I’m never surprised to find a Disney connection around every corner. And with news of composer Marvin Hamlisch’s passing this morning, here is yet another one. You see, I know Hamlisch’s work mostly because of A Chorus Line. During my four years in high school marching band, “What I Did for Love” was an anthem for us — the big song that all the seniors would play together during the last football game of the year. When I was a freshman, I didn’t entirely get it but as the years passed and I inched closer to the end of the high school career, those first few notes would choke me up. (“Kiss today goodbye… the sweetness and the sorrow…”)
While none of that is Disney related (unlesss you count A Cockroach Line outside of “It’s Tough to Be a Bug”), Hamlisch did do work with the Disney legend Howard Ashman on a musical called, Smile, in 1986. (I mentioned Smile a bit here.) Coincidentally, before Ashman ever worked for the Disney company, he wrote the lyrics and Hamlisch wrote the music for a song called “Disneyland”.
Disneyland, Magic Kingdom
Disneyland, I close my eyes real tight
ishing hard I might, wishing hard I may
Find my way to
Disneyland, Gotta get to Disneyland, on a western breeze
Magic carpet please, carry me away
I know you’re gonna say the trees are paper mache
It’s done with mirrors, the magic there
Each little birds full of springs, you press a button it sings
Recorded music in the air
They’ve had the mountain refaced it’s only plywood and paste
Go on say it! I’ll turn around and tell you I don’t care I don’t… care
Ironically enough, Jodi Benson a.k.a. our curious mermaid Ariel sang “Disneyland” in the original cast of the show. Here’s the song sung by Jodi:
Isn’t it wonderful?
I never know how to end a tribute like this one. So I’ll just say, thanks.
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And don't forget to read other posts by Estelle Hallick.