Yo Ho/Grim Grinning Ghosts Medley - Chris Calabrese
Coming up on Friday, September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day! So everybody better batten down yer hatches for all the scalawags and landlubbers will be speaking like Jack Sparrow, Davy Jones and Captain Hook! Arr!

It would seem so fitting to post a cover of Yo-Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me so that is exactly what I'm gonna do! This is a medley of the themes to the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion attractions at the Disney theme parks in a delightful ragtime style by none other than Main Street performer CHRIS CALABRESE!

Yo Ho/Grim Grinning Ghosts Medley Chris Calabrese 1998

Labels: chris calabrese, grim grinning ghosts, haunted mansion, pirates of the caribbean, ragtime, ragtime at the magical kingdoms, yo ho

  ¶ 11:01 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Grim Grinning Ghosts - Club 33
Our next stop on our tour of Disneyland is New Orleans Square where we will find two attractions that are brought together with this cover song.

Grim Grinning Ghosts is the main theme for the popular Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. The original plan when the park was first built was to place a haunted house at the top of a high hill that loomed over the park. Walt was not impressed with the concept and put the project on hold until they were looking for attractions for a new section of the park, New Orleans Square, that would replace the unpopular Holidayland.

In 1961, the park started construction and advertising the Mansion but the project was still delayed because Walt wasn't sure about how the plans were shaping up. The completed exterior of Mansion was previewed in 1965 on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color but did not actually open because now Walt's attention was on the New York World's Fair for which he was creating a few attractions. It wasn't until Walt's death in 1966 that the Mansion could actually get some attention. It finally opened in 1969!

This cover of Grim Grinning Ghosts is the version that is played in Club 33, an exclusive restaurant in New Orleans Square that is only indicated by a nondescript door with a simple 33 on it. It is not open to the public and the membership fees are in the thousands. But even if you have the money, don't expect to get in any time soon as the waiting is is apparently 14 years long!

All of the music that is heard in Club 33 has this similar chamber feel to it. I think this track is quite beautiful and eerie at the same time. I also have the Club 33 version of Feed the Birds but that is it. There are a dozen more songs that are heard in the club but a formal album has not been released. I don't even know where this track came from! I got it from another music blogger.

If anyone knows where I can get Club 33 music or who the performers are, I would be your best friend forever. UPDATE: Kevin hooked me up with this album! He is my new BFF! Thanks Kevin!

Grim Grinning Ghost Club 33 ???

Labels: classical, club 33, grim grinning ghosts, haunted mansion

  ¶ 11:28 AM 9 Comments Links to this post

  Grim Grinning Ghosts - Barenaked Ladies
I can't think of a better group to take on Grim Grinning Ghosts! The BARENAKED LADIES have this sense of style and fun that they put into their music and their arrangement of this song is perfect!

The song, written in 1969 and originally sung by the voice of Tony the Tiger, Thurl Ravenscroft, has many verses and can be heard in its various incarnations throughout the 13 minute Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland.

The Haunted Mansion was in planning stages when Walt Disney died and changed drastically after his death so he never got to see the final results or hear this song. As one of the better attractions in the park, I think Walt would have been happy the way it turned out.

Grim Grinning Ghosts Barenaked Ladies 1996

Labels: barenaked ladies, grim grinning ghosts, haunted mansion, music from the park, pop

  ¶ 7:49 AM 6 Comments Links to this post