The Haunted Mansion has been a staple of the Disney Parks experience since the attraction debuted in 1969. But when Disney decided to open a new park in Hong Kong, they were aware that cultural differences would make it difficult for the attraction to translate. Differences in views about the afterlife led the company to abandon their old format in favor of a more whimsical, magical attraction, which they dubbed Mystic Manor.
The new attraction featured the character of Lord Henry Mystic and his mischievous pet monkey, who sets off a series of magical events after opening an enchanted music box. What follows is a trip through Mystic’s collection of antiquities, which have been brought to life because of the music box.
To accompany this delightful experience, Disney knew that they would need a composer whose music captured that sense of wonder and adventure, which is why they turned to Danny Elfman. He had previously worked with Disney on the music for Dick Tracy, though his most famous contributions to the Disney catalogue are surely the songs and score he provided for Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (not to mention the fact that he provided Jack Skellington’s singing voice).
Speaking after the debut of Mystic Manor in 2013, Walt Disney Imagineering’s creative executive Joe Lanzisero said of Elfman’s musical contributions to the attraction, “Danny has the ability to create tension and excitement but there is always a grin underlying it. He has a sense of scary fun, so Danny was perfect.”
In his official D23 Disney Legend bio, Elfman states, “The Haunted Mansion was a part of my musical subconscious… that’s really the big appeal, that it was inspired by that: that I might do something that will become part of the musical subconscious culture of a generation.”
Not only did he provide the music for the attraction, but his singing voice can be heard in it as well. In the “Arms & Armor” portion of Mystic Manor, a trio of singing knight helmets belt out:
Magic’s in the air today
Stand beside me, don’t look away
Try to find some words to say
Who do you they’ll find here? Somebody’s out today!
(Ohh…)
No getting away from an ancient curse, and hiding will only make it worse!
Elfman provided the voice for the knights, both in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. As Elfman noted, the singing trio was another homage to the original Haunted Mansion attraction, alluding to the singing busts Guests encounter in the graveyard scene. In an interview with ABC News, Elfman said of his work on the project, “The Haunted Mansion was my favorite ride from the old days and so to be able to work on something that’s paying homage to the Haunted Mansion on a new ride with completely new music was a great thrill and honor. I had so much fun.”
When Living with the Land debuted on Epcot’s opening day, it was known as Listen to the Land. The two iterations of the attraction were nearly identical, except for one glaring difference. The infectious little earworm of a theme song, “Listen to the Land,” was removed from the experience. While this change may not be mourned to the same degree as the loss of Horizons or the original Journey Into Imagination, you’ll probably still catch devoted Epcot fans humming it to themselves while riding the newest incarnation of the attraction.
The song was penned by Bob Moline, who began working with Disney in the 1970s. The company’s Director of Marketing at the time happened to hear him performing in the Wine Cellar dining room of the Newport Inn. He was brought on board to write songs for Disneyland’s 20th anniversary, beginning a fruitful relationship that would lead to many memorable tunes, particularly when it came to Epcot.
Among the songs he wrote for the park’s various pavilions were “Canada (A Lifetime Journey),” for the Canada Pavilion in the World Showcase, “Golden Dream” from The American Adventure, and “Energy (You Make the World Go ‘Round)” for Universe of Energy. While each of these has a sort of Hallmark-esque sound to them, Moline leaned into country and folk for “Listen to the Land.” Accompanied by an acoustic guitar,bass, and a children’s choir, it’s easy to picture the tune being performed around a campfire.
Though Imagineer Rolly Crump once suggested that he met with John Denver about potentially singing “Listen to the Land” for the attraction, this point is disputed by fellow Imagineer and Disney Legend Marty Sklar. He stated, “The song was written by Bob Moline, who also wrote (and sang) that song…John Denver did visit us once during the development of Epcot Center. It was an amazing day because he brought a friend with him: Buckminster Fuller! But we never connected with John Denver to record any of our songs.”
While Denver no doubt would have done the song justice, it’s hard to imagine a voice other than Moline’s on the track. It perfectly captures the optimism of the attraction, especially when the children begin singing along with him.
As his son Justin recalled, “He always had that part of him that never grew up and could always connect to childlike wonder. I think that is where he drew a lot of his lyrical substance from, which you can hear in his songs like ‘Listen to the Land.’”
In a tribute by D23, his wife Sheri recalled their first trip to Epcot upon its opening. She stated that when the trip was over, they took a shuttle back to the airport with other park Guests. To pass the time, Moline began singing some of the songs he’d written for the park, little knowing that there was another notable Disney name on board.
When the shuttle stopped, Disney Legend and songwriter Robert Sherman ventured back to Moline’s seat to shake his hand.
When The Happy Ride with Baymax opened at Tokyo Disneyland in September of 2020, it was just one more example of a whip-ride at a Disney Park. Attractions like Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree and Alien Swirl Saucers predated it, themed after the Cars and Toy Story franchises respectively.
What set The Happy Ride with Baymax apart was not only the fact that it was Disney’s first attraction themed to the film Big Hero 6, but it’s outstanding soundtrack. The attraction had a simple premise. As explained on the official Tokyo Disneyland page, “The brilliant young inventorHiro Hamada learned from his robotic personal healthcare companion Baymax that the first step in making people healthy is to make them happy, so he and Baymax developed this wild, musical ride that is sure to make everyone happy.” In keeping with the theme, each song on the soundtrack is an upbeat number that practically screams for you to get up and dance. If you weren’t so busy getting spun silly. The soundtrack featured six original songs:
“B.A.Y.M.A.X”
“A New Angle (New Perspective)”
“Happy Song”
“Ba la la la la la la la la”
“Koo Loo Lee”
“One Sweet Ride (Cool Ride)
Each track is so catchy and infused with so much energy that it would have been easy to gush about all six, but it didn’t seem like the best editorial decision. Forced with the painful task of selecting just one, I settled on “Happy Song” written by Matthew Tishler and Andrew Underberg.
A Canadian songwriter and producer, Tishler’s experience working with J-Pop and K-Pop artists made him a logical contributor to the project. Over the years he has worked with global sensations such as BTS, as well as pop stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Dove Cameron, and Nami Amuro.
His work with Disney includes credits on Disney Channel programs like Lemonade Mouth, Shake It Up, Austin & Ally, and others. Disney album credits include High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Descendants 3, and The Lodge.
Prior to his work on The Happy Ride with Baymax Soundtrack, Andrew Underberg had worked with Disney writing music for the Disney Channel comedy Bizaardvark. Outside of Disney, he has written songs for performers like JoJo Siwa and television programs like Team Kaylie.
Far from a one-off collaboration, Tishler and Underberg have also worked together on music for the Disney cartoon Hailey’s On It, the film The J Team, and music for various productions in the Barbie franchise.
In August of 2023, an instrumental version of song made its way to the United States as part of the ambient soundtrack for San Fransokyo Square at Disney California Adventure. Three other instrumental versions of songs from The Happy Ride with Baymax were also included: “B-A-Y-M-A-X,” “A New Angle (New Perspective” and “One Sweet Ride (Cool Ride).”
When the cast of the Golden Horseshoe Revue took their final bow on October 12, 1986, the show had the distinction of being the longest running musical of all-time. Not just at a Disney Park, but anywhere. With 39,000 performances, it was honored in the Guinness Book of World Records for its achievement.
Curiously, the show actually predates Disneyland by a few days. The park opened on July 17, 1955, but the Golden Horseshoe Revue debuted four days prior. The cast had staged a special performance in honor of Walt and Lillian Disney’s 30th wedding anniversary.
At it’s opening, the show starred Judy Marsh, Wally Boag, and Donald Novis, with Boag and Novis teaming to write its script. Music and lyrics were provided by Charles LaVere (who also performed as the show’s pianist) and Tom Adair, including the opening number, “Hello, Everybody.”
Lavere, a jazz pianist, bandleader, vocalist, and composer, was a regular on the Fibber McGee and Molly radio show before eventually relocating to California in the late 30s. There, he began working on shows like Bob Hope’s The Pepsodent Show and performed with artists like Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Edgar Bergen, and others.
In 1955, he was contacted by Donald Novis about the possibility of working for Disney as part of a musical group in the Golden Horseshoe. He was hired along with others to play in the Golden Horseshoe’s band, but he also went on to write its music.
For his part, Tom Adair had already established himself as a successful songwriter, penning numbers for artists like Tommy Dorsey, Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, and Frank Sinatra. For the Golden Horseshoe Revue, he provided the lyrics for LaVere’s music. Over the years, he would also write songs for Sleeping Beauty, The Mickey Mouse Club and The Country Bear Jamboree.
While the show featured popular songs like “(Won’t You Come Home) Bill Bailey,” and established Disney tunes like “The Ballad of Pecos Bill” LaVere and Adair contributed several original pieces.
Though Judy Marsh was the show’s original female lead, Betty Taylor would be the woman most associated with the Golden Horseshoe Revue and the role of Slue Foot Sue. She’s also the featured performer on the Disneyland album Slue–Foot Sue’s Golden Horseshoe Review. On the record, she performs “Hello, Everybody” with Donald Novis.
A noted actor and tenor, Novis previously worked with Disney as the man who sang the Academy-Award nominated “Love is a Song” from the animated feature Bambi. He was also an uncredited performer on the Lady and the Tramp track “Peace on Earth.”
He remained with the Golden Horseshoe until 1964, when he was replaced by Fulton Burley. As members of the cast, Boag, Taylor, and Burley would all go on to be named Disney Legends. The song (and the rest of the Golden Horseshoe Revue) would be immortalized on screen when it aired in a 1962 episode of The Magical World of Disney to celebrate the show’s 10,000th performance. The number was also included on the 2015 album The Legacy Collection: Disneyland.
Parades have been a part of the Disney Parks experience since day one. When Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, it was a massive event that included a television special featuring personalities such as Art Linkletter and future president Ronald Reagan. A grand parade was part of the ceremonies, starting a tradition that remains a keystone of the Disney experience some 70 years later.
One of the mostly fondly remembered parades of Disneyland Paris was La Parade Du Monde Merveilleux Disney (The Wonderful World of Disney) which opened in the spring of 1998. In it’s original incarnation, it featured a wide range of characters from films like Steamboat Willie, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, Aladdin, and many more.
The parade was anchored by the theme song “Dancin’ (A Catchy Rhythm)” composed by Vasile Sirli and Jay Smith.
Born in Romania, Sirli began playing piano at an early age before attending the Music and Plastic Arts Lyceum of Timișoara before going on to the National University of Music Bucharest. He later became the editor of Editura Muzicală, and then moved into a career scoring incidental music as well as film scores.
In 1986, he moved to Paris, France, where he continued to work in music, composing for radio, television, and film.
“One day I was called by the Artistic Vice President of Disneyland Paris,” Sirli said. “He said, ‘I want to meet you tomorrow, and if you have any ideas for the music for a new parade for Disneyland, let me know!’”
As he recalled, the park was nothing but a field at the time. He provided a sample of his music and even played a demo for the Artistic Vice President of the park, at which point he was offered a job for Disney.
Speaking of “Dancin’ (A Catchy Rhythm),” he says that Jay Smith approached him about a song for the parade, and requested that he specifically compose it. He has been very happy with the song’s longevity and how it has become an essential part of many Guests memories when it comes to Disneyland Paris.
The lyrics for the song were provided by Jay Smith, who had studied at Butler University and worked as a choreographer and show producer for Walt Disney World from 1983-1989. After that, he became the Manager of Show Development at Euro Disney (now Disneyland Paris). He later assumed the role of Director of Show Operations at the park, before moving onto VP of Entertainment for the park, which is the position he held when working on La Parade Du Monde Merveilleux Disney.
Though the parade closed in 2007, its theme has remained beloved by every fan who got to experience it live. It’s such a staple of the Disneyland Paris story that it resurfaced again during the COVID-19 epidemic. With parks around the world closed, over 160 different Cast Members contributed video from home performing the parade’s dance routines to “Dancin’ (A Catchy Rhythm).”
Mat Davies, a former Cast Member at the park recalled, “Seeing photos of me dancing in the parade with so many great people, I decided to set up a Facebook group to see if there would be any interest in creating a lockdown version of ‘The Wonderful World of Disney Parade’ which ran at Disneyland Paris from 1998 to 2007.”
The result was like a dose of happiness in dark times, as reflected by the fact that his “Lockdown Edition” video of the parade has been viewed over 37,000 times.
If you’re anything like me, when you first heard about “The Ballad of Big Thunder Mountain,” you probably wracked your brain trying to figure out where it plays on the attraction. Do you hear it while on the coaster? As you wind your way through the queue? As you exit coaster on wobbly legs?
The truth is that the tune, which is the official theme song of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, doesn’t play at any point on or around the attraction. So, why include it in a list of Disney Parks music? Well, not only is it the legendary coaster’s official anthem, but it WAS played at the attractions opening ceremony in both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom (in 1979 and 1980 respectively).
During a brief period in the 90s, the song could also be purchased on the Disneyland Forever and Walt Disney World Forever CDs. These were introduced as a new marketing concept which allowed Guests to the parks to purchase CDs of their favorite Parks music by using a touch screen kiosk. It cost around $20, and you’d receive a specially burned disc containing your selections. As a 1999 Las Vegas Sun article by Geoff Carter noted, “Drawing from a massive server fatty-packed with the sound effects, incidental music, songs and narration tracks of almost every Disneyland attraction in the theme park’s storied 44-year history, consumers can build a CD of 10 tracks, come back in an hour and claim a custom-made souvenir. For audiophiles, the opportunity to own Paul Frees’ “Pirates of the Caribbean” voices and the “Lanai Music” from the “Enchanted Tiki Room” is too strong a temptation to resist.”
“The Ballad of Big Thunder Mountain” was available through the program, and copies have since become highly sought after collectors items.
The song itself was written by Stan Freese, who began his Disney career in the 1970s playing the tuba. He later became the Magic Kingdom’s first band director and led the Disneyland Band. During his time with the Disneyland Band, he began the Disneyland Resort Salutes the American Band concert series, which introduced Orange County second grade students to the history of the American Band.
Over the course of his career, he would also work as a show director and entertainment producer. When he penned “The Ballad of Big Thunder Mountain” it was originally intended for a television special that would promote its debut. The idea was for John Denver to perform the piece, but the plan was scrapped due to delays in its opening.
The lyrics to the song tell the legend of Big Thunder Mountain and the dreadful curse that seems to plague it. Over the years it seems that the railroad has been hit by avalanche, earthquake and other disasters, though none quite as dreadful as the crew that disappeared “one foggy night in June.” The refrain warns:
Earlier this year, the stars of The Country Bear Jamboree took their final bow before heading out on a well-deserved vacation. As an opening day attraction at the Magic Kingdom, Big Al, Teddi Barra, and the rest of the gang entertained Guests for half a century.
Not to worry! They’ll be back in the Country Bear Musical Jamboree this summer, a show inspired by the old musical revues in Nashville and featuring beloved Disney classics in a downhome style. In the meantime, let’s look back at some of the bears’ greatest hits.
One of the most peculiar numbers in the show was “Mama, Don’t Whoop Little Buford” performed by the characters of Henry and Wendell. As performed by our ursine friends, we hear:
Mama, don’t whoop little Buford
Mama, don’t pound on his head
Mama, don’t whoop little Buford
I think you should shoot him instead…
Surprisingly dark for a family attraction, no?
As with the other numbers in the show, “Mama, Don’t Whoop Little Buford” predates The Country Bear Jamboree. It first appeared on the 1964 album Fractured Folk Songs by country music duo Homer and Jethro.
Henry D. “Homer” Haynes and Kenneth C. “Jethro” Burns met at age 16 while attending a radio audition in Knoxville, Tennessee. Initially dubbed “Junion and Dude,” their name was suddenly changed when radio director forgot what to call them during a 1936 broadcast.
The pair initially performed “hillbilly” versions of pop standards, until a producer suggested they start creating musical parodies instead. Their 1959 release “The Battle of Kookamonga” (which won a Grammy Award) was a clever parody of Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans,” Others, like “Good Night, Irene” retained the original title, but changed the lyrics to the truly absurd. In a way, they were like a Appalachia version of “Weird” Al Yankovic, just a few decades before he got his start.
“Mama, Don’t Whoop Little Buford” was a teasing take on the 1960 song “Little Benny” released by the Stanley Brothers. A note in BillboardMagazine summarized the original track writing, ““This unusual country song implores an irate father not to whip ‘Little Benny’ for using nasty language. Tune has an authentic folk charm.”
The Stanley’s version of the song starts with a little boy praying by his bed side. As the lyrics recount:
One night as the stars were all shining
Little Benny knelt down by his bed
He asked the dear Lord to forgive him
For all the bad words he had said
Please papa don’t whip little Benny
Please papa don’t whip little Ben
He’s little and wants you to love him
Please papa don’t whip little Ben
Under Home and Jethro’s treatment, the subject of the song is a bit less innocent than a boy who used a little foul language.
Buford brought home his report card
Buford was proud as could be
At last he had passed through the 3rd grade
And Buford is just 23
Mama, don’t whoop little Buford
Mama, you’ll just be a wreck
For Buford is studying Judo
And he’ll break your scrawny ole’ neck
For their illustrious contributions to the world of music, Homer and Jethro were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1971. As of this writing, Henry and Wendell of the Country Bears have not received the same honor.
Next to “It’s a Small World (After All),” the song “It’s Fun to Be Free” from Epcot’s World of Motion may be the single greatest earworm in the history of Disney Parks. Much like the Sherman Brothers’ composition, it’s a catchy little ditty that played repeatedly throughout its attraction. By the time you stepped out of your Omnimover, you were guaranteed to be humming it for the rest of the day (or your life).
World of Motion, presented by General Motors, was an opening day attraction for Epcot that took Guests on a guided tour of the history of transportation. Legendary Disney figures such as Ward Kimball, Marc Davis, and Claude Coats were involved in the creation of the attraction. When it came to the attraction’s theme song, the company turned to X. Atencio (who wrote the lyrics for “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me)” and “Grim, Grinning Ghosts” among others), and composer Norman “Buddy” Baker (whose Disney career began by working on the Davy Crockett series).
Atencio’s lyrics were simplistic, celebrating the joys of travel and being in motion. A quick sample gives you an idea of the whole:
It’s fun to be free
To be on the move
To go anywhere
With ever a care to
Do all you’ve wanted to do
It’s fun to be free
Like, “It’s a Small World (After All)” it’s the simplicity of the lyrics that makes the song so memorable. One listen through and you can pretty much sing it from memory. It’s a particular skill that Atencio seems to have possessed, despite having no background in music prior to Disney.
The second half of the equation is Buddy Baker’s brilliant melody. It’s endlessly singable, just complex enough to be interesting while maintaining that jingle-like quality that ensures that it sticks in your head. Even more remarkable is the sheer number of variations that Baker composed.
The song plays throughout the attraction as well as in the queue. In the attraction, the song runs on a one-minute loop overlaid with stylistic shifts depending on location. For instance, Guests might find themselves in China or the Wild West, and the melody was adapted to match the setting. Like the scenes and special effects, the music maintains a playful feel throughout, highlighting the lighthearted approach that World of Motion took toward education.
While waiting in the queue, Guests could also hear a number of variations on the tune, including renditions performed in the style of Spike Jones and His City Slickers, The Beach Boys, and psychedelic soul group The Fifth Dimension. World of Motion closed in January of 1996, making way for Test Track Presented by General Motors, which opened in March of 1999. Though it has been gone for over a quarter century, the attraction (and its delightful theme song) still maintains a legion of fans around the world who still haven’t stopped singing, “It’s fun to be free!”
In 1950, Bing Crosby said of Louis Armstrong, “He is the beginning and the end of music in America.” Literary critic Harold Bloom listed Armstrong as one of the two most important artists in American history, stating, “I would say that the genius of this nation at its best is indeed Walt Whitman and Louis Armstrong.”
As one of the most important and recognizable figures in the history of jazz, he is also one of the titans of American history, for as Wynton Marsalis explained, “Jazz music is America’s past and its potential, summed up and sanctified and accessible to anybody who learns to listen to, feel, and understand it.”
In that sense, it seems almost inevitable that his path would intersect with Walt Disney, another uniquely American figure who revolutionized the world of entertainment. The 1968 album Disney Songs the Satchmo Way treats us to the incomparable union of these two geniuses, with the Satchmo providing listeners with his interpretation of 10 classic Disney songs.
The record was not Armstrong’s first experience with Disney, but the culmination of a relationship years in the making. After the success of the Datenite at Disneyland promotion, the park decided to add another special event. This was to be known as Dixieland at Disneyland, which debuted in the park on October 1, 1960.
The event was a hit and remained a staple of the park for the next decade. It featured a Mardi Gras parade and performances by different Dixieland-style bands on stages throughout the park. Musical artists featured over the years included Kid Ory, The Firehouse Five Plus Two, Teddy Buckner, and others.
During the second year of Dixieland at Disneyland, the official D23 page notes that the bands, “all sailed the Rivers of America on rafts and keelboats, performing during this unforgettable event.” The highlight was unquestionably the Disneyland debut of Louis Armstrong, who made his first performance in the park on September 31, 1961. It was also notable for bringing Armstrong and Kid Ory back together. The two had performed together in Ory’s Woodland Band and later as part of Armstrong’s group The Hot Five. Speaking of Ory, Armstrong would later state, “Every time he is a guest and my band plays at Disneyland, he still has the old power and tone that made him famous in New Orleans.”
The following year, Armstrong would appear on “Disneyland After Dark,” an episode of Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color. In it, Armstrong performs on the Mark Twain Riverboat at Disneyland, accompanied by Johnny St. Cyr and Kid Ory, and performing alongside singer Monette Moore.
Disney Songs the Satchmo Way leans less into Armstrong’s Dixieland/hot jazz roots, and more into the style of his later career, which focused less on dazzling, virtuosic solos, and relied more heavily on his distinctive vocal talents.
The change was due to failing health. Over the years, Armstrong developed a litany of health problems, suffering his first heart attack in 1959 and later developing kidney problems and chronic leukoplakia of the lips. The latter forced him to adopt a special salve to soothe the lips. He also suffered from a situation that is now commonly known as “Satchmo Syndrome,” which takes place when the lip muscles essentially rupture. Friends frequently urged him to retire, but Armstrong decided instead to alternate playing the horn with increased singing.
The health problems would increase throughout the 60s, with his kidneys, gallbladder, and liver failing. It was in the midst of all of these issues in 1966 that Walt Disney personally approached Armstrong about recording an album.
Making the record seems to have been a source of comfort and joy during all of these struggles. According to Disney music executive Jimmy Johnson, “The dates with Louis were among the happiest I can remember. He had been quite ill but had gone on a rigorous diet. He was very thin but looked well and was full of energy.”
One song in particular seemed to resonate with Armstrong. Writing to producer Tutti Camarata, Armstrong said, “This goldarned “Wish Upon a Star” is so beautiful and more than that, man – I listen to that tune three or four times a night. Man, did you know I’m a doggoned long-time wishing cat? Well, I am man…I haven’t enjoyed anything better than our recording sessions since – well I can’t remember when.”
The album contains many familiar favorites, such as the Academy Award-winning “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” and songs like “The Bare Necessities,” “Whistle While You Work,” and “Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah.” As you’d expect, Armstrong does a wonderful job of interpreting these classics, maintaining the essence of the songs while making them his own. The album also includes two songs from the 1968 live-action Disney film The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, a film which has fallen into relative obscurity over the years. The songs, “Ten Feet Off the Ground” and “‘Bout Time,” were both penned by the Sherman Brothers and are two of the best on the record.
Despite his health issues forcing him to spend less time on the trumpet, the moments we do get solos are exquisite. It’s a touch bittersweet, as the record would represent some of his final trumpet recordings. It’s a testament to his passion and skill as a performer that, despite his struggles at the time, the music remains lively and fun throughout.
Make Mine Music 