The MARK’S VINTAGE VINYL page features something from Mark’s collection of recordings from over the years. Most of it is on vinyl – hence the name – though there will be a few entries from his CDs (remember those?).
Pocahontas, An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack
- Soundtrack to the Disney animated feature film Pocahontas, released in 1995.
- Of the many, many wonderful, glorious Disney soundtracks produced over the years, this one is my favorite. All the Disney soundtracks were relevant in my house at the time, given that my kids were just at an age where Disney films became a daily part of our lives. But to me, Pocahontas was special. The orchestration was so big, the subtleties so clever – just a beautiful piece of music. I manage to look past the point that the Pocahontas story is reviled by historians, women activists, native Americans, etc., and that it is 99% false.
- It was the fourth Disney film with music composed by Alan Menken. His previous films were The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin – all among the best of Disney musicals. The lyricist for the songs in Pocahontas was Stephen Schwartz – the same lyricist for famous Broadway theater productions like Godspell, Pippin and Wicked.
- The soundtrack was much acclaimed. The hit single Colors of the Wind was recorded by Vanessa Williams (the movie version was performed by Judy Kuhn) – it won an Oscar for Best Original Song and a Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture. Williams’ version reached #4 on the Hot 100 Chart. The film soundtrack also won an Oscar for Best Original Score. The album was certified 3x platinum and it topped the Billboard 200 album chart.
- I spent many hours singing songs like The Virginia Company, Just Around the Riverbend, Colors of the Wind and Savages with my then six year old daughter – now she is 30, and we still sing them.
- For more on Disney soundtrack favorites, see my post on this topic from May 27, 2018. You can find YouTube links to Colors of the Wind there. Here, you can listen to my next favorite song, Just Around the Riverbend, with the lyrics. Enjoy!