You've Got A Friend In Me - Bonerama

Greetings, Disney fans! Boyhowdy of folk coverblog Cover Lay Down here, back to lay another new find upon your ears. Today we take a trip down the delta to the Crescent City itself, where a star-studded cast of New Orleans musicians from swampy funkmeisters The Radiators and Ivan Neville to deep southern bluesman Walter "Wolfman" Washington have pulled together to lend their support to music education with the release of FUNKY KIDZ, a brand new collection of "funkified classic hits for children and adults". And there's no better place to start than the kick-off track, a fine, funky version of the Toy Story theme song You've Got A Friend of Me by BONERAMA.

Though Randy Newman originally wrote the song for his own rolling piano pop style, You've Got A Friend in Me plays out as a terrific New Orleans second line number, full of trombones and barrelhouse swing, and ballsy New Orleans brass band Bonerama (Best Rock Band, Big Easy Awards 2007) has the chops to pull it off with aplomb. And I can vouch for the fact that the song is equally awesome in the ears of kids and adults alike, as my daughters and I have been bopping along to this one for weeks, ever since I snagged a copy of the pre-release.

But though the kids would never hear it, there's something bittersweet about re-grounding what was originally a song about buddy-buddy friendship in a post-Katrina world. By framing the song in the kind of funky pomp and circumstance we typically associate with a New Orleans funeral, Bonerama asks us to hear the lyric as an offer of friendship to New Orleans itself. And anyone familiar with the current lot of the Big Easy, a city which remains depressed and half-deserted, can't help but hear the weariness of such an offer, despite the high energy of the performance.

The end result is a recasting of the song in a different, more courageous kind of friendship than the original. If asked to choose, I'd have to say this is the most powerful version of this song I've heard. Which makes it only that much more incredible that the rest of the album manages to stand up to the high standards set by this track.

Funky Kidz hit the streets March 4th -- the only day of the year which is also a military command, and thus the perfect day to launch this exquisite hi-stepping street parade -- and it's already been touted by musical critics from kidbloggers to Jambase as the best thing to hit the kid's music rack for years. And if the music wasn't enough incentive, a portion of the proceeds go to ASAP Productions, an organization which fosters music education in New Orleans and across the US. So what are you waiting for? Adults and children alike can and should head on over to Funky Kidz Music, where you can sample the other tracks, including some seriously funky covers of songs from Dumbo (When I See an Elephant Fly) and Song of the South (Zip A Dee Doo Dah) before you buy.

For a second full-sized track from Funky Kidz, plus twice-weekly megaposts of the best from the world of coverfolk, c'mon over to Cover Lay Down, where the most recent installment of our popular Covered in Kidfolk series featured Walter "Wolfman" Washington and the Roadmasters' amazing delta blues cover of Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land. It's not Disney, but like Toy Story, it's associated with a tall, earnest cowboy named Woody, so perhaps it's not too much of a stretch to mention it, eh?

You've Got A Friend In Me Bonerama 2008

You've Got a Friend In Me - Robert Goulet

There are not many sequels out there that I like better than the original. The Empire Strikes Back, Spider-Man 2 and X2: X-Men United are a few of them. Toy Story 2 also has to be on this list because when I walked out of the theatre I couldn't believe how good it was. This week is Sequel Week and I'm posting a song from Toy Story that was covered for Toy Story 2.

The elements were all right to make this a good movie. The characters were strong, the animation was way better, the new characters were there for a reason and it featured When She Loved Me, one of my favourite modern Disney songs.

But I think the biggest reason this movie was so good was the story. Most Disney sequels are just a re-hash of the first film. For example, The Little Mermaid told the tale of a mermaid who longed to have legs and live on land. The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea was about Ariel's daughter who longed for fins and to live under the sea. Toy Story 2 was not like this at all. Instead, they took a look at the other side of the toy world, the collector. It was smart, funny, dramatic and adventureous.

The end of the movie featured a squeeze toy named Wheezy who just had his squeaker returned which meant he could sing. So he sang a big band version of You've Got a Friend In Me! Wheezy was voiced by ROBERT GOULET who just died last October. The movie only contains a short clip of the song but you can find the whole version in two places: The Toy Story 2 soundtrack and here at Covering the Mouse!

Toy Story 2 isn't the first time Goulet has provided a voice for animation. You can also hear him in Gay Purr-ee and Recess: School's Out.

You've Got a Friend In Me Robert Goulet 1999

I Will Go Sailing No More - Michael Crawford

In 2001, MICHAEL CRAWFORD recorded a tribute album to the music of Disney. He chose to take songs from more modern films, like Mulan and Tarzan, instead of making an album of "Disney standards". If you pick up this album you will hear this number from Toy Story: Buzz Lightyear's theme song, I Will Go Sailing No More.

Michael Crawford is an English actor and singer who started his career in entertainment at a very young age. He landed a role on the British sitcom Some Mother Do 'Ave 'Em but it was after the show ended that Crawford found his real fame. He was cast as the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera.

But after leaving Phantom, Crawford tried a few project that have not taken him anywhere. THE DISNEY ALBUM was the last album of new material that Crawford recorded and it makes me wonder if he recorded I Will Go Sailing No More because he realized that career was fading out and that he wouldn't be able to "sail" like he used to.

Also, today is Randy Newman's 64th birthday! The composer of I Will Go Sailing No More wrote the piece twelve years ago.

I Will Go Sailing No More Michael Crawford 2001

You've Got a Friend In Me - Riders in the Sky

Today we go back to the Wild Wild West for Country Music Week with Riders in the Sky and their version of You've Got a Friend In Me from the Disney/Pixar film Toy Story

RIDERS IN THE SKY is a Western group which means they mimic the style of music played by cowboys of the late 19th century. Think Magnificent Seven or The Great Train Robbery and you've got a classic Western. The Riders have been making music since the 70s and now have over thirty albums! The personnel has changed over the years but the musical style has remained in tact.

You'll find this song on WOODY'S ROUND-UP, a companion album for Toy Story 2. The album and the movie take a closer look into Woody's past. In the film, it was revealed that Woody was part of an old Western kids show called Woody's Round-Up. Pixar hired Riders in the Sky to compose the theme song for the show as well as a few other tunes. The work was well received and they went on to record a whole album for the show. They also provided the music for the Pixar short For the Birds

Also, today is the 12th anniversary of the release of Toy Story!

You've Got a Friend In Me Riders in the Sky 2000

You've Got a Friend In Me - Mannheim Steamroller

When someone says Mannheim Steamroller, what comes to your mind? Probably Chirstmas music, right? While MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER has released over two dozen albums, the only time they get radio play seem to be at Christmas with their versions of Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Deck the Halls and other Christmas favourites.

Mannheim Steamroller is really one man, Chip Davis, who began experimenting with synthesizers and electric bass to create what he calls 18th Century Classic Rock. He formed his own record label in the 70s (because no other label would touch his music) and continues to release albums to this day.

In 1999, he recorded a whole album of Disney music. MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER MEETS THE MOUSE is an album of experimentation and creativity. The arrangements of the classics songs are often different, weird and sometimes a bit unrecognisable. But Mannheim's unique, signature sound is there and paints a new picture for these songs.

On the album in You've Got a Friend In Me from Toy Story. This version of the song removes Randy Newman's playful pop sound and turns it into a jazzy, laid back piece of muzac. It is a very different take on the song. Do you like it? Let me know what you think!

You've Got a Friend In Me Mannheim Steamroller 1999