Editor’s Note: Radio Free Disneyland is the latest original program from WDWNT.com. An eclectic mix of music comes together in a rather unique presentation to tell the story of the Disney theme parks in this faux radio broadcast you MUST hear to believe.
WDW News Today’s most unique podcast is back! Episode 3 of Radio Free Disneyland is now on the air for your listening pleasure online and through iTunes. We recommend you review the extensive show notes as you are listening for the best experience.
Radio Free Disneyland is a curated music podcast that reveals the secrets of Disneyland. Find out the truth today!
Editor’s Note: Radio Free Disneyland is the latest original program from WDWNT.com. An eclectic mix of music comes together in a rather unique presentation to tell the story of the Disney theme parks in this faux radio broadcast you MUST hear to believe.
WDW News Today’s most unique podcast is back! Episode 3 of Radio Free Disneyland is now on the air for your listening pleasure online and through iTunes. We recommend you review the extensive show notes as you are listening for the best experience.
Radio Free Disneyland is a curated music podcast that reveals the secrets of Disneyland. Find out the truth today!
Who is truly The President of Disneyland? CV Wood? Lindquist? Kalogridis? Mr. Lincoln? Colglazier or Nixon?
Author Todd James Pierce on the Yippie Invasion.
Act 1 Show Notes:
Dallas (Audio Montage)
Includes:
Recording: The Star Spangled Banner
Artist: U.S. Marine Band
Album: Hail To The Chief
Recording: 26 Seconds
Artist: Cowboy Junkies
Album: The Kennedy Suite
With added news copy of the “patsy” statement.
Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy thought that Disneyland would be a good place for a talk with the President of Guinea, Ahmed Sékou Touré. Kennedy became the President of the United States. Touré became a dictator.
First We Take Manhattan
Recording: First We Take Manhattan
Artist: Jennifer Warnes
Album: Famous Blue Raincoat
Jenny Sings Lenny. Sounds like a plan for revolution. Maybe it’s already happened.
Stevie Ray Vaughn holding down the guitar slot.
JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images
Leonard Cohen
Born: September 21, 1934, Westmount, Canada. Died: November 7, 2016, Los Angeles, CA
You Were On My Mind
Recording: You Were On My Mind
Artist: Colvin & Earle
Album: Colvin & Earle
Colvin & Earle cover We Five from ’65.
The Victory Lap
It is not unusual for an American Presidency to end with a visit to the Southern California Disney facility known as Disneyland. Generalisimo Eisenhower brought the Family. Reagan was involved in a major milestone celebration at the Park. Jimmy Carter took a jog before opening while still in office.
Where Have All The Flowers Gone
Recording: Where Have All The Flowers Gone
Artist: Petra Haden & Jesse Harris
Album: The Kennedy Suite
Petra and Jesse take on Pete Seeger’s circular plea for peace.
Woodstock
Recording: Woodstock
Artist: Joni Mitchell with The L.A. Express
Album: Miles of Aisles
One of Joni’s first forays toward Jazz. Recorded live at the now departed Universal Amphitheatre.
Act 2 Show Notes:
Milestones Mash Up with Jack Lindquist Bio
Recording: Milestones
Artist: Miles Davis
Album: Milestones
The track listing on the first release of this tune calls the song “Miles.”
Recording: Milestones (Alternate Take)
Artist: Miles Davis
Album: Milestones
The rendition used in the program is a combination of the two versions.
ag·it·prop (ˈajətˌpräp/) noun political (originally communist) propaganda, especially in art or literature.
Recording: Earth Saw
Artist: 75 Dollar Bill
Album: Wood / Metal / Plastic / Pattern / Rhythm / Rock
Cold Hard Fact Man
DOSSIER: We are continually impressed by the writing and podcasting of Todd James Pierce. His research is exhaustive. Thoroughness would be his middle name if he wasn’t already showing three cards. But it’s not digging for the sake of digging. Specifically, in his Disney Historical Institute podcasts, and his recent book, Three Years In Wonderland, his fact mastery cuts to the heart of, and the true motivation for the events he depicts. He leaves out uncorroborated “legend” in an area of study that is rife with fable, fantasy, and mythology. While chronicling those who were creating fable, fantasy, and mythology. No small task.
Here’s his personal bio…
Todd James Pierce lives in a town called Orcutt, California, which is in the northern portion of Santa Barbara County. He is the author or co-author of eight books, including Newsworld, which won the Drue Heinz Literature Prize. His work has been published in over 80 magazines and literary journals, including The Georgia Review, The Gettysburg Review, Harvard Review, Indiana Review, The Iowa Review, The Missouri Review, North American Review, VQR, and Willow Springs. His most recent book is Three Years in Wonderland, which tells the story of Walt Disney and the birth of the American theme park industry. Here is his Amazon page. And you can find him his own self, online at http://www.toddjamespierce.com.
Simulcast (Audio Montage)
Includes
Recording: Legenda
Artist: Zemfira/Angelo Badalamenti
Album: Stalingrad (Original Soundtrack)
The Star Spangled Banner (Piano)
Recording: The Star Spangled Banner (Piano)
Artist: Jaqueline Schwab
Album: Ken Burns’ Baseball (Original Soundtrack)
No matter your politics, it’s sad when America fails.
House Of Cards Main Title (Recap)
Recording: House Of Cards Main Title
Artist: Jeff Beal
Album: House Of Cards: Season 4
Put A Little Love In Your Heart
Recording: Put A Little Love In Your Heart
Artist: Jackie De Shannon
Album: The Definitive Collection
Two disparate show business figures seemed to fall into a concentric orbit during a unique period of Hollywood history.
One, was a man of the dusty road who brought the sensibility of depression era America to the mainstream.
The other, became thought of as one of the country’s homegrown geniuses. His name began to embody a brand of American commercial artistic creativity.
One man was Burl Ives, the other was Walt Disney.
Both exuded Americana. Both made personal political decisions that somewhat singed their historical images. The choices they made involved their testimony before The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Each individual that was called had a difficult decision to made. These two men made essentially the same choice.
Burl Ives began as an itinerant singer and banjo player. By 1940, he had his own radio show where he performed the versions “of record” of hobo and road songs.
He popularized the Irish war ballad ’Foggy Dew”, the minstrel tune ”The Blue Tail Fly” and “Big Rock Candy Mountain” a song celebrating an idealized version of the Hobo life.
Ives also performed with the Almanac Singers a folk group which at different times included Woody Guthrie, and Pete Seeger.
By most measures, his biggest hit over time is version of the 17th-century English song “Lavender Blue.” The song became a hit and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for its use in the 1949 Disney film So Dear To My Heart. The film is thought to be Walt Disney’s most personal films, and a point where he came into his own as a producer of live action films. The remains well known today due to its’ inclusion on various Disney music anthologies.
Just after the song’s initial success, Ives was identified as an entertainer with Communist ties by HUAC. Despite the pain of naming “fellow travelers” it was the path Ives took, thus allowing him to continue film and music work.
It also led to a rift between Ives and many folk singers.
Disney’s appearance before HUAC had come earlier in 1947. It centered on his belief that the Disney Studio strike in 1941 was a communist inspired event.
HUAC ripped apart many Hollywood friendships and working relationships. Walt continued to support Ives career with a later feature role in “Summer Magic” and an ongoing record deal with the fledgling Disneyland Records label. Like his former folkie friend, Woody Guthrie, Burl made Children’s Folk Music for the Burbank based label.
Ives motion picture path took him pretty far from his folksy early typing. He played Big Daddy in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and won a a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in A Big Country.
In later years, after Walt’s death, Ives voiced attraction host Sam the Eagle for Disneyland’s America Sings attraction.
Were they kindred spirits. Fellow Travelers of a different sort? Or, were they indeed friends?
It sure seemed that way, from the time they both “sang” at the HUAC hearings.
Recording: So Dear My Heart: Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)
Artist: Voices of Ascension Chorus
Album: Bibbidi Bobbidi Bach
The Ugly Bug Ball
Recording: The Ugly Bug Ball
Artist: Los Lobos
Album: Los Lobos Goes Disney
Los Lobos rocks the Sherman Bros. tune that Burl Ives made famous in Walt Disney’s Summer Magic.
Celluloid Heros
Recording: Celluloid Heros
Artist: Ray Davies and the Crouch End Festival Chorus
Album: The Kinks Choral Collection
Hooray For Hollywood (Cha Cha)
Recording: Hooray For Hollywood (Cha Cha)
Artist: Don Swan
Album: Ultra Lounge/Mambo Fever Vol. 2
We’ll Meet Again
Recording: We’ll Meet Again
Artist: She & Him
Album: Classics
Zooey Deschanel and M Ward bid us a fond farewell.
Radio Free Disneyland is a curated music podcast that tells the stories of the Disneyland Resort in a unique and tuneful way. Using Disney music, not-so-Disney music, and definitely-not-Disney music to tell the stories of the “lands,” their origins, and their citizenry. Real and imagined. Usually with a backbeat.
PLAY THIS PODCAST LOUD!
An incredibly detailed Soviet map of Orange County, California. Gotta be able to get the tanks down the streets. Which Chapman Ave. should we attack from?
Act 1 Show Notes:
Show Opening Sound Logo (Audio Montage)
Includes:
Recording: Overture: M. Gustave H
Artist: Alexandre Desplat
Album: Grand Budapest Hotel Original Sountrack
Recording: 852
Artist: The Cellar & Point
Album: Ambit
Thanks to these fine artists for setting the tone of the Podcast. Discover their music via the buttons.
Intercepted Transmission 7/17/55 (Audio Montage)
Includes:
Recording: Hall of Trade Unions, Moscow
Artist: Thomas Newman
Album: Bridge of Spies Soundtrack (2015)
Recording: Dedication of Disneyland
Artist: Walt Disney
Album: The Legacy Collection-Disneyland
I Can’t Live Without My Radio
Recording: I Can’t Live Without My Radio
Artist: Halloween Alaska
Album: Too Tall To Hide
A smooth and soulful cover of the LL Cool J’s Hip Hop anthem. Halloween Alaska is a Minnesota-based band consisting of James Diers, Jake Hanson, Bill Shaw, and David King. All of the group’s members live in the Twin Cities.
Radio Nowhere
Recording: Radio Nowhere Artist: Bruce Springsteen
Album: The Essential Bruce Springsteen
Various Static (Audio Montage)
Contains excerpts of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, Toni Basil’s “Mickey” in Spanish, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and the battle cry of the 1960s iconic Los Angeles radio 93-KHJ. Boss Radio’s iconic non-sequitur “Tina Delgado is alive, alive!” was the invention of DJ “The Real Don Steel.”
This cut also contains Artisanal Radio Static.
Vauxhall Bridge (with voice over)
Recording: Vauxhall Bridge
Artist: Thomas Newman
Album: Spectre Original Soundtrack (2015)
Deejay contemplates the futility of his assignment.
Artists of the Week – Los Lobos
In 2009 Los Lobos did a whole album of interpretations of Disney musical fare. On October 9, 2015, Los Lobos was nominated for induction into the a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time. Viva Los Lobos!
Deep Dossier: On America, Xenophobia and Los Lobos: Dream In Blue
No Depression – Easy Ed’s Broadside Review of Chris Morris’ Los Lobos bio-book.
Recording: Gates of Gold Artist: Los Lobos
Album: Gates of Gold
The place they describe on this title track seems somehow familiar. “A place where you never grow old.” The anticipation of arrival at a magical place is palpable.
Main Street Parade
Recording: Main Street Parade Artist: Louise Goffin
Album: Songs From The Mine
I’m not imagining this one. Listen to the words!
Clef Club No. 2 (From Ragtime)
Recording: Clef Club No 2
Artist: Randy Newman
Album: Ragtime (Original Sound Track)
Once Upon A Dream (Band Organ)
Recording: Once Upon A Dream
Artist: Walt Disney Imagineering
Composers: Sammy Fain and Jack Lawrence
Album: A Musical History of Disneyland
(Attraction soundtrack from Sleeping Beauty’s Carousel)
Same Trailer Different Park
Recording: Merry Go Round
Artist: Kasey Musgraves
Album: Same Trailer Different Park
Part One Recap:
If you have been following along here, there’s really no need for you to hang around and listen the recap…
Why don’t you go to the kitchen and get me a beer?
Recording: Follow Me
Artist: The Tindersticks
Album: The Waiting Room
Recording: Once Upon A Dream
Artist: Lana Del Rey
Composers: Sammy Fain and Jack Lawrence
Album: Disney’s Maleficent Original Soundtrack
A song so nice, we played it twice. Hey, it’s Briar Rose’s Park.
On The Porch and the Phone With Sam Gennawey
Sam Gennawey uses his unique cross section of qualifications to dissect the China Closet porch of Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A.
Sam is the author of The Disneyland Story: An Unofficial Guide to the Evolution of Walt Disney’s Dream, Walt and the Promise of Progress City, and Universal versus Disney: The Unofficial Guide to American Theme Parks’ Greatest Rivalry. Sam is also a contributor to Planning Los Angeles and other books as well as a columnist for the popular MiceChat website.
His unique point of view has brought speaking invitations from Walt Disney Imagineering, the Walt Disney Family Museum, the American Planning Association, the California Preservation Foundation. He is currently a Senior Associate at the planning firm of KPA.
Recording: I’m Gonna Tell You This Story One More Time
Artist: Béla Fleck & the Marcus Roberts Trio
Album: Across the Imaginary Divide
Quiet Corners & Empty Spaces
Recording: Quiet Corners & Empty Spaces
Artist: The Jayhawks
Album: Paging Mr. Proust
The Story of The Story
“Sleeping Beauty” by Charles Perrault or “Little Briar Rose” by the Brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, is a classic fairy tale which involves a beautiful princess, a sleeping enchantment, and a handsome prince. The version collected by the Grimms was an orally transmitted version of the originally published by Charles Perrault in 1697 which was based on earlier writings by Italian poet Giambattista Basile. The earliest known version of the story is Perceforest, composed between 1330 and 1344 and first printed in 1528.
Hefner and Disney
Recording: Hefner and Disney Artist: T-Bone Burnett
Album: Proof Through The Night
The master record producer and maker of high profile movie soundtracks gets a little mixed up here, in this tune from his singer-songwriter period.
Or… is he trying to say something about instant wish fulfillment?
Memorandumb:
To: Radio Free Disneyland Air Staff
From: Station Command
Subject: Use of Deceptive Call Signs
In a critical effort to obscure our presence in California, Radio Free Disneyland will, beginning to immediately, use the call signs and on air collateral of vintage broadcast outlets at all appropriate opportunities.
Your Dear Leaders
Walking In The Park
Recording: Walking In The Park
Artist: Muddy Waters
Album: The Chess Story 1947-1975
The Wisdom of the Ancients. Muddy takes a stroll.
Station Sign-Off (Audio Montage)
WABC, now a part of the Empire, puts the station to bed.
When You Wish Upon A Star
Recording: When You Wish Upon A Star
Artist: Gretchen Peters
Album: The Essential Gretchen Peters
Show End Sound Logo (Audio Montage)
Next Episode: Episode 2: My Way Or The Highway (Cars Land)
Radio Free Disneyland is a production of WDW News Today and PlayThisPodcastLoud.com
Songs of cars and the open road. Some from Disney California Adventure Park’s Cars Land background loop, some not. A car song forensic history examination with R&B DJ and aficionado Steve Propes. Pedal to the metal!
Act 1 Show Notes:
Riding In My Car (Car Song)
Recording: Riding In My Car (Car Song)
Artist: Woody Guthrie
Album: Woody At 100
From Woody’ssecond set of children’s music Nursery Days. Recorded in 1947, it was not released until 1956. After Guthrie was “quoted” in the Disneyland dedication address.
Show Opening Sound Logo (Audio Montage)
Includes:
Recording: Overture- M. Gustave H
Artist: Alexandre Desplat
Album: Grand Budapest Hotel OST
Recording: 852
Artist: The Cellar & Point
Album: Ambit
Thanks to these fine artists for setting the tone of the Podcast. Discover their music via the buttons.
A true man of the road testifies from the Book of Bob.
McQueen and Sally
Recording: McQueen and Sally
Artist: Randy Newman
Album: Cars Original Soundtrack
Cars Land BGM Sparks Hot Rod Musical History Class
@bout Steve Propes…
In the magical days when KLON-FM spewed Jazz and Blues like a smokestack over the San Gabriel River Delta, Steve Propes flipped varietaldisks of the R&B, Do-Wop, Blues, and Rockabilly strains to great acclaim.
Steve joins our own Deejay Middlebrow at Cars Land to check out the background music and chat about some classic car tunes in the linage of “Hot Rod Lincoln.”
Check out Steve’s Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Stephen-C.-Propes/e/B004XXPTZG?tag=wdwnewstoda03-20
Arkie Meets the Judge-Hot Rod Race 3
Recording: Arkie Meets the Judge (Hot Rod Race #3)
Artist: Arkie Shibley
Album: Hot Rod Race
Drive
Recording: Drive
Artist: Jim Lauderdale
Album: This Changes Everything
Jim does it again! A brand new disc from the reigning prince of Americana.
Readings From “On The Road” And “Visions Of Cody”
Recording: Readings From “On The Road” And “Visions Of Cody”
Artist: Jack Kerouac and Steve Allen
Album: Poetry For The Beat Generation
Taken from the Steve Allen Plymouth Show, NBC Broadcast, Monday 10:00pm EST, 16th November 1959. This is the only known motion picture footage of Beat Icon Jack Kerouac reading his own work.
For licensing inquiries please contact Historic Films Archive
(info@historicfilms.com / https://www.historicfilms.com)
Skip This – Chrysler Highway Hi-Fi. Another fine idea from your friends at Chrysler-Plymouth.
Theme From Route 66
Recording: Theme From Route 66
Artist: Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra
Album: Bachelor Pad Royale Volume Four
Deejay wraps up part one and puts it on the truck.
Recording: Magic Skyway
Artist: Walt Disney
Album: Walt Disney and the World’s Fair
The complete soundtrack to what might be considered the original Cars Land ride: Walt Disney’s Magic Skyway from the 1964 New York World’s Fair
Tail As Old As Time
Walt Disney created four pavilions for the 1964 New York World’s Fair in an effort to gauge the appeal of a Disneyland style attraction on the East Coast. One was Magic Skyway for the Ford Motor Company.
In the climactic dinosaur scene, a Stegosaurus and a Tyrannosaurus square off on a lava spewing volcano. But the two species never coexisted. They lived during different time periods millions of years apart. Maybe that’s why they are fighting.
The error originally emanates from Fantasia in 1940 when quite possibly, the various Geological periods were not widely understood. At least not in Hollywood. It seems that in the haste of developing the four attractions for the Fair, Imagineers may have “grabbed” the pre art-directed inspiration from the film without the benefit of modern reflection. An unforced error, millions of years in the making, that has been repeated several times.
Always a staple in Emmylou Harris’ live sets, Spyboy, featuring Buddy Miller on guitar, Daryl Johnson on bass and Brady Blade on drums, brought new energy to the Flying Burrito Bros’ classic.
Podcasting Truth Into Imaginary Places – A legion of music workers pore over samples of Western Music for inclusion in the Radio Free Disneyland Podcast.
“An aged and addled couple of East Bloc operatives believe they have identified an American Principality on which to exact radio revenge for the electronic incursions during the Cold War.
The principality?
A theme park in Anaheim California. To them, it’s little Liechtenstein with the GDP of Qatar. “
The Radio Free Disneyland Podcast will musically tell the stories of the Kingdom in a completely original way.
