I'm Wishing/One Song - Fred Mollin



It was on this day in 1938 that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs hit theatres around the United States. Although it made its debut on December 21, 1937 in California, it wasn't until a few week later that the rest of the country could join in the celebration of Walt Disney's first full length feature film!

Today's cover is by FRED MOLLIN, a film and television composer who has scored for everything from Outer Limits to Friday the 13th to Beverly Hills 90210. But it is his record producing that has got him all the attention these days. Mollin has produced many albums for Disney Records including O MICKEY WHERE ART THOU and DISNEYMANIA 5. Fred's musical abilities are featured on the various LULLABY ALBUMS and this cover is one of my favourite of his.

Found on DISNEY'S PRINCESS LULLABY ALBUM, I'm Wishing/One Song is so soothing and relaxing, and it doesn't sound cheesy and manufactured like many kid's albums out there. The arrangement is different and original and beautiful.

Labels: fred mollin, i'm wishing, one song, piano, princess lullaby album, snow white and the seven dwarfs

  ¶ 10:50 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

  Lavender Blue - Stephen Michael Schwartz




This week (the 19th to be exact) marks the 51st anniversary of So Dear to My Heart. Walt loved the American frontier days, which at the time this movie was made was only 50 years ago. Many of his live action movies (Old Yeller) and TV programs (Davy Crockett) are set in this period. I think nostalgia has a lot to do with it, and So Dear to My Heart is be filled with reminiscing of those days.

Today's cover is Lavender Blue (Dilly, Dilly), an old folk tune from the 17th century that was popularized to a modern audience by Burl Ives when he performed it in this film.

Lavender Blue is covered by STEPHEN MICHAEL SCHWARTZ, singer/songwriter of Parachute Express, who last year released WHEN YOU WISH UPON A SONG, his take on a collection of Disney favourites.

Labels: lavender blue, piano, so dear to my heart, stephen michael schwartz, when you wish upon a song

  ¶ 7:52 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  You've Got a Friend In Me - Sally Harmon



Happy 53rd birthday, John Lasseter!

One of the most important people in recent Disney history, Lasseter is the founder of Pixar studios and the director of Toy Story. He was also named chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios when Disney bought Pixar in 2006.

Today's cover is You've Got a Friend In Me and is a beautiful rendition played on the piano by SALLY HARMON. Harmon began playing the piano by ear at the age of three, and mastered her instrument through several years of lessons, practicing, and hard work. But she makes it sound so easy with her creative and well thought out arrangements of famous classical and pop tunes. She now tours all over the US, sharing her special talent with everyone!

You've Got a Friends in Me can be found on HEART OF THE MOVIES a collection of songs that are featured in cinema. She has recorded a few other Disney songs, so you may hear her again at Covering the Mouse!

Labels: heart of the movies, piano, sally harmon, toy story, you've got a friend in me

  ¶ 10:21 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Feed the Birds - Emile Pandolfi
Right smack in the middle of Mary Poppins Week is the 44th anniversary of the classic film which was shown on this day to an audience in Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

The movie was an instant success and would go on to be nominated for 13 Academy Awards, five of which they would take home for the win. Here's a list of Oscar nominations:

Best Actress, Julie Andrews (winner)

Best Film Editing (winner)

Original Music Score (winner)

Best Song, Chim Chim Cher-ee (winner)

Special Visual Effects (winner)

Best Art Direction (Color) (My Fair Lady won)

Best Cinematography (Color) (My Fair Lady won)

Best Costume Design (Color) (My Fair Lady won)

Best Director, Robert Stevenson (My Fair Lady won)

Music (Scoring of Music - adaptation or treatment) (My Fair Lady won)

Best Picture (My Fair Lady won)

Best Sound (My Fair Lady won)

Best Adapted Screenplay (Becket won)

The bag lady pictured above is one of Walt's favourite actresses, Jane Darwell, whom Walt had to plead with to make the cameo. She was reluctant to do the part due to her rapidly deteriorating health. But she did it, making Mary Poppins her last film appearance. She died three years later.

Today's Mary Poppins cover song is a piano instrumental version of Feed the Birds, Walt's favourite song in the movie, by pop pianist EMILE PANDOLFI.

I suggest that everyone watch Mary Poppins sometime this week to celebrate the anniversary!

Feed the Birds Emile Pandolfi 1993

Labels: emile pandolfi, feed the birds, mary poppins, once upon a romance, piano

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  Can You Feel the Love Tongiht - Jim Brickman
I don't have time for a full post today so I am just posting another track from JIM BRICKMAN'S THE DISNEY SONGBOOK.

This one is Can You Feel the Love Tonight played beautifully on the piano. For more information about Brickman, click here.

Can You Feel the Love Tonight Jim Brickman 2005

Labels: adult contemporary, can you feel the love tonight, disney songbook, jim brickman, lion king, piano

  ¶ 12:33 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Someone's Waiting For You - Emile Pandolfi
To end your week and take you into the weekend, I'm posting a beautiful cover of a beautiful song. Someone's Waiting For You was written in 1977 for The Rescuers and ended up earning an Oscar nomination for Best Song in 1978.

This instrumental version is beautifully arranged and performed by EMILE PANDOLFI on his 1993 album ONCE UPON A ROMANCE.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Someone's Waiting For You Emile Pandolfi 1993

Labels: emile pandolfi, once upon a romance, piano, rescuers, someone's waiting for you

  ¶ 1:24 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

  When You Wish Upon a Star - Emile Pandolfi
EMILE PANDOLFI is one of my favourite pop performers but he is virually unknown! Pandolfi grew up in South Carolina and studied to be a piano performer and set out to be a concert pianist. But he soon found that his strength was arranging beautiful versions of pop songs and showtunes. He has over two dozen albums that feature Pandolfi playing classical music, showtunes, pop songs and Christmas music.

In 1993 he released ONCE UPON A ROMANCE... which features songs from Disney movies. I have only heard some snippets of this album online but I will be picking it up soon because it sounds wonderful! Just listen to this verison of When You Wish Upon a Star and you will see for yourself.

When You Wish Upon a Star Emile Pandolfi 1993

Labels: emile pandolfi, once upon a romance, piano, pinocchio, when you wish upon a star

  ¶ 10:22 AM 2 Comments Links to this post