If there is anything I would claim to collect from Disney parks it is music. Over the years I have accumulated a lot of albums from Disneyland, Walt Disney World, even the parks overseas.
When Disney announced that a new album would be released for Disneyland’s 60th anniversary, I was ready to grab it. When it was announced as part of the Walt Disney Records Legacy Collection I was even more excited.
The Legacy Collection is a series of CD and digital albums from Disney movies and Disneyland. Where soundtracks usually pick from the main songs and the key instrumental themes from films, this collection doesn’t hold anything back. Every little symphonic medley is found from the movies, and it usually takes up at least two discs. Besides these little gems, usually recreations of “lost songs” are debuted for ears’ delight.
Disneyland’s release of the Legacy Collection album was not quite the same as the others in the series. Granted, there is a lot of music at the two parks, but there have been collections of CD’s before to celebrate the musical heritage of Disneyland.
This particular set has 3 discs with several tracks. Showcasing both the past and the present, there are some great gems on the album. Having had so many of the parks albums of the past it was nice to have a couple that aren’t on others.
One of which is “Rainbow Caverns”, which is a selection from the past. Rainbow Caverns was a part of Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, and though the entire soundtrack has been on the collection made for the 50th anniversary, it was nice to have it isolated on this album. Another nice isolated track is “Hello Everybody” from the Golden Horseshoe. Again, the full soundtrack has been on a couple of other albums, this was a nice feature to have as a single track on the album.
Disney California Adventure gets into the mix with both past and present for this park. Newer songs like “Suitcase and a Dream” and “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” from Carthay Circle Restaurant are on here. Past nods like the Seasons of the Vine medley are here as well.
Along with musical selections is a decent sized booklet attached to the cover. Inside these liner notes is a great history of music in the parks written by Stacia Martin of Walt Disney Archives fame. I found this to be the best thing about the album. Being a Disney trivia and history buff, and especially of parks music, there was a lot of things I didn’t know before that were divulged in the notes. Complete acknowledgement and credit for composers are given in the booklet. Besides the history lesson and common CD credits, there is a series of pages dedicated to conceptual artwork and attraction posters. I consider it icing on the cake of such a wonderful booklet to look over.
How does this album stack up against others? For a souvenir album this group of CD’s is quite wonderful. There’s a lot of tracks to tickle the ear for hours. The mastering of each track is superb. Songs are crisp and instruments come through nicely. Arrangement of track progression makes for a nice mix. It covers some of the history of the parks and gives a lot that will let recent visitors relive their memories.
As a collectible, it is a great addition to all the other 60th anniversary memorabilia. The cover has great artwork, and features coloring that fits the rest of the anniversary decor.
For those like me who have purchased previous Disneyland albums, this may not be one you want to grab. I would say pretty much all of it is on other collections, some that you can still buy on iTunes or in the park. I’d call it a companion album to the 50th anniversary’s “A Musical History of Disneyland.” It’s more of a find if you want to read through the great history of music in the parks. That made me glad I grabbed the CD’s.
If you haven’t ever grabbed park albums in recent years, this is a great one to buy. If you have the other Walt Disney Records Legacy Collection albums, this one is terrific to add to the series. But, it does have recycled tracks from other albums. It does sound great and is put together quite nicely, and just in time for the 60th anniversary.
Disc One:
1. Walt Disney’s Dedication of Disneyland
2. All Aboard!
3. Married Life
4. Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln
5. Let’s Dance at Disneyland
6. The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room
7. Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye
8. Swisskapolka
9. Tarzan Medley
10. Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life For Me)
11. Grim Grinning Ghosts
12. The Bear Band Serenade
13. Splash Mountain Medley
14. The Great Outdoors
15. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
16. Hello Everybody
17. The Rainbow Caverns
18. Once Upon a Dream
19. The Fantasyland Darkride Suite
Disc Two:
1. Matterhorn Yodelers
2. It’s a Small World Clock Parade
3. It’s a Small World
4. Steamboat Willie
5. Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
6. Nation On Wheels
7. Miracles From Molecules
8. Star Tours
9. There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow
10. Space Mountain
11. Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters
12. Submarine Voyage
13. The Throne Room
14. Honey, I Shrunk The Audience Theme
15. Space Mountain
16. Suitcase and a Dream
17. Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf
18. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue
19. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Theme
20. Soarin’
Disc Three:
1. The Bakery Theme
2. A Bug’s Life Suite
3. Beauty and the Bees (Beauty and the Beast)
4. It’s Tough to Be a Bug
5. The Little Mermaid Medley
6. Seasons of the Vine Medley
7. Midway Mania
8. The Cleaner
9. California Screamin’
10. Welcome to Radiator Springs
11. Funiculi Funicula
12. Radiator Springs Racers
13. The Main Street Electrical Parade
14. Fantasmic!
15. Closing
