Splash Mountain A Fun Soundtrack

When it comes to the Disneyland rides, a lot of them have one thing in common.  The rides have very good and very memorable soundtracks.  From Pirates of the Caribbean, to the Haunted Mansion, these are very well done soundtracks that people never forget. Another soundtrack that no one ever forgets, is the soundtrack for Splash Mountain.

I must say that this is one of the most catchy soundtracks I have ever heard.  It uses the same songs as the movie it is based on, "Song of The South", accept the songs are a little more energetic and are sung by the animated characters without Uncle Remus.  Most of the songs have a great beat and a great hook that makes want to sing along with them.  The intro starts out fairly simple, it is an instrumental version of the song "How Do You Do".  They use this to help ease the person into the ride and give them a moment to just simply enjoy the atmosphere of the ride.  This is a good start to the soundtrack because it is able to get you excited for the rest of the ride while at same time being really laid back and easy to enjoy.  After the intro is done,  the vocals then come in and you experience the full version of the song.  From this point on, you get to experience a very good remake of the Song of The South Soundtrack.  

While I certainly love the voice of James Baskett, who plays Uncle Remus in Song of the South, I have to admit that even without him these songs sound good.  I think the reason for that is that they also change the music as well.  In this soundtrack the songs are more energetic and more fast pace then they are in the movie.  This was a smart move on Disney's part, because if they kept the songs in their original form without James Baskett singing, it would feel weird and out of place.  People would feel thrown off and it would damage their experience of Splash Mountain.  

As the soundtrack continues, you then get into the remake of "Everybody's Got a Laughing Place".  I actually like this version better then in the movie. To me, the music is better and the vocals are much stronger then in the movie.  I actually found myself wanting to sing along with this version, while I really didn't get into the old version all that much.  

After Everybody's Got a Laughing Place, you then get a brief monologue about how Brer Rabbit finally got in too much trouble and then you get into the biggest song of the whole soundtrack, Zip A Dee Doo Dah".  This is a good way to wrap up the soundtrack.  The song is really fun and just as catchy as the movie.  I found myself singing along with this as soon as I heard it on the ride and every time I listen to the song, I can't help but to get into it. It is a lot of fun and truly makes you leave the ride on a high note. 

This soundtrack is full of catchy songs that are fun to listen to in and outside of the ride.  If you are a Disney fan, I highly recommend this soundtrack.  If you are just looking for something fun to listen to, I highly recommend this as well. If you want to preview this soundtrack, it is on Spotify.  If you want it, you can buy this soundtrack on Itunes by checking out the Classic Disney Songs Collection, or you can order a physical copy of the collection on Ebay, Amazon, and many other cites.  Splash Mountain, a classic ride with a classic soundtrack.  

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Disney Fantamic Updated

Recently, I did a post on the Disney Fantasmic soundtrack and how awesome it was.  Well, as you know by now they have brought it back and they changed it.  This of course raises the question? How does it compare to the original?  That's the question I'm going to answer. 

The first thing I like is that they kept the theme song from the original which is great. That theme song was really catchy and really stood out in the show and in my opinion, was something that they couldn't replace and I am glad they didn't.  The other thing I like is how they didn't really change the arrangement of the villain section.  That was another section I thought was really well done.  It was eerie and was a section where the music alone put you in a scary place, without the visuals. I appreciate that they decided to keep these classic elements in the soundtrack .

This brings us to the changes of the soundtrack . One of the first changes I would like like to bring up is the Jungle section. Originally, that section was a slow build up to the elephant section. It was supposed to prepare you for a more energetic song coming up. This new section starts off energetic write out of the gate.  It starts out with the intro to The Circle of Life song and then switches between building up for a new song and being energetic.  One part of the new jungle section I did like was the instrumental version of Hakuna Matata.  This is a great new take on the song but it still does justice to the original.

Another change I like was the Alladin elements they added. The way they incorporated the Friend Like Me song was excellent. The way that Mickey was interacting in the song was a nice addition that didn't take away from the song at all.  The Whole New World song was also a nice addition that worked really well.  It fit in smoothly and didn't feel out of place.

There is a change I got mix feelings on though.  That change is switching out the Peter Pan section for Pirates of the Caribbean.  Now if it was just the music and nothing else, I would say Pirates of the Caribbean was an improvement.  However, they also incorporate dialogue that is supposed to make this section of the soundtrack funny and comical.  That is where this section falls.  The dialogue spoken in the Peter Pan section was funny and always made me laugh. With the Pirate section it is not as funny and kind of comes off as they tried too hard.  With better music but not great dialogue I am neutral on this change.  It isn't great, but doesn't kill the experience either.

The one change that I am not happy about is what they did to the elephant section of this soundtrack.  The original had a great rock feel with the guitar and band playing with the guitar and it was an awesome musical experience.  It put a great twist on the song and was a twist you didn't forget.  With this new version, they instead threw in synthesizers in place of the guitar and it doesn't give the same feel.  They still keep the same background band and the two don't mix.  As a result, it sounds more artificial and doesn't have the same magic and the original did.

Aside from the elephant secion, this soundtrack is still awesome. Overall, they kept the parts that mattered and added some great new elements.  I highly recommended checking out this soundtrack if a recorded version comes out.  If you are at Disneyland in Anaheim Califoria, then you need to check out the Fantasmic show.  The visuals are great and the music really captures those visuals. Is it a perfect change from the original, no, but it is still awesome and is worth checking out.

Fantasmic, a Disney Master Piece

Disney has done a great job through out its history of composing great music, not just for the movies, but for the live shows as well.  One of the shows that always sticks out in my mind would be Fantasmic.  While Fantasmic is certainly a visual master piece, it is visuals that are driven by the music it is part of.  Without good music, Fantasmic wouldn't be able to flow well and as a result not be appealing.  Fortunately, this an area that Disney executed very well. 

The credit for the composition and arrangement of Fantasmic's music goes to Bruce Healey.  Bruce joined Disney back in 1973, and has since written music, not just for Fantasmic, but for many areas of Disneyland and Disneyland Tokyo.  Bruce was born in St. Louis Missouri on March 11, 1950, shortly after that his family moved to Southern California where he grew up.  Growing up, he learned everything about music he could, from learning to play instruments such as keyboards and percussion, to learning composition and arrangement.  Then finally in 1973, he landed a career of being a composer for Disney.  Ever since then, he has composed music for Disney theme parks, and some sing along songs.  

Fantasmic has many stand outs, musically, that are very impressive.  One of the most noticeable ones is the Fantasmic theme song itself.  The intro is very catchy and energetic and as a result gets you hooked into the show right away.  Another great music stand out is the rock twist on the heffalumps and woozles song from Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day.  The guitar in that song is great and does a great job of creating a new take on it, while at the same time staying true to the original.  One of my personal favorites is the entire villain section.  Bruce does a great job on putting his own twists on certain songs that really makes them stand out.  The way he arranges that section is also worth noting.  Everything sounds smooth and every transition sounds spot on and not out of sync.  

Out of all the shows in Disneyland, Fantasmic is a must.  Not only is it visually impressive, but the music is some of the best that Disneyland has to offer. If you take a trip to Disneyland you have to check Fantasmic out.  Sadly, you cannot get the entire show in recorded format.  However, the theme song is available on ITunes.  You can also get the theme song by buying one of the Disney Classic Music Collections.  

Top 5 Disney Ride Soundtracks

When it comes to theme parks and their rides one of the most important components of those rides is the music and sound effects they use on them.  While you may not need it for thrilling roller coasters, you certainly need it for the slower rides and themed rides.  One reason you need music in rides is because without it the ride feels weird and uneasy.  Another reason is because, if you don't feel uneasy, then you get board.  Music and sound effects play a big part in a rides entertainment factor and without it theme park rides are not as entertaining.  This time around, I will give the top 5 ride soundtracks from the iconic Disneyland.

5.  Indiana Jones 

One thing I like about this soundtrack is how well it executes a story like feel to it.  This is a soundtrack where even if you are not on the ride and you just listen to this you get a good feel of what the ride will be like and what components will be in it.  Another big plus for this soundtrack is how well it utilizes John Williams's classic score for the movies.  It is pulling mainly from The Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Temple of Doom movies.  While it may only be small chunks from the songs, they flow well and it sets up not just a great ride experience, but a great listening experience as well. The music is available on ITunes bit without any of the voice acting or narration.  Even without that it still capture the magic of not just ride, but the movies as well, buy it.

4.  Soarin Over California

This music is a beautiful orchestra song that makes for both an amazing ride experience and listening experience.  Composed by Jerry Goldsmith, who has composed for movies such as Alien, Rudy, and composed the score for Disney's Mulan in 1998, delivers a score that matches each scene in the ride perfectly and really enhances the experience of the ride.  From the calm feel of going through the Redwoods, and Palm Springs, to the powerful energy of Yosemite and the Navy Carrier, this song captures all that with an amazing flow to make the ride feel smooth.  This is song that doesn't just belong on the ride, but with its great composition it makes for a great orchestra song on its own, I highly recommend buying it on either ITunes, or one of the Disney music collections that includes it.

3. Phantom Manor

While I love the Haunted Mansion ride we have in Anaheim California, I cannot deny the effective soundtrack of the Phantom Manor ride in Disneyland Paris.  One thing I like about this soundtrack is that, while the American  Haunted Mansion is more comedic this soundtrack at times actually makes you feel uneasy and makes you feel like you should be scared at times.  This is an approach I wish the American ride would take a little more.  The first thing I would like to point out in this soundtrack is the excellent narration performed by Vincent Price.  Price does a good job caring out a creepy sounding guide that sticks with you in the ride and plays a huge part in keeping you engaged with the ride.  The second thing is the brilliant musical composition done by John Debney.  The music he composes really helps to create emphasis on Vincent Price's narration, and also creates a very spooky atmosphere that keeps you on edge through the ride.  This Suite is available on ITunes, but you can only get it if you buy the entire Haunted Mansion soundtrack, which is not a bad soundtrack itself.  If you want a physical copy, they sell it in Downtown Disney at the Disney store, or if you are in Disneyland you can pick it up in the park, whether it is California, Florida.  

2. Splash Mountain

The Splash Mountain soundtrack is like a mini album of fun sounding songs.  From the opening How Do You Do, to the classic Zip A Dee Doo Dah, you get good collection of great Disney music.  Each segment of the ride feels like your heading into a music video for each song and the atmosphere is executed well. While there is a story in the ride it isn't the main focus.  This is a ride where the music is the main focus and because it is well executed it makes the ride very enjoyable.  While the movie it is based on may be controversial, the music is still great and I recommend you go on to ITunes and by this soundtrack

1.  The Original Pirates of The Caribbean

The original Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack is a classic ride soundtrack.  From the classic songs such as Yo Ho A Pirates Life For Me, to all the amazing instrumentals such as the bayou banjo music and Dead Men Tell No Tales section.  This soundtrack is one of the best, if not the best examples of Disney matching the music and sound effects perfectly.  Each scene is memorable and all the different takes on Yo Ho are entertaining and fun to hear.  Disney Studios certainly did an amazing job of not just creating a great sounding soundtrack, but matching it with atmosphere and feel of the pirate times perfectly.  The soundtrack for this ride is available on Itunes, as well as the Disney Store in Downtown Disney, and in many areas of Disneyland itself.  Do whatever you have to, but get it and listen to it