I journeyed down to the Disneyland Resort with iPhone in tow and decided to put the Shazam application to the test. Some of these background songs I recognized from films, but there were a few that I couldn't quite place. I was only able to get a 20% response. (I think that 40% of the undefined songs were probably due to the poor reception. The other 40% is probably because Disney has created original mixes of some of its most famous themes and they do not have a digital tag for them yet.)
Soarin's queue has the most beautiful, awe-inspiring, and epic music of any ride in the parks. Music is taken from the following movie score cues: "President Shepherd" and "Main Theme" from The American President by Marc Shaiman, "MacArthur/Patton Suite" from Longest Day – WWII Movie Theme Compilation by Jerry Goldsmith (who also composed the Soarin' theme), "You're On" from Dave by James Newton Howard, and "Victory At Ed Parker's" from Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story by Randy Edelman. The, well for lack of a better word, soaring melodies prepare guests for the journey they are about to embark.
Throughout the California Adventure Park, the sounds of Dave and Field of Dreams can be heard, along with Calliope versions of classic sounds of the Beach Boys, The Mamas & The Papas, and Scott McKenzie associated with California. And the Disney touch resonates deep within this music. If you listen closely enough you can hear the Bugs Life chorus providing backup vocals. (This was very apparent over by the Orange Stinger/Silly Symphony Swings.)
This calliope style is also carried over to Screamin', which is the second best ride score after Soarin'. (Although, I have not heard the Indiana Jones ride score without dialogue and sound effects) The notes scaling on the camel back humps over the midway expresses the rides mood perfectly. The ride is even further enhanced with tension building score for the second lift hill.
Another great treat is over at Tower of Terror. Here the jazz sounds of Red Norvo's "Remember" and Sidney Bechet's "Dear Old Southland" are just a few that can be heard from the ride plaza until entering the library.
Over in Disneyland, too much of the material is original content specific for the park and could not be tagged for information.
Now, where can you find this music for sale? Disneyland and Walt Disney World both have a CD for sale at in park stores that contain the official music of rides and some lands. But there is even more music out there available to you. A search of iTunes will bring up some of the music mentioned, but the film scores are a difficult find.
I know you can get the Indy Soundtrack without the dialouge on some Disneyland CD. If you search Best Buy enough, you will be suprised to find some Park CDs.
Anyway, I would like them to put it on I tunes, especially their holiday CD.
Thinking about music at the parks, one of the more popular songs played on Main Street USA in WDW is "Put On your Sunday Clothes" from Hello Dolly. Well most kids walking in now know it as the "Wall E Song" since it is the opening song of the movie. Been at the MK in the background music forever and now because of Wall E, it becomes more reconizable (which I think is something amazing you can take from Wall E making the song somewhat popular again)
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