One Jump Ahead - Michelle Nicastro
I thought it would be fun if this week's cover tunes all had to do with Disney orphans. Disney has a long list of orphans because they tend to make good heroes. They are determined because they've had a long life and they are always trying to prove themselves. They are not all like this, but you'll find out more about that in the coming days.

Aladdin is the perfect example of a Disney orphan. He leads the pack as one of the best orphans ever to be animated in a Disney film. And it just happens to be the birthday of the singing voice of Aladdin! BRAD KANE turns thirty-five today and to celebrate I am posting a cover of his feature song from Aladdin, One Jump Ahead.

Brad Kane started acting when he was three years old. By eight and a half he was sing on a Broadway production of Evita. He has been in many commercials and has been a guest star on many TV shows, but his most well-know role has to be Aladdin, which he provided the singing voice. Kane also sang as Aladdin in The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves.

This cover is song with gusto by Broadway singer MICHELLE NICASTRO.

One Jump Ahead Michelle Nicastro 1995

Labels: aladdin, michelle nicastro, one jump ahead, pop, showtunes, toonful too

  ¶ 7:15 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Can You Feel the Love Tonight - Michelle Nicastro
One of the better tracks off of MICHELLE NICASTRO'S TOONFUL TOO album from 1995 is this cover of Can You Feel the Love Tonight. The rock ballad stays true to Elton John's original compassion yet gives way to allow Nicastro to bring in her own charm (and cheese).

Most covers of this song are quite bland, not straying too far from the Elton John original. However, this song, with its fake-out ending in the middle of the song and the use of a gospel choir, prevents Nicastro's version from being just another cheesy wannabe Can You Feel the Love Tonight cover song.

Can You Feel the Love Tonight Michelle Nicastro 1995

Labels: can you feel the love tonight, lion king, michelle nicastro, pop, toonful too

  ¶ 12:46 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

  Just Around the Riverbend - Michelle Nicastro
Here is another track off of MICHELLE NICASTRO'S TOONFUL TOO, an album of Nicastro singing cheesy showtune versions of mostly Disney songs.

The track I have chosen is from the Academy Award winning soundtrack from Pocahontas. Just like Ariel's Part of Your World, Just Around the Riverbend is Pocahontas' expression of the need to break out and forge her own life. She feels restrained by family commitments and, like Ariel, ends up disobeying orders to pursue the love interests.

But unlike Ariel, she remains with her family at the end of the film as Captain John Smith sails away. To have the love interests not get together in the end was a bold move for Disney that ended up being a sour note as most fans were expecting the traditional Disney fairy tale ending.

Just Around the Riverbend Michelle Nicastro 1995

Labels: just around the riverbend, michelle nicastro, pocahontas, showtunes, toonful too

  ¶ 10:54 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

  Give a Little Whistle - Michelle Nicastro
Many movies are often mistaken to be Disney. Anastasia is at the top of the list with others like Madagascar and Titan A.E,. Also on the list is The Swan Princess, which tries its hardest to be a Disney movie but just doesn't make the cut. It has the right characters, music, it's even directed by ex-Disney animation director Richard Rich! And it has two direct-to-video sequels too! I can see why it is often thought to be Disney.

The movie stars MICHELLE NICASTRO as the voice of Princess Odette. While Nicastro has had a good career acting here and there in different projects and televsion shows, this is her claim to fame. Mainly, it showed off her ability to sing in a true Disney Princess fashion.

So what did Michelle do? She decided to role with her new fame and record a CD of classic movie showtunes. The album, TOONFUL, is filled with mostly Disney songs with a few from other animated films and a year later she recorded a follow up album, TOONFUL TOO!

Her version of Give a Little Whistle is off the second album and really gives a good sample of how incredibly cheesy these discs are.

Give a Little Whistle Michelle Nicastro 1995

Labels: give a little whistle, michelle nicastro, pinocchio, showtunes, toonful too

  ¶ 1:45 PM 0 Comments Links to this post