America Sings, September 12, 1983
Today I am happy to present the first of two parts featuring some very nice photos from AMERICA SINGS in Tomorrowland! These were taken by Lou Perry and were scanned and shared with us by his daughter, Sue B. And since we have a specific date (September 12), I had to refer to Jason's Disneyland Almanac for some data. With these later dates, we usually don't have as much information (usually attendance figures are not available) as we do for earlier dates, but we do know that September 12 was a Monday, the park was open from 9 AM to 6 PM, and that the high temperature was 96º.
I had to do some research, I only saw America Sings one time, so recollections are pretty fuzzy. Feel free to correct me since I am sure to be wrong several times.
Oh no, not Stork Bikers! The last time they came to town, they ate every sardine and pickled herring in sight. Why can't they leave us alone? I thought that they might have been singing "Born to the Wild" by Steppenwolf, or "Leader of the Pack" by Shangri-Las, but apparently the song was "Twistin' USA". By Danny and the Juniors! I like Danny, but I hate the Juniors.
The two hosts (or MCs) were Sam the Eagle and Ollie the Owl. I'd always wondered if there was any connection to the Sam The Olympic Eagle from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, but Wikipedia says that while the Olympic mascot was designed by Disney artist Robert Moore, there is no other relation.
Hippies! You'd think they might be singing psychedelic anthems such as "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night" by the Electric Prunes, or "Incense and Peppermints" by the Strawberry Alarm Clock, but instead they apparently performed "Hound Dog/See You Later Alligator" (or maybe "Joy to the World", since this group was seen more than once).
If these are members of the "College Quartet", then this "A-Tisket, A-Tasket/Boo Hoo". You know who's crying "Boo Hoo"? ME!
This might be part of the finale to the "Modern Times" segment of the show, where the cast performed "Joy to the World". My main memory of this scene is the way the hair on the guitar stork swayed as he moved. That chicken does not look trustworthy.
Well, that does it for Part One! Many thanks to Lou and Sue for these fun photos from an extinct attraction.
11 comments:
Major, like you, I only saw America Sings once (in '75 in Disneyland... or was it '77 in WDW?). And like you my recollections are vague (at best). About the only thing I remember is (I think it was) the tall, long-haired stork and his wild gyrations. Quick movements for an animatronic figure. I remember thinking at the time that this AA character probably breaks down frequently.
Really nice, sharp photos from Lou Perry. Thank you, Sir. And thanks to Sue and Major.
P.S.- I think this attraction went extinct for a reason. :-\ If it was better than just 'meh' I think I would have remembered more of it.
The three foxes in the blue tail coats are from ACT 2 - The South . They are singing “Down By The Riverside” . While AMERICA SINGS was an odd fit for Tomorrowland , if was a fun show …. At the time it debuted it was the most difficult Disney AA show to program and the figures remained the most advanced Disney AA figures ever - until the 1984 new Mr. Lincoln figure - despite he was very reserved in movements. Unlike The Carousel of Progress , AMERICA SINGS featured a great lighting special effect that had the current theater stage fade away into twinkling lights , while only Sam and Olie sang the intro into the next theater before also disappearing before reappearing in the new Act. The show remained popular till the mid 80’s when Del Monte ended its sponsorship. Originally like Walt Disney World’s MICKEY MOUSE REVUE , AMERICA SINGS was set to be relocated to Tokyo Disneyland in a carousel theater north of Grand Circuit Raceway and Star Jets … thus would have been part of Tokyo Disneyland’s phase 2 - it opened with a carousel theater show MEET THE WORLD ( originally titled JAPAN MEETS THE WORLD )that show was originally created for EPCOT …. But how glorious a Tomorrowland with two different carousel theaters!!
DISNEYLAND’s after AMERICA SINGS was to be installed in Tokyo , Disneyland was to get a new carousel of progress called THE CENTURY OF PROGRESS - it would have featured a new song called “Here Comes Tomorrow- there Goes The Past” and was slated for a 1984 opening. Michael Eisner’s arrival halted all park projects and America Sings remained till 1988 . By then a musical industrial robot show was scheduled to replace it ..then that was placed on hold and a musical alien space vaudeville show ; PLECTU’s Fantastic Gallactic Revue as part of a bigger New Tomorrowland ( TOMORROWLAND 2055 ) targeted for a 1993/94 opening - also canceled by Eisner. By the way between 1984 and 1994 there were over 6 different carousel theater replacements developed included a version of Horizons and an early Star Wars attraction .
@ JB-
"I remember thinking at the time that this AA character probably breaks down frequently".
Not so... that moment would have to wait until 2024 with the opening of Tiana’s Rainforest Café Adventure: Woke Mountain - or whatever it's called - at WDW.
@ MIKE-
Thanks for all the info.
Thanks to Lou and Sue.
The stork should have been singing the anthem from "Hair", since his swaying tresses were memorable for me too. His mane was looser in the 1970s (see the photo in DISNEYLAND: THE NICKEL TOUR), and has been tamed somewhat by a band and a shorter cut in 1983.
From the beginning his hair was clearly fashioned from a mop. For years in the 1970s, one of the witch figures in the original Snow White's Adventures also had a mop wig, the "Have an apple dearie!" crone. The strands quivered hilariously as she slid around the pillar and into your face. So this great amusement park with deep pockets used mops for some effects; I'm all for it.
Thanks to all for this spin on the Carousel!
As we have come to expect, great photos of a difficult attraction, thank you Lou and Sue! These are undoubtedly historic documents.
I can tell I’m not alone in being bored to tears by this show. Maybe it would have been better off in an overseas park where America singing would be a novelty. I think I may have sat through it as much as twice, but it was just flat to me. Unlike many aspects of the 70’s park, I don’t miss this at all, which is kind of sad since someone (several someone’s in fact) put a lot of work in it.
Thanks Major, Lou and Sue for the look back.
JG
America Screams. I remember it well. For those who saw it once, I saw it hundreds: literally hundreds...of times. If I did a deep dive into my memory bank, I could probably recite at least 75% of it verbatim. This ride was included in "A walk in Bu's footsteps"....the fourth of fifth attraction, right before it's a small world. By the time you got to this ride: you are beyond the 2nd hour. Heat takes over, and the AC inside the theatre, along with music you can recite in unison with the show, was a quaint lullaby. The spinning attraction added to the "womb-like" appeal of the theatre. I fought to stay awake. When you are in the midst of your guests it can be problematic when your eyes continue to close. You had to be excited and enthusiastic about everything...they were paying $4 for heaven's sake. Yes. $4 more. That's it. About $13 today. I forgot about the little lights effect as it went to the next scene! That was a great memory that will lead to more. It would be nice to revive a "new" Carousel of Progress....there's a way to do it that would be compelling...with some imagination....just don't use purple paint. Thanks Lou and Sue and Major.
Just read all the previous comments and am laughing. (I do LOVE Splash Mountain’s new name.)
I don’t recall ever seeing this attraction/show, but Bu more-than-made-up for me, I see.
I googled some info about it, and found that ‘AI’ is doing a great job, as expected….some facts per AI:
“The Theater revolves every four minutes.”
“ The show used clever, theatrical techniques to make the performers appear on stage.“ (Gotta love AI)
Thanks Major.
Sue, that AI 'info' is hilarious! I'm tempted to say "Ohhh, myyyyy!" again. ;-)
I totally loved it. The rotating building. Marc Davis gags galore. I just about hear that jaunty ‘when the saints come marching in’ rotation music to those dancing polka dots lights. The sets spinning and swapping in and out too, like the room itself; the catchy medley, corny jokes, AC, seats. ‘Don’t you believe it Sonny’. Ta ra ra boom dee yay!
Sad to see it go. Mad they wasted the building.
A not to be missed attraction, long missing from Tomorrowland.
MS
I loved America Sings! I loved Carousel of Progress much more, but since they were determined to get rid of it after only 6 years, I thought A.S. was an okay replacement. I HATED Innoventions and the rest of that crappy BROWN Tomorrowland of 1998. I don't think I've mentioned that before. ;-)
I hate that they fixed the building so that it can no longer rotate. I guess that squashes any hopes of another theater show ever going in there. Since they seem so dead set on doing an animatronic Walt, they should have put him in a new Carousel Theater show with Walt as the host, talking about the different eras in Disney Animation, Film, TV, and theme parks. I'd love to hear what he'd say about how he created Kermit the Frog, Spider-Man, and Darth Vader.
These are wonderful photos! Thanks Lou, Sue, and Major. I'm looking forward to Part 2!
Never saw this show, but I recognize many of the AAs from Splash Mountain. I don't know if they're still in the new version. I don't really have strong opinions on the redo of the ride - almost no guests have seen SotS now, and I know my niece loved the movie a few years ago. So i guess it's fine. I just wish they didn't crap up NOS for it.
I did see Kitchen Cabaret at the Kraft-sponsored Land pavilion at EPCOT in the early days. That show was also a musical revue with a similar style to it.
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