I Wanna Be Like You - Phish
One of the best unknown bands of the 90s is the Vermont based PHISH. The group, known for their progressive rock/jazz fusion style, had a remarkable twenty year career before a hiatus in 2004. Phish was known for their extensive improvisation solos and extended grooves which sometimes caused songs to run almost twenty minutes long!

After forming in 1988, the band quickly gained a cult following and by 1991 they were signed by Elektra and touring across the country. They were also one of the first bands to have a Usenet newsgroup on the internet which helped them spread their music across the world. Along with their thirteen studio albums, they have an extensive twenty-one volume series of live albums as well as dozens of their shows that can be downloaded off their website.

Not only was their music innovative, but they were constantly trying to find new ways to interact with their audience. During their fall tour in 1995, Phish challenged their fans to a game of chess. The band would make a move at the beginning of the show and the fans could vote on the next move during intermission and the move would be made at the end of the show. Then they would take the game to the next show on the tour and repeat the process. The audience lost a few month later, but would win the second game which ended on New Year's Eve, 1995.

This cover of the Jungle Book's I Wanna Be Like You is a great example of the fun they had during their shows. The song is sung by drummer John Fishman who didn't sing lead vocals very often, except on choice cover songs.

I Wanna Be Like You Phish ???

Labels: i wan'na be like you, jungle book, phish, rock

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  I Wan'na Be Like You - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Matt and Christine have both requested to hear BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY'S version of I Wan'na Be Like You.

This version of I Wan'na Be Like You was recorded for the Swingers movie soundtrack which gives the song a whole new meaning! It also appears on the band's 1999 album THIS BEAUTIFUL LIFE.

If you listen carefully, you will hear a lot of elements borrowed from the Los Lobos version of this song from the STAY AWAKE cover album. But that certainly doesn't make this cover unoriginal! Big Bad Voodoo Daddy puts their own twist on the song and makes it a big band hit!

I Wan'na Be Like You Big Bad Voodoo Daddy 1996

Labels: big bad voodoo daddy, i wan'na be like you, jazz, jungle book, swing, swingers soundtrack

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  I Wan'na Be Like You - Yukihiro Fukutomi
As always with Japanese Disney cover albums, we get some of the industry's top talent contributing their work to these excellent tributes. Nowhere is that more true than DISNEY AGE @ D_100 CAFÉ.

Since this is Remix Week, I have chosen a track off this album by YUKIHIRO FUKUTOMI, a DJ and Remixer who has been blessing clubs in Japan with his beats since 1990. Since then he has become a well recognized DJ, programmer, arranger, composer and producer. Fukutomi has taken I Wan'na Be Like You and has added his own touch. You'll hear the main vocals and many samples from the song, but the beat and much of the music has been added.

What really interests me with this style of music is the editing. I've taken a few courses in this and I find it quite hard. Fukutomi, who uses Pro Tools for his work, has sped up the tempo a bit, therefore having to edit every line of the song to fit this new tempo. Looping Baloo's scatting and the monkey's whistling is brilliant and my favourite part is when the classic song builds with the big brass fanfare behind it at the end and melds so well with the beats laid down by Fukutomi.

I Wan'na Be Like You Yukihiro Fukutomi 2001

Labels: disney age at d_100 cafe, electronic, i wan'na be like you, jungle book, yukihiro fukutomi

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  I Wan'na Be Like You - Smash Mouth
Today is the last day of Sequel Week and I am finishing it up with a song that was covered for the Jungle Book 2 by a group that only seems to be famous these days when they record covers.

I haven't seen Jungle Book 2 nor do I want to. Unlike Return to Neverland which was released a year earlier, Jungle Book 2 doesn't have that stellar looking animation nor does it appear to have a captivating story. However, I have hear the I Wan'na Be Like You cover by SMASH MOUTH and it is great! Smash Mouth has taken this track and reworked it into their distinct surf-rock style that has made them so popular for movie soundtracks. The song was first released on DISNEYMANIA but can also be found on the movie soundtrack as well as MOSH PIT ON DISNEY.

Here is an interesting note about Jungle Book 2: King Louie was not in the movie at all because voice actor Jim Cummings provided a perfect imitation of Louis Prima's voice for Talespin in 1992. Prima's widow, Gia Prima, sued Disney for the unauthorized use of his distinctive voice. King Louie was never heard from again.

I Wan'na Be Like You Smash Mouth 2002

Labels: disneymania, i wan'na be like you, jungle book, jungle book 2, mosh pit on disney, rock, smash mouth

  ¶ 7:49 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  I Wan'na Be Like You - Los Lobos
I have had a few requests for this special version of I Wan'na Be Like You by Los Lobos on my request page and elsewhere so I've have decided to pull it out for this month's Request Friday. Fdtate and cindy, this one is for you!

It is a happy coinsidence that today is also Louis Prima's birthday! If he were still alive today he would be 97! Prima, as you all should know, voiced King Louie in the Jungle Book.

LOS LOBOS is a band with a huge cult following that didn't have the commercial success of a pop band in the US. They released many singles but one in particular put them on the map. It was their cover of Ritchie Valens' La Bamba in 1987. The song went straight to number one and can still be heard on many Adult Contemporary radio stations.

This made them prime candidates for the STAY AWAKE tribute album in 1988. It is one of the most popular tracks on the record.

They are still together and releasing albums to this day. Their music is consistantly better with every album and it is my hope to hear them take on another Disney song one of these days.

I Wan'na Be Like You Los Lobos 1988

Labels: i wan'na be like you, jazz, jungle book, los lobos, rock, stay awake album

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  I Wanna Be Like You - Voodoo Glow Skulls
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you're probably asking why I am posting another Jungle Book cover so soon after Jungle Book week. Right? Well, there are two reasons why I am posting this song.

1) Even though we celebrated the 50th anniversary and the DVD release two weeks ago, today is the actual 50th anniversary of the Jungle Book. So I want to celebrate with a song.

2) According to my web stats, someone (or someones) is desperately trying to find a punk version of I Wan'na Be Like You. They have tried multiple different keyword searches on Google and keep coming back to this site. Whoever you are, this song if for you!

It's the punkiest version of I Wan'na Be Like You that I have by a group called VOODOO GLOW SKULLS. This track can be found on the Japanese exclusive album DIVE INTO DISNEY. The Voodoo Glow Skulls' style isn't actually punk. It's called third-wave ska which uses traditional ska and combines it with punk and metal to give the sound a more upbeat, frantic feel.

Thanks for putting up with another Jungle Book cover. I promise I'll give them a break until November, at least.

I Wanna Be Like You Voodoo Glow Skulls 2002

Labels: dive into disney, i wan'na be like you, jungle book, punk, ska, voodoo glow skulls

  ¶ 7:47 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

  King of the Swingers - The Polyjesters
Hi folks! Jamie here again from Fong Songs with a Jungle Book cover for you.

This past summer, I took the ol' Edmonton-to-Calgary Greyhound to check out the Calgary Folk Festival for the first time. While there were several notable artists including Hawksley Workman, Neko Case, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, and Don Maclean, the big draw for me was the recently reunited Squirrel Nut Zippers. Now on a fine Saturday morning they shared a sidestage playing "Tin Pan Alley" tunes with fellow artists Eleni Mandell, Mary Flower, and... THE POLYJESTERS. Similar to the Squirrel Nut Zippers, The Polyjesters are a mish-mash of old styles including folk, swing jazz, country, and bluegrass. In fact, they describe their musical stylings as ka-chunk, which is also the name of their last album. They impressed me with their dynamic stage presence, impeccable musicianship, and good humour, which led me to catch their solo concert the next day. The core of The Polyjesters are brothers Sheldon and Jason Valleau, two good ol' Alberta boys, with a supporting cast that varies from album to album.

I picked up their latest CD at the festival and ordered another two from CDBaby.com. When I got their 2001 album Fiddlestix!, I was unexpectedly delighted to discover a Disney cover of I Wan'na Be Like You, which was masquerading under the title King of the Swingers. I was even more surprised when I started writing this post and found out they actually did a stint as the Fiddlestix, representing Canada on the Canadian stage at Disney World's EPCOT Center and this album is a result of that! I also beamed with Alberta pride when I read that Fiddlestix! was recorded entirely in a church in Olds, Alberta, a small town which I've passed through many a time en route to the mountains for skiing.

Earlier this month Disney finally updated O Canada!, a 360 degree film attraction at EPCOT, which had been peppered with dated Canadian stereotypes for over 25 years. Apparently it's now hosted by Martin Short and the theme Canada, You're a Lifetime Journey was re-recorded by Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila. Now there's a Disney cover for Kurtis to track down!

King of the Swingers The Polyjesters 2001

Labels: bluegrass, fiddlestix, i wan'na be like you, jungle book, king of the swingers, polyjesters, swing

  ¶ 8:00 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  I Wan'na Be Like You - Jonas Brothers
The Jungle Book arrives on DVD today and to celebrate I have turned this week into a Jungle Book week! And to celebrate I have chosen a song that you find on the DVD as music video bonus feature.

THE JONAS BROTHERS are one of those 'Disney Channel' bands, having done music for various different Disney Channel shows and Disney movies. And they are not strangers to covering Disney songs. Their covers have already been on a few DISNEYMANIA cds and Special Edition DVDs.

I really like their treatments. They blend their pop/punk style with the tunes so well that I would imagine they actually wrote the song. Whether or not you are a fan of this genre, you have to admit that they do a good job. If the Jungle Book was made today I bet King Louie would be into punk rock like this rather than jazz.

I Wan'na Be Like You Jonas Brothers 2007

Labels: disneymania 5, i wan'na be like you, jonas brothers, jungle book, pop, rock

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  I Wan'na Be Like You - Gabriel Rios
Although born in Peurto Rico, GABRIEL RIOS started off his music career in Belgium when he decided to be a professional singer/songwriter instead of a painter at a local art school.

After a playing in a few bands he decided to go on his own and in 2004 he recorded his first album, GHOSTBOY. Then in 2005 Rios recorded EN VIVO, a live album that included a version of the Jungle Book's monkey song, I Wan'na Be Like You.

His take on the song is an interesting one. Acoustic guitar and vocals only. No flashy swing music or back up singers. His arrangement is fun and his guitar work is really good. I like how he interacts with the guitar solo by singing and playing together.

I Wan'na Be Like You Gabriel Rios 2005

Labels: acoustic, en vivo, gabriel rios, i wan'na be like you, jungle book, rock

  ¶ 1:46 PM 0 Comments Links to this post