Etta James - It's a Small World/When You Wish Upon a Star Medley



ETTA JAMES began her singing career when she moved to Los Angeles by herself at the age of 14 to sing in a trio called THE PEACHES. Their most famous song was The Wallflower (Dance with Me Henry)

Etta James started out as an R&B singer in a doo-wop group, however over the course of her sixty year career she has become an award winning vocalist in a number of styles, including pop, jazz and blues.

In 1995, she recorded a pop/R&B medley of It's a Small World and When You Wish Upon a Star for Disney's MUSIC FROM THE PARK. The two songs go together very well, and Etta's low, sultry voice is a pleasure to listen to.

Happy birthday to Etta James who turns 72 today!

Labels: etta james, it's a small world, music from the park, pinocchio, pop, when you wish upon a star

  ¶ 8:36 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah - Patti Austin
It is with great gusto that legendary R&B and jazz singer PATTI AUSTIN sings Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. Austin has been singing since she was four in 1954, and when this song was recorded in 1996 it is clear that she has had a lifetime of experience.

This version of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah strips away all the cheese and jaunty tunes and delivers a powerful piece of funk/pop in it's place. It is one of the most serious covers of this song I have ever heard.

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Patti Austin 1996

Labels: funk, music from the park, patti austin, pop, song of the south, zip a dee doo dah

  ¶ 8:29 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

  A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Linda Ronstadt
Starting out her career in the 60s as the lead singer for the folk rock band The Stone Poneys, LINDA RONSTADT made a solid career for herself in the 70s, topping the charts and becoming known as the Queen of Rock.

As the 80s hit, Ronstadt branched out from the world of rock 'n' roll to Broadway where she won a Tony award for her role in Pirates of Penzance. She continued to record hit records through the 80s, and when the 90s rolled around she was recording albums in many different styles, including pop, rock, latin, jazz, country and adult contemporary.

In 1995, Linda Ronstadt recorded A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes in both English and Spanish for THE MUSIC OF CINDERELLA. The album features the classic songs from the film reworked by the days top pop stars and has a newly recorded score. Ronstadt's version of the song has become one of the well-known and best-loved covers of this song.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes Linda Ronstadt 1995

Labels: a dream is a wish your heart makes, adult contemporary, cinderella, linda ronstadt, music from the park, music of cinderella

  ¶ 8:00 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Circle of Life/Can You Feel the Love Tonight - Richard Page
Here is a short Lion King medley (or is it an Elton John medley?) of the two most popular tracks from the movie, Circle of Life and Can You Feel the Love Tonight. This medley is sung by RICHARD PAGE, lead sing of the 80s pop band MR. MISTER.

Mr. Mister had a successful run in the late 80s after releasing their second album WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD in 1985. The album hit #1 in 1986 as did their hit singles Broken Wings and Kyrie. After the band broke up in 1989, Page started writing music for other pop artists, including Kenny Loggins, Josh Groban, Meatloaf, Michael Jackson and Celine Dion, just to name a few.

If you grew up in the 80s there is no doubt that you know Mr. Mister, but did you know that before Richard Page became the lead singer of the group he turned down offers to be lead singer for Chicago and Toto? With both of those bands still going strong today I wonder if Page is regretting his decision to go with Mr. Mister.

For a medley, this one is pretty weak. I love medleys and really appreciate the transitions that tie one song to the next. But this song almost comes to a stop before jumping into Can You Feel. I would have liked to hear a little bit more creativity from this hit songwriter.

Circle of Life/Can You Feel the Love Tonight Richard Page 1996

Labels: can you feel the love tonight, circle of life, lion king, music from the park, pop, richard page

  ¶ 7:14 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life For Me) - Pointer Sisters
A big 'ol "happy birthday" goes out to the eldest Pointer sister today! Ruth Pointer turns 62 today and I've chosen a special cover that fits our Pirates Week theme!

Today, the POINTER SISTERS many only be heard in commericals with their hit I'm So Excited, but there was one time when this sister act was a top selling pop/r&b singing group. They broke into the scene in 1973 with their hit Yes We Can Can and were a solid force for the rest of the 70s and into the 80s with hits like Fire, Slow Hand and Jump (For My Love).

If you are a Sesame Street child like I am, I'm sure you will recognize the Pointer Sisters singing the classic Pinball Number Count.

I've posted the Pointer Sisters version of Yo Ho to give this week a bit of variety. While this isn't the best version of the song, it is a good representation of the Pointer Sisters' style and abilities.

Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life For Me) The Pointer Sisters 1996

Labels: music from the park, pirates of the caribbean, pointer sisters, pop, rnb, yo ho

  ¶ 2:04 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  The Ballad of Davy Crockett - Tim Curry
TIM CURRY'S most notable roles are Pennywise the Clown in It and, of course, the transvestite mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show.

But did you know that Curry has had a long career with the Walt Disney Company? He has lent his voice to a number of animated projects including Darkwing Duck, Gargoyles, Mighty Ducks: the Animated Series, Beauty and the Beast: the Enchanted Christmas, Eloise: the Animated Series and Phineas and Ferb!

But did you also know that Tim Curry had a brief career as a rock star from 1978-1981? He did! And he released three albums and a Greatest Hits compilation in that time. While most of the songs were cover song, he did write his own originals, but none of them made it as popular singles.

In 1996, Curry returned to the studio to record The Ballad of Davy Crockett for the MUSIC FROM THE PARK album that featured many pop stars singing songs from Disneyland. This song represents Frontierland and is sung in a style that is similar to the way he portrayed Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The Ballad of Davy Crockett Tim Curry 1996

Labels: ballad of davy crockett, music from the park, rock, tim curry

  ¶ 7:27 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Mickey Mouse March/Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Medley - The Disney Big Band
We continue Big Band Week with a medley of two of the most famous Disney songs of all: The Mickey Mouse March from the Mickey Mouse Club and Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah from Song of the South. It is performed by THE DISNEY BIG BAND who you can hear performing live throughout the park and resorts.

This track is from the MUSIC FROM THE PARK album that features song that you can hear in Disneyland. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah is from Splash Mountain and the Mickey Mouse March can be heard practically everywhere you go in various different styles.

I really like this arrangement because of the creativity of the arranger. Both of the songs don't have very much to work with but the arranger takes both melodies and finds a way to make them interesting to listen to. Some of the melodies are also changed up a bit. At 1:30 the M-I-C-K-E-Y bit is syncopated and they throw in a couple of extra notes to keep the rhythm going. It sounds sort of like M-I-C-C-K-E-Y-Y-M-O-U-S-E.

Mickey Mouse March/Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Medley The Disney Big Band 1996

Labels: big band, disney big band, jazz, mickey mouse club, mickey mouse march, music from the park, song of the south, zip a dee doo dah

  ¶ 9:04 AM 0 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