'64-'65 World's Fair tracks Questions

[Zarpman]

Okay, so we've all heard the wonderful World's Fair tracks that are floating around the 'net. I was reluctant to download at first, but all of the buzz surrounding them sparked my curiosity. Now I have a million and one questions, and maybe some of you have more information than what I've picked up fro mthread to thread.

We all know that the Walt Disney Company actually commissioned the tracks to be restored, cleaned up, and mixed for a boxed set. When was this boxed set supposed to be released? I assume for some anniversary for the World's Fair. Also, do we know who did the restoration work for the tracks? Some of them sound like modern recordings, so whoever cleaned up these 40 year old tracks certainly did an outstanding job. Why was the set never released? I assume licensing issues, or that the company decided that there was little-to-no money to be made from them. Since they are obviously ready-for-press, how come they haven't made it to the Wonderland Music kiosks? How did they finally make it out of the hands of the Mouse and into the hands of the pirates on the peer-to-peer networks and Usenet?

Anyone who can help piece the story of these tracks together would help me out alot. I did a search and found a few threads here and there talking about them, but nothing about the origins. For now, it's back to the Magic Skyway for me!

 

[Eric Paddon]

The chief hangup that prevented a legit CD release was Ford and copyright issues surrounding the music there. Some older threads on this from a year ago I think go into more detail on this, and I can't remember the specifics but it did center on Ford.

 

[sds910]

As to the restoration, Zarp, you have our reclusive pal Randy Thornton to thank. You should be aware that in addition to the tracks themselves having escaped, so did the contents of the work-in-progress booklet that would have been included with the set, as well as some accompanying notes. The amount of material that leaked out seems to indicate that the project was something like 97% complete before the licensing issues and powers-that-be called a halt to the proceedings. And yes, the target date for the release would likely have been to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the fair.

 

[DL FLIGHT 295]

The cd-box set was planed to be released at the last Disneyland Disneyanna Convention a few back........the set alond with a handfull of retail items were not ready
in time for the convention.........due to the legal hold ups.
The merchandise was eventualy released as part of a small World's Fair Event at Disneyland.it included some posters featuring some Fair artwork as well as some note cards and some expensive sculpture reproductions.............one of the TOWER of the FOUR WINDS. Again the cd set was not ready and it kinda missed it's original "window" as Diseny events saw it.

The whole reason why the Disneyland "It's A Small World" went back to it's original soundtrack was beacuse of the incredibly pristine master recording tracks that were discovered while doing work for the fair cd set. Also the "floating" tracks out there do not represent the final track listings that would have been released on the final cds......but very close.

Because no notes were available on the FORD Magic Skyway, a live recording was used as reference to assemble the backgrounf music and the matching points of naration. Also the tracks could not be found featuring the sfx for the animals and caveman etc. Only the second year of the Fair used Walt's voice.........I wonder who did the first version, and why those tracks never surfaced.......like the things on the mysterious NYWF disc 5!




DL FLIGHT 295
aka
DC-88 SPACELINER

 

[X-S Tech]

I was told that the specific hangups with Ford was that the original contract didn't include anything about commercially releasing the music. Disney would have had to track down all of the musicians that were used (or their families) and pay them royalties. The figure quoted to me was something astronomical (I wanna say it added up to 4million). It was so much there was no way that Disney would ever make enough to even break even.

 

[Jeff in NY]

Howdy!

Without going back to research this for 100% accuracy, I would like to add that I'm pretty sure Henry Ford II, or "junior," read the narration in the first season of the fair. His voice, along with the animal sounds and cavemen, can be heard on the Ray Dashner fair recordings. These recordings are available from Ray himself at his website, and I highly recommend them.

 

[Zarpman]

Thanks to everyone who has added some answers to this mystery. Now I'm poking around trying to find these linear notes and such.

Seems that they would atleast release the other 3 discs if they are ready to go, but maybe it's not just that easy. Thank goodness for the Internet. I'm not one for advocating music piracy or anything, but these tracks just seem to be golden to me. Make 'em available, and I'll gladly pay for them.

... then again, I'd buy it all anyways.

 

[ex-wdi]

Actually, the Ray Dashner tape has the Henry Ford intro only - with the Walt narration... I believe his recordings were done in 1965....

 

[X-S Tech]

Does anyone have the address of Ray's website?

 

[Eric Paddon]

You can order Ray's magnificent CD-ROM through www.nywf64.com (where I've contributed some articles on several Fair pavilions). The specific link is:

http://www.nywf64.com/raydo01.html

Also on the site is a multi-page feature on the Ford pavilion that includes a complete transcript of the 64 and 65 narrations. The identity of the 64 narrator remains a mystery, but it wasn't Henry Ford since he never identifies himself. Walt contributed a small vocal cameo at the end of the ride.

Bill Young, who runs the website told me that he has a live recording from 64 but it's still on a reel to reel format and not transferrable. So it can at least be confirmed that one live recording of it does exist!

 

[ex-wdi]

Bill Young, who runs the website told me that he has a live recording from 64 but it's still on a reel to reel format and not transferrable. So it can at least be confirmed that one live recording of it does exist!

I'd LOVE to hear a live recording of the 1964 version - it's supposedly Henry Ford, but I've never heard it.
As far as transferring reel-to-reel, it's very doable - you just need a machine to transfer it to (unless he doesn't want it out there in the audio trading world)....

 

[s8ntmark]

HA! I hope its WASN'T Henry Ford II, after hearing his monotone Walt introduction on the WF disc, I couldn't imagine having to listen to him for a whole ride without wanting to slit my wrists

LOL

 

[Grinning Ghost]

Also, do we know who did the restoration work for the tracks? Some of them sound like modern recordings, so whoever cleaned up these 40 year old tracks certainly did an outstanding job.

As far as the World's Fair set that's floating around the net goes, *I* did the clean up work on those. The original set had the left and right channels reversed, and there was a lot of very noticeable hiss still left in them. As someone else pointed out, that particular set may have been leaked during mid-production, and that's why there were still so many sonic flaws still present. So, if the set you have came from the net, it was my restoration. As far as I know, the final version that Mr. Thornton did hasn't made it's way on to the net....yet.

GG

 

[s8ntmark]

wait!

DLFlight 295 mentioned a 5th disc?? Thats exciting, what was it supposed to have on it?