Disney Gone Mad

So I told you I was gonna cover the Disney stuff, I threatened and here I am.

Disney Bossa Nova billed as Brazil's Legends of Bossa Nova Perform Disney Classics. I found this, and one other Disney covers CD in the used bins fairly recently. This is the better of the two and while it ain't great it does have a few truly delicious tracks, namely from Brazil's Joyce. Joyce has been playing guitar and singing primarily bossa nova since the late 60s. Some of her stuff was marshmallow fluff, but then again, she has put out much enjoyable music as well. Her tracks on this CD are all good. She has four total and frankly, the others on the CD are not worth your time. But her tunes are grand. Her cover of "Bibidi Bopidi Boo"from my daughter's favorite princess movie, Ciinderella, is just delightful and infinitely better than the original.

Joyce, "Bipidi Bopidi Boo"
Joyce, "When You Wish Upon A Star"

I also picked up Simply Mad About the Mouse. Now I knew this one was gonna be bad. No make that BAD. It's from 1991 and features En Vogue (Someday My Prince Will Come), Bobby McFerrin (Siamese Cat Song), Soul II Soul (Kiss the Girl) and yes, Michael Bolton (A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes.) Like I said, BAD. And yet still, I felt compelled to buy it (and it was only a buck!) I thought I'd check out the Gipsy Kings track, the Harry Connick Jr. track even the Ric Ocasek one. But um, yeah, no. The only one worth sharing is this and it's not that it's good. It's just, well, funny.

L.L. Cool J, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf"

The best Disney tribute record wasn't so much a tribute or cover, but rather an "interpretation." And that would be 1988's Stay Awake. I bought this on vinyl when it came out pre-motherhood (mostly because I was a huge Tom Waits fan.) And I got it again on CD several years back. Every song is weird and wonderful and probably not all that enjoyable for the kids because it has this dark Brechtian edge because it is a Hal Wilner Production. But you'll probably dig it. I highly recommend this CD, it's still in print and I'm just giving you a smattering here. Other artists included are Garth Hudson, Yma Sumac, NRBQ, Bonnie Raitt, Suzanne Vega, Syd Straw (remember her anyone?) Natalie Merchant with Michael Stipe, Los Lobos, Ringo Starr and the aforementioned Tom Waits.

The Replacements, "Cruella De Ville"
Sinead O'Conner, "Someday My Prince Will Come"
Sun Ra and his Arkestra (Pt. 1 - Pink Elephants) and Harry Nilsson (Pt. 2 - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah), "Medley Five"

Finally, a little preview action of what Halloween can potentially offer us. These two tracks are direct from the Haunted Mansion, I think the one in Disneyland. I hear them and I'm right there in the sinking chamber...

Haunted Mansion, "Come Back"
Haunted Mansion, "Holiday Ballroom"

That's all for now. But the Disney arsenal is full. Send me handclap songs folks, I wanna go out with a CLAP!