LJ Idol Week #10 - Topic: "Pinnochio's First Date"

[prog_schlock]

This is my entry for week #10 of therealljidol

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Dreams Come TrueCliff Edwards - the man who voiced Jiminy Cricket - died in poverty in 1971 and his body was donated to the UCLA medical school. Disney learned about this and offered to buy back his body. They ultimately paid for his headstone. It was the least they could do for the man who sang their

Comments

[lordrexfear]

I like how you used the prompt to take it in a totally different direction and continue the education.

Good stuff.

As awesome as Edwards was I don't think there's any slightly professional musician who could screw up Leigh Harline's song. He basically penned magic.
I mean even N'Sync rocked it (I personally think N'Sync rocked period... just a group of some seriously talented young man who found themselves together at a time where that was the thing).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgZp-i0GkJI

Although I could be wrong... maybe the song can be ruined... even when Disney themselves pay for it to happen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVG28T4uEu0'

[prog_schlock]

You will find a staunch ally in the defense of N'Sync's quality in me, my friend. I think they were miles above all of their competition and still think Timberlake is one of our century's great performers. Plus, a strong Disney connection!

Here is a favorite cover of this song from the great Stay Awake album of Disney covers. It gets extra points for matching the name of the artist with the title of the song.

But, yeah, that second version you shared - ouch. Its like they stripped away everything that made the song special.

[lordrexfear]

That's great but this is magic...even I think Cliff would say it was the truest of trues.

then again... there's this. I'd be hard pressed to which of these two are more genius or better and I think even if you sit both these musicians in a room they'd profess equal love to each other and never come to a consensus:

[prog_schlock]

Michael Jackson picks a nice traditional approach that showcases his voice. Billy Joel - who is good singer, but doesn't have a voice like Michael Jackson - has created a somewhat non-traditional arrangement of the tune that allows him to sing it in a way that is very flattering to both the song and his singing style. Those are great examples of how gifted musicians can make songs their own. Thank you!

[favoritebean]

I always look forward to your entries as you shed light on forgotten artists. I had no idea that Edwards was penniless at the end of his life. I think a lot of musicians suffered that outcome, and it's really too bad. Especially since as you mentioned, his ballad is Disney's signature jingle now.

[prog_schlock]

Thank you for reading and commenting!

I think that we have this idea as a culture that somebody becomes famous and they're set for life. The reality is sometimes they have their moment in the sun, don't realize the clock is ticking, and have spent all their gains before they realize their star has faded. Nobody teaches young artists (and athletes for that matter) how to manage their money and many of them breeze through it. Then, once their career is pretty much over, they aren't prepared to find a new one. Its really a shame.

[bleodswean]

You are the musical wiki! This is such a great entry! I'm loving how you're maintaining your style and approach to the prompts. Totally inspired!

[prog_schlock]

Oh, Tiny Tim and his ukulele! He is an absolutely fascinating artist. There was some debate at the time about whether he was for real or whether he was putting on an act. The consensus at the time was that he was for real. He died on stage after a fashion - he'd been told not to perform or he was risking having another heart attack, but he just had to perform. He's on my top ten "artists I wish I could have had lunch with" list.

Thank you for reading and commenting.

[inteus_mika]

That video, "How Walt Disney Cartoons Are Made" just slayed me. They describe all the hundreds of PRETTY girls in a "comfortable building, all their own, well lighted and air conditioned," as if they have to make a point to tell you that their pretty girls are well treated, just in case you might be thinking otherwise. And they mentioned "PRETTY girls" so often, I have to wonder how many young women who wanted to work for Disney were turned away because they just weren't attractive enough, though, you'd think it wouldn't matter, since they shouldn't have had to have impressed anyone, being segregated away from all the men in a "comfortable building, all their own." I do realize this was not the point of your post, but, YEESH

[prog_schlock]

Perhaps with Disney it won't be the name that is forgotten first so much as the man that the company is named after. Already he's sort of fading into obscurity, especially as his less savory side becomes embedded with his PR identity.

Yeah, that "How Cartoons Are Made" thing blows my mind.

Thank you for reading and commenting!

[halfshellvenus]

There's such quavering optimism in the Cliff Edwards version-- perfectly imperfect, because it fits the feeling of the song better than anything else could.

You know, when I first saw this prompt I thought of the Thursday Next book in which she gets trapped in the Bookworld inside Pinocchio for awhile. Because the stories are "acted out" while being read (in the author's sci-fi series), you get funny twists as in this one: Jiminy Cricket has a stunt double. One who is dedicated to the craft of really making the events as true as possible! He is in fairly pathetic shape by the time Thursday meets him. :O

[prog_schlock]

I have never read any of the Thursday Next books but they sound like my kind of thing! Ever since Heinlein's Number of the Beast, I love stories where people get trapped in other people's stories! Something for me to look up and Kindle...

Thank you so much for reading and commenting!