Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Haven't visited WDW since 1999 - have a random question. I was watching a video report of someone visiting The Magic Kingdom and were standing in line for Space Mointain. In the queue is a repeating piece of music - all synthesizer - no vocals - very hippy-trippy. Question: is that piece of music something that was placed in Space Mountain from another ride? Maybe Delta Dreamflight? Or another EPCOT attraction? Or has that hippy-trippy music always been part of Space Mointain? Thanks to the WDW music experts out there
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Sounds like you're talking about the Star Tunnel music: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azxQYf9KT94">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...QYf9KT94</a> It's one of MK's few prized music tracks that originated at the park and fans are in love with (though, like the SpectroMagic soundtrack, it really doesn't do much for me personally). It seems like it's one of those tracks that people are always talking about, and it always shows up as a suggested video on YouTube when I'm listening to other background music from all over WDW As far as I know, it was originally written for Space Mountain and has always been there, but I'm not completely positive about that. It definitely pre-dates the 2009 refurbishment when they added sound to the ride and put ceilings over the switchbacks in the loading areas
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Thanks Ferret ! Yep - that's the music loop. For some reason, it sounds like a counter melody to 'New Horizons' from the old 'Horizons' at EPCOT Center and thought maybe it had been inherited.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Man, it really does sound like that! I'm sure it helps that the countermelody in this arrangement uses a similar-sounding instrument (synth?), but I definitely hear it. I wonder if they're related... <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKywOYBtk-Y">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...wOYBtk-Y</a> I believe that Horizons also used bits of Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow from Carousel of Progress and Tomorrow's Child (from the Walter Cronkite version of Spaceship Earth), so it's entirely possible that they also took inspiration from Space Mountain. It's also entirely possible that the SM music originated in Horizons and was added some time after SM first opened
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Listening to that inspired me to do some digging, and it appears that the Star Tunnel music was composed by George Wilkins, who also did the music for Horizons. Whether or not it was intended as a counterpoint to New Horizons, it makes sense that there would be a lot of similarities between the two themes These sites have conflicting information about when exactly the soundtrack was changed, but it appears to have occurred some time in the early/mid-80's, after Horizons was built. These sites are also good for mutli-hour wormholes of discovering all sorts of fun details about WDW, in case you ever get bored! (about halfway down, just after the image with the floor plan) <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://progresslandblog.com/2013/07/31/whyspacemountainworks/">http://progresslandblog.com/20...inworks/</a> (2nd to last paragraph) <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2014/12/announcing-another-musical-souvenir-of.html">http://passport2dreams.blogspo...-of.html</a>
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn I use that music for my wake-up alarm. I remember listening to it in the 70's and 80's waiting in lines. It reminds me of one thing: AIR CONDITIONING
Originally Posted By 9oldmen It's an instrumental version of "We've Come So Far" by George Wilkins and Larry Gertz. Here's a version with the vocals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gETGXHzMviQ I was able to play it side by side with this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azxQYf9KT94 There's about a 5 second delay between the two, but if you can get the timing right, you'll hear the similarities. George Wilkins has composed too many things for Disney attractions for me to list, so here's a link to his Disney-wiki page. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/George_Wilkins">http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/G..._Wilkins</a>
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn Man I totally remember that, walking around the RCA dog in his flying saucer.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA 9oldmen - you've solved a mystery for me. That vocal version is the one I couldn't find. And so the 'tunnel' music is a variation of that same theme - with no vocals. Thanks
Originally Posted By 9oldmen >>9oldmen - you've solved a mystery for me. That vocal version is the one I couldn't find. And so the 'tunnel' music is a variation of that same theme - with no vocals. Thanks << Not a problem. I just remembered seeing that "We've Come So Far" song in a sheet music book in the early nineties that was sold in the parks. I'm pretty sure it was this one: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/A-Souvenir-Disney-Songbook-sheet-music/2908546?d=sem_SFD&popup=false&mkwid=eIoVFwzI&pcrid=47878898422&gclid=CIu6lNLX_sMCFYhhfgodDzgAOg">http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/...odDzgAOg</a>
Originally Posted By CarolinaDisneyDad The music at wdw is so important! I downloaded the music they play at riverside and listen to it in the car. Makes it lke I'm riding on a Disney bus
Originally Posted By FerretAfros ^^The Riverside bus music is one of my favorite sound clips! It's just swamp noises with some occasional banjo picking (similar to the Blue Bayou scene of POTC at DL), which is a really nice relaxing soundtrack after a long day in the parks. I may or may not have fallen asleep while standing up listening to it on occasion It's certainly a lot better than the constant loop of peppy fight songs for All Star Sports, which can be really exhausting after a tiring day! : )
