues, influencing many bands of that era.

Although members had been singing together under the name THE CHESTERS since 1956, it wasn't until a former Duponts member, Anthony Gourdine, joined the group as lead vocalist and they changed their name to the Imperials in 1958 that they really got recognition.

The first record they pressed as Little Anthony and the Imperials, Tears on My Pillow became their breakthrough hit, paving the way for a 20+ year career. A few singles later, in 1959, they recorded Wishful Thinking which had When You Wish Upon a Star as its B-side. You can find this cover on various Imperials compilation albums, including their GREATEST HITS.

Little Anthony is known for his high falsetto voice, which was influenced by Jimmy Scott, who has also covered When You Wish Upon a Star.

The Second Star to the Right - Dee Fisher

2010-09-21T09:27:00.000-07:00

Today is a big day for Tinkerbell! She is the fifth Disney character to gain a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, following Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Snow White and Winnie the Pooh. Coincidentally (or not), today is also the release of her third direct-to-DVD feature, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue.

Tinkerbell has come a long way for someone who was originally represented by a beam of light in the original JM Barrie stage play. Once Disney acquired the rights to Peter Pan, he fleshed her out into a full-fledged icon, one that has become a mascot of sorts for the company (fans growing up with tv programs like Disneyland or The Wonderful World of Disney will remember that it was Tinkerbell that welcomed us each week).

Today's cover comes from her first Disney appearance, Peter Pan. The song is The Second Star to the Right and it is performed by DEE FISHER who used to play the Wurlitzer organ in the Wurlitzer store on Main Street, Disneyland in the 50s. The album is called ECHOES OF DISNEYLAND and was released on vinyl in 1955. The album is long out of print, but a digital version is available exclusive to iTunes.

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah - Sun-Ra and His Intergalaxtic Arkestra

2010-09-20T15:25:00.000-07:00

Men are from Mars, women are from Venus, Sun-Ra is from... Saturn? At least, that's what he claims! The Man from Saturn was one of the most prolific jazz musicians of the 20th century with a career spanning seven decades and a discography of literally hundreds of records!

With all those records, you would imagine that there would be a few Disney covers in there. Well, in 1989, Sun-Ra released SECOND STAR TO THE RIGHT: SALUTE TO WALT DISNEY which include several Disney classics performed in their avant-garde jazz style, some stretched to over ten minutes long with improvised jazz solos!

Sun-Ra had many names for his "Arkestra". Sun Ra & his Arkestra. Sun Ra & his Outer Space Arkestra. Sun Ra & his Omniverse Arkestra. Sun Ra & his Astro Infinity Arkestra. Sun Ra & his Cosmo Discipline Arkestra. Sun Ra & his Year 2000 Myth Science Arkestra. The name given for this particular album is Sun-Ra & his Intergalaxtic Arkestra.

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (The Magic Song) - the chef cooks me

2010-09-17T13:35:00.000-07:00

THE CHEF COOKS ME could possibly take top spot as my favourite band name, and with a musical style that matches the band name, this five-piece pop/rock act from Japan is something I had to look into further. Is all their music this fun? The answer is yes! Check out their myspace to hear more from them.

Formed in 2003, it took a few years before the chef cooks me found nationwide fame, a relatively short period of time compared to the lives of most bands. I say good for them and I hope that they can find some exposure outside of Japan. Well, at least the twenty people that read my blog have now heard of them!

the chef cooks me's version of Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo can be found on DISNEY ROCKS, only available in Japan!

Someday - Chloë Agnew

2010-09-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

CTM reader/listener Marianne sent me a few tracks that she had in her collection, including this gentle, tender version of Someday, the end credits song from Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The original version of this song falls prey to the stereotype of 90s pop-adult contemporary radio fluff, but this version holds itself back, not succumbing to temptation of become bombastic like most covers of this song, letting the vocals take centre stage. The vocals are the main treat here. When I first received this song, I had to listen to it about four times in a row to take it all in. Agnew's voice is beautiful and it's even more amazing when you find out how old she was when she recorded it.

CHLOE AGNEW is an Irish singer most well-known as part of the Celtic music group CELTIC WOMEN. Agnew was singing and performing professionally at a very young age and released her first album at the age of twelve. Agnew recorded this song when she was fifteen for her 2006 album WALKING IN THE AIR, which is incredible when you hear the maturity in her voice.

I'm Late - Music for Little People

2010-09-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Jamie from Fong Songs, which has recently gone on hiatus. Why? Because I'm back in school doing my Master's, which means I have no time for blogging. In fact, I should be reading right now or writing something or sleeping... AAAAAARGH, it's only been one week and and I'm three weeks behind! No time to say hello, good-bye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!

MUSIC FOR LITTLE PEOPLE is a company out of Northern California that releases music-related educational products for children as well as recordings on their own music label. This particular album called LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES actually consists completely of covers from Disney films as sung by children. It reminds me of the Kidz Bop series, except the original songs are directed at children anyway so kid-friendly covers seem redundant. Pretty much all of them have me reaching for the skip button, but here they take the original short song (roughly 45 seconds) and somehow extend it for over four minutes as a Latin-flavoured big band cover. At the very least, it's listenable. Gotta go, I'm late!

Gil Goldstein Trio Feat. Herbie Mann

2010-09-13T07:09:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I posted a cover from this Japanese release, DISNEY MEETS JAZZ: TRIBUTE TO WALT DISNEY from 2006. I was set to post another cover today, but while doing research discovered that the recordings may not be from 2006.

Today's cover is a lovely jazz version of Beauty and the Beast by jazz piantist GIL GOLDSTEIN and his Trio. But it's his special guest that has me double checking the date. HERBIE MANN was an expert jazz flautist who was known in jazz circles as a pioneer in combining jazz and world music in the 60s.

Mann died in 2003 after a long battle with prostrate cancer. He was still quite active up until his death, so his recording with Goldstein could have been anytime up until 2003, and the album was released in 2006. I tried looking up this information, but had no luck. Does anyone out there have any clues?

This same album was released in North America under the title DISNEY ADVENTURES IN JAZZ in 2008.

Town Meeting Song - The Polyphonic Spree

2010-09-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

The world has lost another great actor, but this time one that wasn't as high profile in the Disney world (and perhaps the entire film world) as we've seen lately. GLENN SHADDIX passed away on Tuesday after an accident in his home apartment. He will be greatly missed by family, friends and fans.

If that name isn't too familiar, you probably will recognize his voice as the Mayor of Halloweentown in The Nightmare Before Christmas, a role he reprised for subsequent Nightmare and Kingdom Hearts video games. Shaddix has provided additional voices for other Disney productions, such as Quack Pack and Lilo & Stitch: the Series, as well as roles in other animated shows like Teen Titans, Cow & Chicken, Jackie Chan Adventures and The Mask.

He has also done a number of live action roles where he is better known. He was discovers by Tim Burton and the two became good friends. Burton cast Shaddix in what would become his breakthrough role as Otho, the New York interior decorator from hell, in Beetlejuice. He also played Senator Nado in Burton's Planet of the Apes.

Although the Mayor doesn't get a song of his own, I have chosen Town Meeting Song from the concept album NIGHTMARE REVISITED by a band that is just as avant-garde as Shaddix, THE POLYPHONIC SPREE.

I first heard the Polyphonic Spree when they were musical guests on Scrubs. Their multi-instrument/musician composition and wacky sense of dress and stage presence had me captivated.

TRIPIPING DAISY frontman Tim DeLaughter created The Polyphonic Spree after the death of Tripping Daisy guitarist Wes Berggren. The formation of the group was DeLaughter's response to the tragedy, giving this new band an emotional platform which still comes across in their music to this day.

Their cover of Town Meeting Song takes great liberty from the original but still retains the spirit of Jack trying to convey his thoughts to a group of misinterpreting townfolk. Practically nine minutes long, the Polyphonic Spree have created an epic of a song, but while their drastic departure from the original may deem this as a 'bad cover', this new version takes you on a journey and is fairly complex in its structure, instrumentation and vocal arrangements. I like it.

If I Never Knew You - Tiffany Thornton

2010-09-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

TIFFANY THORNTON, star of the Disney Channel hit, Sonny with a Chance, has recorded five songs as of this writing, one of them being If I Never Knew You, the end credits song from Pocahontas.

This song was originally supposed to be sung by Pocahontas and John Smith during the jail scene as Smith awaited execution. It was cut when a focus group of children found it uninteresting. The scene was 90% animated, so when the film was being prepped for DVD in 2005, Disney finished up that remaining 10% and inserted it back into the film as it was originally intended.

What makes this cover interesting is that Thornton sings the song all by herself.

Minnie's Yoo Hoo - Kerry Butler

2010-09-07T09:12:00.000-07:00

Disney's first musical hit came in 1929 in the form of Minnie's Yoo Hoo, penned by composer Carl Stalling. Stalling was a theatre organist back when movies were silent and required a live musician in the theatre house to play along with the picture. He met Walt Disney in Kansas and helped Disney get his new 'sound' cartoons off the ground by providing musical scores. Stalling co-created the Silly Symphonies with Walt, suggesting that the music be the basis of the entertainment. Stalling found greater fame a few years after working with Disney, as the chief musical director for Leon Schlesinger's Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies.

Minnie's Yoo Hoo can be first heard in the short Mickey's Follies, and later became the theme song for most of the black and white Mickey Mouse shorts. These days you can hear it all over the Disney Parks.

KERRY BUTLER, on her 2008 Disney tribute album, FAITH, TRUST & PIXIE DUST, puts her spin on the vintage hit. While the style is quite a departure from the rest of her album, her musical theatre background comes through in this piece. She doesn't take it seriously (which is good because it isn't a serious song) and just has fun with it.

Little Black Rain Cloud/Sunny Skies - Maureen McGovern

2010-09-03T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today you get two covers for the price of one! The bulk of this song is James Taylor's Sunny Skies, but the more interesting part of the song is Little Black Rain Cloud originally sung by Sterling Holloway as Winnie the Pooh in Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree and later in the compilation movie The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. This is the only cover of Little Black Rain Cloud that I have. Do you have any? Please let me know!

This pairing is rather odd seeing as the weather being sung about in each part of the medley are practically opposite. But they seem to work together in a typical 90's adult contemporary pop fashion, and this is largely due to the lovely vocals of MAUREEN MCGOVERN. Maureen's career began over twenty years before this 1995 recording. She found fame from her version of The Morning After from the 1972 blockbuster film The Poseidon Adventure.

If you are into animation other than Disney, you may already know that McGovern was the voice Joseph's mother, Rachel, in the Dreamwork's film Joseph: King of Dreams. If you are into superheroes like I am, you may also know that McGovern recorded a version of Can You Read My Mind, the love ballad from Superman: The Movie which went on to become a hit single. You can hear a sample here. Admittedly, I think the song sounds a bit goofy as a pop ballad, but it sure sounds better than when Lois Lane recites it during the film.

In 1995, McGovern recorded Little Black Rain Cloud/Sunny Skies for a compilation album called WINNIE THE POOH: TAKE MY HAND. All of the songs on the album are covers that apparently relate to Winnie the Pooh in some way, although this and a cover of the theme song by The Chieftains are the only songs from the cartoons that made the cut.

You'll Be in My Heart - Carlos Ponce

2010-09-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

Author Edgar Rice Burroughs was born on this day waaaay back in 1875. He is most famous for his more than twenty novels starring Tarzan, the Ape-Man. Of course, us Disney fans know far too well the 1999 animated adaptation starring the King of the Apes.

Did you know that after the release of Snow White, Burroughs approached Disney about adapting Tarzan? It would be 60 years before this actually happened.

Today's cover is You'll Be in My Heart by Puerto Rican singer/actor CARLOS PONCE. Ponce is well known in the Spanish-speaking world, having a few number one albums and a Spanish soap opera acting gig. It wasn't until the late 90s that he began to be a recognized face on American television. Among other things, he is the creepy yoga instructor in Couples Retreat and sang the Spanish version of Star-Spangled Banner in Deuce Bigalo: European Gigalo.

Disney fans may also recognize this name as he covered Bella Notte for Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure. Ponce recorded You'll Be in My Heart in 2005 for the compilation album GOLDEN SLUMBERS: A FATHER'S LOVE which features fathers singing lullabies to their children.

Overture - Helge Lien Trio

2010-08-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

I was too busy on Friday to conclude Film Score Week (sorry) so I am going to finish it up today with this cover of the Overture from The Jungle Book by Norwegian jazz act THE HELGE LIEN TRIO.

Strongly influenced by jazz pianist Bill Evans, Helge Lien puts a tremendous amount of effort, along with the rest of his trio, Frode Berg (bass) and Knut Aalefjær (drums), in creating complex harmonies as colourful layers of tones and melodies. They tackled Overture for the Japanese jazz Disney tribute MODAL JAZZ LOVES DISNEY.

Originally, Terry Gilkyson was brought on board to write all the music to the Jungle Book but Disney, unimpressed at how dark the music sounded, turned to the Sherman Brothers for help. He instructed them to NOT read the novel in order to get a fresh approach to the songs based on the characters the staff had already developed. The result is the music you hear in the film. One Gilkyson song did make the final cut - the upbeat and cheerful Bare Necessities.

~~The Sherman Brothers~~ Composer George Bruns (thanks, Andy) wrote the Overture which you hear during the opening credits at the beginning of the film. The Helge Lien Trio version keeps the mellow, low-key feel of the original, but their jazz style puts the song more in line with the rest of the jazzy music in the film.

Busa - Lebo M and his South African Chorus

2010-08-26T16:48:00.000-07:00

A year after the release of The Lion King, Disney released a "Music Inspired By" album. Usually I groan a these types of albums for not really having anything to do with the movie and simply being a cash grab. However, RHYTHM OF THE PRIDE LANDS has plenty to offer.

Included on the album are Hans Zimmer's He Lives In You, long before it was used in Lion King II and the Broadway Musical, and Elton John's Warthog Rhapsody, a song that was recorded for the film but cut before any animation was done.

A large portion of the CD is made up of extended versions of some of the African style songs Hans Zimmer wrote for the score along with his cohort LEBO M. The South African choir, led by South African Lebo M., sings the lyrics in the African language Zulu. To majority of world this language can not be understood, so the singers are used as another layer of instrumentation, giving off a very authentic African feel to the music.

Busa, which in English means "rule", can be heard when Simba returns to Pride Rock as well as at the end when he accepts his calling as King of Pride Rock. Lyrically the song is a song of worship to Simba that you can just imagine the animals singing at the end of the film. Here is a portion of the Zulu lyrics with English translation:

Busa le lizwe (Rule this land)
Busa le lizwe (Rule this land)
Busa lomhlaba wethu (Rule this land of ours)
Busa ngo xolo (Rule with peace)

Ubuse ngo thando (You must rule with love)
Ubuse ngo xolo (You must rule with peace)
Ubuse ngo thando (You must rule with love)
Busa Simba, busa Simba (Rule Simba, rule Simba)

A snippet of this version that I am posting today can be heard at the start of the credits, but I am sharing it with you today in its entirety. I hope you enjoy it!

No Quarter - Alestorm

2010-08-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hey there, hi there, ho there… or should I say Yo-Ho, yo-ho, y'arr scurvy Dogs?!

I'm Sir Donnerbold, or Sir Quackly for all you out where who didn't grew up with the German translation of Carl Barks' Donald Duck stories. I'm a big Disney fan and also a passionate blogger. What am I doing here? Well, Kurtis was kind enough to walk the plank today and so I'm the Captain of Covering the Mouse. Well, for one day.

I want to present you a cover of one famous score tune, which almost didn't exist: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer had the daunting task of bringing a certain Disney ride into the movie theatres. And one of the many, many challenges of this difficult project was the score. At first, Alan Silvestri was chosen as composer, but his music lacked the "Oomph!" Bruckheimer was looking for. His frequent collaborator Hans Zimmer had interest in helping out, but he was contractually forced to stay on his Warner Bros. film The Last Samurai. No side project was allowed. So, he recommended his protégé Klaus Badelt. But because of his friendship to Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, Zimmer decided to compose one demo, hidden from the eyes of Warner Bros. The demo (called Pirates Day One 4.56 AM) compromised several melodies, on which Badelt based some of his tunes for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. One of these rearranged melodies became one of the most popular film tunes of the last few decades: He's a Pirate.

The catchy and epic score of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl certainly inspired the band ALESTORM. Many metal bands incorporate a Viking theme into their music, but they decided to go with an pirate theme and some of their bigger songs share similarities with epic swashbuckling movie scores. The members of Alestorm call their mix of heavy metal, folk metal and power metal - comically "True Scottish Pirate Metal", a new subgenre which gathers many fans.

Alestorm's debut album Captain Morgan's Revenge consisted of new material, one cover of a Scottish traditional and covers of their own songs from Alestorm's humble beginnings in 2004 as an independent band called Battleheart. The album was very well received in the metal community and only one year later the sophomore album BLACK SAILS AT MIDNIGHT came out. This album brought finally the new recorded version of the last remaining Battleheart song without an official release: No Quarter, an instrumental piece which last part is nothing less than an awesome metal rendition of He's a Pirate!

I think it captures the energy of the original and combines it with the power of metal, and so it's one of my favorite Disney covers. I mean, Pirates of the Caribbean AND metal, what's not to like?

End Title - The Album Leaf

2010-08-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

The post-rock genre is an interesting one. Much more laid back and ambient than mainstream or pop rock, post-rock uses traditional rock instruments in a non-traditional fashion. One of my favourite bands, Sigur Rós, plays an electric guitar with a cello bow to create textures and dynamics rather than riffs and power chords. Non-traditional instruments such as the harp, toy piano and maybe even a small orchestra often make their way into post-rock compositions, and the use of digital effects and synthesizers is not uncommon.

Early post-rock influence can be heard as early as the 60s with bands like Velvet Underground. The term came about in the 90s to describe bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Stereolab and Mogwai. But it wasn't until the early 2000s that post-rock really hit the mainstream market. Sigur Rós, Explosions in the Sky, and Pelican are a few of my favourites.

Another one of my favourites, THE ALBUM LEAF is one of a few post-rock bands to appear on NIGHTMARE REVISITED, a cover album that covers not only the songs of Nightmare Before Christmas, but the score as well! Post-rock bands a made for score covers and Album Leaf proves this with their cover of the End Titles.

Tour of the Kingdom/Wedding Announcement - Trinidad & Tobago Showboat Orchestra

2010-08-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

While the most popular Disney songs are ones with words, a film's score plays a very important role in the film, many of which have become popular in their own right. This week's covers are all selections of scores from various films. I hope you enjoy Film Score Week!

Today's selection contains a few of the memorable melodies from the Little Mermaid's score by Alan Menken in which Ariel is exploring the surface world for the first time after getting her legs. The score plays an important role in this film as Ariel spends the later half of the movie with no voice.

Menken was originally hired to compose only the songs for the film but impressed the film's executives with a score demo. He went on to compose a score that would win him an Academy Award for Best Original Score in 1989.

A common method of scoring for a movie is to assign an instrument or simple melody that represents each character. The most obvious example of this method can be heard in Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. Menken uses melodies to represent the characters, most notable is the tune Ariel sings when she loses her voice. This melody is heard all throughout the film.

Meken also uses the method of assigning instruments to the main cast. The flute represents Ariel, the french horn represents King Triton, the oboe represents Prince Eric, the brass section represents Ursula and clarinets represent Scuttle.

Unfortunately, if you wish to hear this in action, you will have to watch the movie, because the cover I have chosen today only uses the steelpan. Please enjoy this cover of Tour of the Kingdom/Wedding Announcement by the TRINIDAD & TOBAGO SHOWBOAT ORCHESTRA as found on BEAUTY AND THE BEAT!

When You Wish Upon a Star - Martin Plaza and Rosemary

2010-08-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

When it comes to Australian musicians, I'm afraid I am most familiar with only a small handful of groups, including AC/DC, Men at Work and the Wiggles.

I learned a whole lot more about Australian musicians when I heard the Japanese exclusive DUETS: A FAMILY CELEBRATION, a whole CD of Disney cover songs recorded by Australian pop idols. Each song is sung by a parent/child duet, this one in particular is by MARTIN PLAZA of the band Mental As Anything, and his daughter, Rosemary.

Mental As Anything is a popular pop rock band from the 80s with such chart topping hits as If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?, Live it Up and Rock 'n Roll Music. Although their fame never stretched as far as North America, they became quite popular in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Let's Go Fly a Kite - Mickey Mouse and Goofy

2010-08-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

My wife brought to my attention the other day that I haven't yet posted any covers of Let's Go Fly a Kite. This song has transcended Mary Poppins (like many of the film's songs) and has become a standard children's tune. I remember singing this song in elementary school choir, before I had even seen Mary Poppins.

There are quite a few covers of this song, but one of the most fun is the version found on DISNEY MUSIC BLOCK PARTY by none other than MICKEY MOUSE and GOOFY! It's fun to listen to these two characters that we know so well, and whose voices are so iconic. Bill Farmer is the ever-lovable Goofy and the late Wayne Allwine is the enduring Mickey Mouse.

Trust in Me - The Jungle V.I.P.'s

2010-08-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

I was catching up on my fellow cover tunes bloggers, and I found that Versions Galore had posted a handful of Trust in Me covers a few weeks ago! Some of the covers I have posted here, but there are a few that may be new to you!

Here's one cover that they didn't post (mostly because it's not their style): This track is taken from a Disneyland Record that was released in 1967 called SONGS FROM THE JUNGLE BOOK, just after the release of the feature film. This LP doesn't contain any of the original songs, but rather arrangements that sound pretty standard for Disney records of this age. It doesn't credit him, but I would imagine that it was Tutti Camarata, Music Director and Producer for Disneyland Records, that arranged these songs, as he often did for the record label.

The singers on this album are credited as the JUNGLE V.I.P.'S which is a reference to a line from I Wan'na Be Like You. They are simply the studio singers that are often credited as DISNEY SINGERS on other records. Notice that they change the lines at the end of the song to Trust in US. I'm not sure why they made this change. It doesn't make sense in the context of the film, but maybe they did this because there is a group of people singing? I don't know.

Did you know that Trust in Me was a scrapped song from Mary Poppins? The Sherman Brothers, who wrote majority of the songs for both films, originally wrote this tune for a song called Land of Sand but decided to use it for Jungle Book when asked to start writing for that movie.

Love - Louis Prima

2010-08-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

Today is the final day of Robin Hood Week, and if you've been keeping track, you'll be aware that I haven't posted a cover of Robin Hood's love ballad. Well, the aptly named Love is the feature track today, sung by the Jungle Book's King Louie!

In 1974, shortly after the release of Robin Hood, jazz musician and voice of King Louie, LOUIS PRIMA, was asked to record the story of Robin Hood as told by Robin's buddy King Louie. LET'S "HEAR IT" FOR ROBIN HOOD features Prima narrating as well as singing two covers and six new songs, one of which is called King Louie and Robin Hood. Backing up Prima is Sam Butera and the Witnesses, Prima's band at the time.

Whistle Stop (Oo-De-Lally) - Jefferies Tin

2010-08-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

There are five songs in Robin Hood and five days in a week here at Covering the Mouse (Monday to Friday), so I wanted to feature each song on its own day. Unfortunately, Robin Hood songs are seldom covered and Whistle Stop is covered the least of the bunch. Fortunately, Jamie sent me a great medley of Whistle Stop and Oo-De-Lally so to spare all of you from me posting the Hamster Dance!

This cover is by JEFFRIES TIN, an unsigned indie band from the UK formed by two guys who went to school together in 2005. They have recorded one album, SOME SONGS, which they are happy to give you for free, all you have to do is ask! Otherwise, many of their songs are available as free downloads. Take a look around their website, facebook, myspace, and last.fm because they have made different songs free for download at each of these sites. You can download Whistle Stop (Oo-De-Lally) here.

There are lots of big names that record Disney songs, many of which are featured here. But I much prefer to highlight up and coming acts, especially good ones, since they need the exposure much more than, say, Miley Cyrus. Check out Jeffries Tin!

The Phony King of England - Benjamin Baker

2010-08-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Jamie from Fong Songs here. I'm absolutely thrilled Kurtis decided to make this Robin Hood Week since it's always been one of my favourite Disney films, due in no small part to its memorable songs.

In the world of Disney cover songs, Robin Hood is woefully underrepresented so I was delighted to discover a digital Disney cover album by a Nashville musician named BENJAMIN BAKER. The album, aptly named ACOUSTIFIED: DISNEY EDITION, features four Robin Hood covers including the rarely covered Phony King of England! In addition to a couple Jungle Book covers and Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat (another of my faves), Benjamin ventures into relatively obscure territory with cover songs from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and Hot Lead and Cold Feet. I've seriously never even heard of that last one, a comedy western from 1978 starring Don Knotts. Whoops, he also includes a cover of Edelweiss from The Sound of Music, which is not a Disney film... but that's okay since he has otherwise recorded a veritable treasure trove of Disney covers!

While several of the songs for Robin Hood were written and performed by Roger Miller, The Phony King of England (performed by Phil Harris as Little John) was written by Johnny Mercer who has written lyrics for numerous classic songs such as Moon River, Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive, and That Old Black Magic just to name a few.

Oo-De-Lally - CMH Studio Band

2010-08-10T10:54:00.000-07:00

Robin Hood Week continues with Oo-De-Lally, a cheerful song about the exploits of Robin Hood and his best friend, Little John. This instrumental version features a variety of fantastic bluegrass players, including GLEN DUNCAN, an expert in many instruments, but especially the fiddle.

By the age of 7, Duncan was playing the lap steel guitar. By the age of 12, he learned the banjo. By the age of 14, he was able to play the piano and organ! Born into a musical family help foster his love of instruments, but it was where he lived that made a bigger impact on his musical style. Living in southern Indiana was a small community of bluegrass musicians, many of which took Duncan under their tutelage in his infancy as a musician. Soon, he was playing on stage with these professionals and giving them a run for their money!

Duncan has appeared on more country, bluegrass and rock albums than you can fit on your iPod. He has become a highly sought after studio musician due to his expertise in a variety of interments. He is part of the studio band for the CMH record label who produces a variety of Pickin' On bluegrass tribute albums, including HEIGH HO BANJO: BLUEGRASS SALUTES FAVORITE DISNEY SONGS on which today's cover is found.

Not in Nottingham - Los Lobos

2010-08-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

My friend, Jamie, found a fantastic Robin Hood cover that he wants to share with you all, so I have decided it to be Robin Hood Week here at Covering the Mouse! He will share that song with you in a few days. In the meantime, let's kick off this week with a downer.

I say 'downer' because of the subject matter of the song Not in Nottingham. Originally sung by Alan-a-Dale (voiced by Roger Miller), the song sings about how good times have disappeared in Nottingham. It is an incredibly touching moment as the denizens of the Nottingham jail try their best to comfort each other despite needing comfort themselves.

LOS LOBOS includes their own take on their latest album LOS LOBOS GOES DISNEY. I don't have many covers of any of the songs from Robin Hood, but out of the few I have, this one is my favourite.

Following the Leader - Disney Singers

2010-08-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

OLIVER WALLACE, composer for over 100 Disney shorts, over a dozen feature films, and many Disney documentaries, was born on this day in 1887!

Wallace can be best recognized these days through his 50s era feature film scores such as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and Lady and the Tramp. It was common practice to bring on several composers to work on one feature, but it was Wallace that took all the themes written for the production and brought them together in one seamless score. Most impressive in my mind is his score to Alice in Wonderland which consistently ties together melodies from the many songs written by the Sherman Brothers for that film.

Though his main work was scoring, Wallace also wrote a few songs that have become Disney classics - Pink Elephants on Parade, Der Fuehrer's Face and this one: Following the Leader (with lyrics by Ted Sears and Winston Hibler).

There aren't many covers of Following the Leader, and this one isn't that great, but it's the best I can do at this time. What we have here is a studio produced version featuring an unknown group of studio musicians. You can find it on a few different albums, including MICKEY'S PARTY SONGS.

Kiss the Girl - Soul II Soul

2010-08-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

Soul II Soul has an interesting origin. They began as a 'sound system' group, a term that originated in Jamaica in the 50s. Back then, DJs would load up their turntables, speakers and a generator and throw elaborate street parties. When Jamaicans emigrated to the United Kingdom in the 70s, they brought their 'sound systems' with them. By the end of the 70s, the UK had firmly adopted this culture.

It was out of this popularity that Soul II Soul was born. The group was formed in London by Jazzie B in 1980 and played house and street parties over that decade. Toward the mid 80s they started experimenting in their own original music and eventually was noticed by Virgin Records who gave them a contract. Their singles Keep on Movin' and Back to Life (However Do You Want Me) gained them international popularity in 1989, and it was probably around that time that Disney was looking for contemporary pop groups for their video project SIMPLY MAD ABOUT THE MOUSE. Soul II Soul disbanded in the late 90s but have come back in recent years for a reunion tour.

This version of Kiss the Girl plays with the rhythm of the chorus slightly, puting their mark on the love ballad. Other groups, such as NO SECRETS, have used this particular rhythm in their own cover versions of this song.

Whistle While You Work - Louis Armstrong

2010-08-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

Everyone give a big 'ol Happy Birthday to LOUIS ARMSTRONG who, if he were still alive would turn 109 today!

Way back in 1968, Armstrong recorded an entire album of Disney cover, ranging from standards (When You Wish Upon a Star and Bare Necessities) to relatively obscure songs ('Bout Time and Ten Feet Off the Ground), although those songs would have been contemporary at the time. The album is called DISNEY SONGS THE SATCHMO WAY.

Have you ever wondered why Louis Armstrong's nickname was Satchmo? Well, Louis always puffed out his cheeks when he played trumpet (a big no-no for brass musicians). Over the years, this caused his cheeks to sag and become baggy and the term satchelmouth was created. One day in 1932, Percy Brooks, editor of Melody Maker magazine, greeted Armstrong with "Hello, Satchmo!" and the nickname stuck!

I hope you enjoy Satchmo's version of Snow White's Whistle While You Work!

DuckTales - alterEGO

2010-08-03T12:26:00.000-07:00

Today is the 20th anniversary of the feature film based on one of my favourite childhood cartoons: DuckTales: Treasure of the Lost Lamp! Since the movie has only a tiny cult following and is only available on DVD through Disney's Movie Club, I'm guess that Covering the Mouse may be the only place you will find a celebration for film's anniversary!

This film, featuring the voices of Christopher Lloyd and Rip Taylor, is the first feature from Walt Disney Television Animation. It was released under the Disney MovieToons label which was created to produced new movies for old Disney properties. Treasure of the Lost Lamp bombed in the box office and MovieToons only released one other film, A Goofy Movie, before shutting down.

The low revenue also shelved an intended series of DuckTales movies, as well as a Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers feature film. As a big fan of the Disney Afternoon, I am sad that these will never see the light of day. It was also for this reason that A Goofy Movie shares little resemblance to Goof Troop.

I really enjoy this film, even though is is really nothing more than an extended episode of the series. The animation is just above par with what you see in the series, with only the first ten minutes looking like something worthy of a theatrical release. Oh well. I was nine and I loved it.

Today's cover is a punk-rock version of the DuckTales theme song by a band called ALTEREGO. They have recorded an entire album of TV show theme song covers that is available for free download off their webpage! Enjoy!

Walt Disney Selection - George Scott-Wood

2010-07-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

Our last stop on the Silly Symphony Week train is one of my favourite covers: A medley of classic Silly Symphony songs! Here's a rundown of what you'll hear in this medley:

Minnie's Yoo Hoo (from Mickey's Follies, 1929) - This one isn't a Silly Symphony song, but rather Mickey Mouse's theme. This serves as the intro as well as a bridging piece between songs.

See the Funny Little Bunnies (from Funny Little Bunnies, 1934)

The Penguin is a Very Funny Creature (from Peculiar Penguins, 1934)

Rats, Rats, Rats (from The Pied Piper, 1933)

The World Owes Me a Living (from The Grasshopper and the Ants, 1933)

Lullaby Land of Nowhere (from Lullaby Land, 1933)

Help Me Plant My Corn (from The Wise Little Hen, 1934)

One more song that you may recognize is the four-note pattern at the very beginning of the song under a poor imitation of Mickey Mouse. It sounds just like part of the Mickey Mouse March, but about 20 years before the Mickey Mouse Club television show would even be a thought in Walt Disney's head! Coincidence?

This song was arranged by Scottish bandleader GEORGE SCOTT-WOOD and performed by the SILLY SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA. I'm guessing that is not the actual name of the orchestra that you hear in the recording. I'm guessing that it is actually the NEW MAYFAIR NOVELTY ORCHESTRA, whom Scott-Wood recorded many records with in 1935. I'm also guessing that it is 1935 that this song was recorded since none of the songs in the medley are from later than that. Plus, the timing is right if this is indeed the New Mayfair Novelty Orchestra. If someone can confirm any of these fact, please leave a comment!

Scott-Wood later formed the Six Swingers which took the Great Britain dance scene by storm. He is also credited for bringing the piano accordion to Great Britain and would later form his own accordion dance band that featured nine accordions! (He himself would conduct from the piano.)

There are actually a number of Silly Symphony medleys and other covers that were recorded in the 30s, but I can't find any of them. Do you have any other Silly Symphony covers? Please let me know!

You can find a crackle-free version of this track on MUSIC FOR A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS. I'm not sure why it's on a Christmas album, but oh well, at least it's available!

Who's Afraid of the BIg Bad Wolf - Charlie and his Orchestra

2010-07-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a very interesting part of history. We all know that Disney had their fair share of WWI propaganda. If you haven't already bought Walt Disney Treasures - On the Front Lines, I really recommend giving it a shot.

What we have here today is some Nazi German propaganda; a parody of Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf by CHARLIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA.

In the wake of Nazi Germany's attempt to cleanse the fatherland of all they considered to be "degenerate art", swing music and big bands were outlawed. But unbeknownst to the general public, Nazi Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Gobbels, created his own big band, Charlie and His Orchestra, fronted by English speaking German, Karl Schwendler.

Gobbels knew the power and influence of modern music and created this group in the early 30s to perform the hottest songs of the day with Nazi-centric lyrics. The songs would often start out very familiar, but then change half way through to include slander towards Jews, the British and anyone else that didn't follow their world view throughout the 30s. The songs were broadcast throughout North America and in Britain via short-wave radio.

I really like this arrangement of Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf; the band is really good! However, the new lyrics, which explain how the CBC and BBC are trying to pull the wool over the eyes of anyone under democratic rule, mean that this track doesn't get much repeat listing in my house.

Nothin' But a Nothin' - Billy May

2010-07-28T10:53:00.000-07:00

The next entry in Silly Symphony Week comes from The Flying Mouse. After the little field mouse has his wish for wings granted by a fairy, he sets out to live his life to the fullest. But he stumbles upon a group of bats that let him know that he's Nothin' But a Nothin'.

I found this cover on a Capitol Record's adaptation of The Flying Mouse. You can download it at Kiddie Records, a wealth of classic children's records, Disney and otherwise. I'm not positive on the release date of this record, but based on number on the album cover, I'm guessing 1951 or 1952.

Since the record doesn't credit the singer, the credit for the track goes to Billy May, a film and television composer who is probably the most well-known as the composer of the Green Hornet theme song! May arranged all the music on this record, however I don't quite care for this arrangement. The single raspy vocal falls flat when compared to the original quartet of singers.

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf - Harry Reser and his Eskimos with Loretta Clemons

2010-07-27T16:38:00.000-07:00

Of all the songs in the Silly Symphonies, Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf is the most well-known, as is its cartoon, The Three Little Pigs.

When the song debuted in 1933, it became a top selling single on vinyl and sheet music. Many artists of the day recorded their own version which usually went on to great success in dance halls around the world.

Such is the story of one of the earliest Who's Afraid covers by HARRY RESER who recorded this track with the Clicquot Club Eskimos in 1933. The track was so popular that ARC Records made it the B-side to six different records around that time.

The Clicquot Club Eskimos was a banjo orchestra conducted by Harry Reser who himself was a banjo virtuoso. They performed together on a radio variety show of the same name sponsored by Clicquot Club ginger ale. Joining them on vocals is LORETTA CLEMONS whose first take of this song was rejected by ARC records. She came back a week later, October 4, 1933, to record it again, which is the version you hear here. Clemons puts her own special touch in this version by exclaiming "Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Not me!"

The World Owes Me a Living - Shirley Temple

2010-07-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

It's Anniversary Week here at Covering the Mouse! It was four years ago today that I posted my first cover song, beginning what I had no idea would be such a huge project! Back then I only had a few hundred Disney cover songs, but my collection has grown (thanks to many of you) to almost 2000, over 450 of which can be heard here! This site will be able to continue for years as long as you keep on reading and listening!

As a celebration, I have declared this to be Silly Symphony Week! Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies are among my favourite of his cartoons. The style, the storytelling, the animation, the colour and the music all come together in a perfect cartoon package!

The music in this series is a focal point. Carl Stalling came to Disney with the idea of using music as a bases for a cartoon series, forming the story and animation around the use of songs and scores. Some songs, like Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf have become classics, while others have fallen into obscurity. Cover songs of Silly Symphony tunes are even harder to come by (with the exception of Who's Afraid), but I have a few gems that I would like to share with you!

Today's song is The World Owes Me a Living, the fiddle tune performed by Pinto Colvig as the Grasshopper in The Grasshopper and the Ants. The first line of the song would later serve as Goofy's unofficial theme song, also performed by Pinto Colvig, for the next few decades.

The Grasshopper and the Ants was released in February, 1934, and later that year, The World Owes Me a Living showed up in Now and Forever, sung by child actress, SHIRLEY TEMPLE. The version she performs is the sheet music version (think "radio single pop version" of those days), which isn't heard in the cartoon. I've included the track above, as well as the video below which explains the variation in volume on the recording.

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah - Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans

2010-07-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

BOB B. SOXX & THE BLUE JEANS is a 60s pop group produced by the great record producer Phil Spector. The group consisted of Bobby Sheen, who took on the stage name Bob B. Soxx, with Darlene Love and Fanita James on backing vocals.

The group recorded only one album, ZIP-A-DEE-DOO-DAH, in 1962 before the label dropped them and the group disbanded.

The titular track was the album's lead-off single and made it to #8 on the US pop charts. If I'm not mistaken, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that this is the first cover that took Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah has gave it a slow rock groove. You can hear this version covered by The Rationals, Jackson 5, Dave Clark Five, and many more.

Na Baixa do Sapateiro - Ary Barroso

2010-07-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

With World War II cutting out a valuable portion of Walt Disney's European revenue, and the poor box office receipts from Fantasia, Walt turned to the untapped South American audience to help bring his studio out of a financial crisis.

Walt produced two feature films, Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros, which were compilations of several Latin American themed cartoons. Walt employed some of the biggest names in Latin music to create the soundtracks to these films.

Appearing in both films are songs by ARY BARROSO. Aquarela do Brasil (aka Brazil) can be heard in Saludos Amigos, and Na Baixa do Sapateiro (aka Baía) in The Three Caballeros. Both songs are sambas and have become Barroso's most well-known tunes.

Barroso rerecorded Baía many times over the years. The version I'm sharing with you today is a ~~Spanish~~ Portuguese language version recorded in 1945 for the album RUMBA CONGA SAMBA MERENGUE. I'm not to sure where you can find this track on Amazon, but there are many different versions on many different albums, so I'm sure you can find one that you like!

The Incredibles Main Theme - Ursula 1000

2010-07-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Jamie from Fong Songs here. Today's featured tune is a remix by DJ Ursula 1000 of the main theme from The Incredibles, which comes from an incredibly hard to find EP of Incredibles remixes that for a time was only available on the US iTunes (much to the chagrin of us Canadians) and now apparently not available at all.

I chose this song because I wanted to highlight the work of composer Michael Giacchino who wrote the music for The Incredibles, his first major feature film score. Giacchino has since has gone on to write the scores for Pixar's Ratatouille and Up, in fact winning an Academy Award for the latter! He also has a long time association with J. J. Abrams, composing for his shows Alias, Lost, and Fringe, as well as following Abrams to the big screen with Mission: Impossible 3 and Star Trek. I'm going to take a wild guess and predict Giacchino will be providing the music for the forthcoming Mission: Impossible 4 to be directed by Brad Bird(!!) and produced by Abrams. Another big project on the horizon for Giacchino is Pixar's first live-action film John Carter of Mars, directed by WALL-E's Andrew Stanton.

The man's track record speaks for itself. It's kinda hard not to be a Giacchino fan!

Trust in Me - Roudoudou feat. Jenny De Vivo

2010-07-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

Trust in Me has this certain calming, intoxicating groove to it, which I guess is the point of the song since Kaa is using it to hypnotize Mowgli.

However, musicians of the electronic variety have noticed this song because of its groove, adding their own haunting sounds and rhythm. Listen to this version by French artist Stephen Lawrence, aka ROUDOUDOU. He has taken the song to the next level of hypnotism in a genre of electronic music called trip-hop. I sit here at my desk writing this commentary but I can't listen to the song at the same time else I wouldn't get any work done! It is quite enchanting.

Stephen Lawrence started out with a radio program playing an eclectic variety of music and sounds. He later moved on to be the lead singer of the band OUI OUI, but it wasn't until mid-90s that he found his true passion as a deejay. He released his first album, TOUTL'UNIVERS: LISTENER'S DIGEST, on which this track can be found, in 1998.

The vocalist is Jenny Devivo, an independent musician from Massachusetts.

Beauty and the Beast - Elizabeth Shepherd Trio

2010-07-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

Today's track comes from the excellent Japanese exclusive MODAL JAZZ LOVES DISNEY. In case you are not familiar with the term "modal jazz", the term comes from a style of soloing by using different jazz modes rather than chord progressions.

A standard scale, let's say C major, includes CDEFGABC. But a mode is essentially the same scale but starting on a different note. Dorian mode in the key of C is DEFGABCD, Phrygian mode in the key of C is EFGABCDE, etc. (This is a simple way of explaining it. There are far more complexities that come into play when you actually go about studying the theory.)

This makes it easier for soloists to form melodies and moods in their solos without having to worry about choral changes. And this isn't just for jazz. Many songs in the pop world use modes as well. The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby is in the Dorian mode, and the guitar solo in Achilles Last Stand by Led Zeppelin is in the Aeolian mode.

This version of Beauty and the Beast, by Canadian jazz pianist ELIZABETH SHEPHERD is in (and you jazz experts can correct me if I'm wrong) the Mixolydian mode in the key of Bb.

I love this cover. The song is changed so much and is incredibly interesting to listen to. It sounds like the trio had a fun time arranging it too. Here is what Shepherd had to say about the experience:

"Beauty and the Beast... so much potential here - I had to capitalize. I wanted to do something totally different from the schmaltzy Celine Dion original - if for nothing else than to add diversity to the sounds of Canadian women! The boys (Colin and Scott), of course, picked it up right away and we got it down in the first take. I guess that's the beauty of working together, this beauty and 2 beasts - ha!"

Some Day My Prince WIll Come - Full Swing

2010-07-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

If you're ever tired of what you hear on the radio, just try pulling any random Japanese pop or rock group off the net and chances are you will find a real gem. Today's real gem is the organ pop group FULL SWING whose brand of pop takes from many different areas of music, blending them into a perfect summer frappachino of sound.

The group is fronted by Kazumi Yamamachi (Bass) and Yukinori Yamamguchi (Hammond Organ) who together write and perform all their own music. Featured very prominently in this cover of Some Day My Prince Will Come from the Japanese exclusive Disney cover album MOSH PIT ON DISNEY is Yamaguchi on the B-3 Hammond Organ. The tempo is quickened and the mood is lightened, changing this from a song of longing to a song of anticipation.

Winnie the Pooh/The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers - Ralph's World

2010-07-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

As a father, pop-rock children's act RALPH'S WORLD really gets my stamp of approval. There is so much fluff out there that passes as music for kids, but this band, fronted by former THE BAD EXAMPLES member Ralph Covert, combines educational and clever lyrics with music that you actually won't mind playing over and over again in the car.

Ralph's World came to be in 1991, but it wasn't until 2007 when Ralph signed on with Disney Sound that he began getting more publicity. But Disney didn't have any influence on his music, leaving Ralph to do his own thing and make great records.

Signing with Disney also means that Ralph can cover Disney songs! His first album on the Disney label, RALPH'S WORLD, contains a medley of Winnie the Pooh and The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers. Although I wouldn't call this a medley -- there is an obvious break in between songs with no attempt to bridge the two together.

If you would like to check out Ralph's World for yourself and you live in New York City, there will be a free show this Saturday (July 18) at 3:00pm in Central Park!

Circle Of Life - Matisyahu

2010-07-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

Last week, DisFanReview.com editor Admiral Duke had the opportunity to speak with Reggae artist Matisyahu about his cover of the Lion King classic Circle Of Life which appears on the new album DISNEY REGGAE CLUB. Here is his report:

Often dismissed as "island music" Reggae is a vibrant and powerful music genre that at its best, fuses spiritual themes and rock-steady beats to get your body moving and raise your spirits. So, a lot of credit goes to Disney for being forward thinking enough to create a listening experience that melds the power and beauty of some of cinema's most classic songs with the spirit and energy that can only come from reggae. Disney's Reggae Club, is more than just the latest release in Disney's series of cover albums... It's a lot more than that. The track list reads like a list of Reggae royalty with some notable up and comers mixed in. The latter is personified by the artist who performs the albums lead off track, Circle Of Life.

While most of Reggae's best known artist's hail from the tiny Caribbean island of Jamaica and tend to subscribe to the ideals of the Rastafarian religion, MATISYAHU isn't and doesn't. Actually, Matisyahu hails from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York and is a Hasidic Jew. Though the obvious differences in background and religion would seem to preclude him from living the life of a Reggae superstar, the genre is almost custom made for his blend of spiritual themes and positive vibes that splices together elements of Hip-Hop, beatboxing, and Hazzan, Judaism's style of songful prayer. You have heard his music before. His 2005 debut album, Live at Stubbs, spawned the top 40 hit King Without a Crown and His second album, Youth was Billboard magazine's 'Digital Album of the Year' in 2006. One Day the first single from his latest album, Light, was the un-official theme song of NBC's coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Circle Of Life from the Disney film, Lion King, has always contained some rather spiritual elements, but never has it had the kind of deep spiritual resonance as it does in Matisyahu's hands.

"I love the content matter, the Lion and majestic imagery, back to the earth/natural and spiritual themes all fall in line with classic reggae imagery and content." No surprise, of course, for an artist whose deep spirituality informs all of his music, but his own personal connection to the film, is what drove him to cover this song in particular.

"It was my favorite movie growing up. Not when I was 4, when I was 14. Also, after seeing the movie about 10 times my son now thinks he is a lion."

Matisyahu's version of the song not only adds some of his own lyrical styling but changes the tempo while keeping the overall feeling of the song intact. Which begged the question, Did Disney have a lot of input into the song's recording?

"We had free reign. I was trying to figure it out... then I heard the African singing in the beginning, it sounded like a reggae base line. It went from there."

What was most striking to me about this song was the psychedelic 'Dub style' ending that degenerates into echo's and reverb, a style most Disney fans might find slightly off putting if uninitiated. For those folks, Matisyahu had this to say:

"Music is all about moving forward, evolution, to stay static and keep doing the same thing is death music."

-Admiral Duke

(Theme To) The Mickey Mouse Club - The Bran Flakes

2010-07-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

Here's one for the 'bizarre' category: THE BRAN FLAKES are a sound collage pop group, meaning they take pre-existing music and use samples to make up a new song.

This track uses the Mickey Mouse March pretty much in its entirety. However, every time Mickey's name is being spelled, they repeat the K twice so that the singers are shouting 'KKK'. I'm sure you all can figure out what they are alluding to, especially with the machine gun and air raid siren sound effects. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to find this hilarious or be offended. Maybe a little of both.

Due to the illegal sampling that makes up their music, Bran Flakes albums are not widely distributed, but they are up on Amazon Marketplace and as mp3 downloads. This song can be found on I DON'T HAVE A FRIEND which was released in 2000.

Ferdinand the Bull - Slim and Slam

2010-07-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a song that I have talked about yet: Ferdinand the Bull was the first cartoon that Disney produced that wasn't associated with a particular series (ie. Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphonies). The cartoon followed faithfully the story of the pacifist bull that gets roped into participating in a bullfight.

Although you don't hear it during the cartoon, this song was written for Ferdinand, but not included for whatever reason. However, it was still released as sheet music which was a popular form of releasing music to the public (like digital downloads these days). The sheet music was bought by a number of musicians who recorded it for their records.

SLIM AND SLAM was a novelty jazz act from the 30s. The singing duo was made up of Bulee "Slim" Gaillard who sang and played guitar, and Leroy Elliott "Slam" Stewart who sang and played bass. Together they recorded Ferdinand on May 3, 1938, six months before the release of the film. You can get it on a number of CDs that collect the work of Slim and Slam.

Pink Elephants on Parade - Barbara Cook

2010-07-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

Tony Award Broadway singer BARBARA COOK recorded an album of Disney songs which she released on vinyl back in 1988. THE DISNEY ALBUM is a great album by Cook. Her background in Broadway musicals allows her to not only deliver touching ballads, but also playful songs that the average pop musician would be able to pull off.

Songs like I'm Late, Give a Little Whistle and Pink Elephants on Parade are hard songs for a serious artist to cover with credibility. The somewhat goofy nature of these types of songs don't lend themselves to the world of rock, country or adult contemporary, but they are perfect for a Broadway singer. We heard this accomplished a few months ago with Barbra Streisand's Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf. Cook delivers the same sort of performance here and places herself in Dumbo's nightmare and reacts pretty much how any of us would react if place in that situation.

Colors of the Wind - Pam Tillis

2010-07-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of country music, you will probably recognize the name PAM TILLIS. She has been in the country music scene for the past thirty years, although she was performing as early as 43 years ago at the age of nine as the daughter of legendary country music star Mel Tillis.

Pam Tillis has had numerous singles in the US Billboard Country Charts, including her 1995 number 1 hit, Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life). She also has acting and writing on her résumé.

In 1996, Tillis recorded Colors of the Wind for THE BEST OF COUNTRY SING THE BEST OF DISNEY. This song translates really well to the country music style. Maybe not so much lyrically, but the music sure sounds good with that modern country twang.

This album is now out of print, but Disney has released the same content under a new name, DISNEY ADVENTURES IN COUNTRY.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Steve Tyrell

2010-07-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, a Disney Legend passed away. ILENE WOODS was a friend of songwriters Mack David and Jerry Livingston. The songwriting duo was working on some music that Walt Disney commissioned them to write for his upcoming feature film, Cinderella.

As a favour to her friends, Woods recorded So This is Love, Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, and A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes for a demo that would be presented to Disney for his approval of the music.

At the time Disney received the demo, he has already auditioned more than 300 girls for the role of Cinderella. But upon hearing Woods on the recording, he knew that he had found his princess! Two days later, Disney called Woods asked he to fill the role, to which Woods gladly accepted, surprised that she had unsuspected auditioned.

Ilene Woods died on July 1st due to causes relating to Alzheimer's disease. She was 81 years old. Today's cover is to her memory, sung by jazz crooner STEVE TYRELL from his album DISNEY STANDARDS.

When You Wish Upon a Star - Ken Hirai

2010-07-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

MELLOW DISNEY is a Japanese R&B Disney cover album. However, the Japanese have a very different interpretation of the term R&B. If this album is a good example of Japanese R&B, it doesn't really sound anything like modern American R&B, nor doesn it sound like the classic form of R&B (Ray Charles, et al).

This "R&B" version of When You Wish Upon a Star is by Japanese artist KEN HIRAI who is a pop/R&B artist according to his website and every other site that features him. Based solely on this one song, he sounds more of a jazz singer, what with the scat solo and the jazz piano. I can hear a few R&B traits in his singing, but coupled with the music I wouldn't say that it is R&B.

But don't let this conversation lead you to think that I don't like this cover! I think it is fantastic! It starts a bit slow, but once it kicks in at about :45 it really gets a groove going! I love the pairing of the light jazz piano with the distinctly Japanese percussion beat. The percussion reminds me of the music in any Super Mario video game when Yoshi shows up.

Look Through My Eyes - Everlife

2010-07-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Canada Day! As a Canadian, I am proud to be able to tie in today's post to my favourite country!

I had the option to post a song that was either by a Canadian artist or about Canada in some way. I know this is a bit of a stretch, but I'm posting a cover of Look Through My Eyes from Brother Bear.

Even though they never say their exact location in the movie, it's pretty clear that it is in northern North America. And the fact that there are two caribou played by Canadian stereotypes Bob and Doug McKenzie (Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas) with names that make fun of Canadian accents (Rutt and Tuke) leads me to believe that they are in the True North strong and free.

So it is for this reason that I post a cover of the Brother Bear credits song, Look Through My Eyes, as performed by girl-rock band EVERLIFE. The track was recorded for DISNEYMANIA 4 in 2006. You can also find it on the BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA SOUNDTRACK.

I'm a fan of Phil Collins, I loved his work on Tarzan, but I'm just not into this song. However, I love this pop-rock cover which takes the adult contemporary sound out of the track and drives it in a straight-up modern rock fashion.

One Song - Dave Brubeck Quartet

2010-06-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

It was on this day and yesterday in 1957 that the DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET recorded DAVE DIGS DISNEY.

Jazz fans will definitely want to check out this album which features Paul Desmond on the alto sax, Joe Morello on the drums and Eugene Wright playing the double bass.

This track is more solo than some of the others on this album. The main melody from Snow White's One Song is seldom heard during the solos and is primarily used as the head which the musicians go to between solos. It's not a long track, but it sure shows off how amazing Dave and his band were.

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo - Yasuharu Konishi & Pizzicato Five

2010-06-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

Here is another great track from record produced YASHUHARU KONISHI and performed by his band, PIZZICATO FIVE on the album READYMADE DIGS DISNEY!

This time a girl speaks the Fairy Godmother's magical incantation in a cutesy Japanese Betty Boop sort of way while the band reworks the song to sound like a detective has been hired by the prince to track down a single-shoed female.

Even though this song is completely unlike anything else on the album, it doesn't feel out of place. That is the compelling charm of Readymade Digs Disney.