Monday, October 31, 2016

Disneyland Records: Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House


When my vinyl-loving daughter recently came home with this gem, I had an odd flashback to my youth. The memory is vague, but I recall this album being in the family collection in our old RCA television console/stereo/record player unit. This was a giant piece of furniture that took up most of the living room. The record player section had a built-in album storage area, right within the TV console. Very seventies.

First published by Disneyland Records (now Walt Disney Records) in 1964, the album has seen a few different versions over the years. This recent reissue was released in 2015, and it recreates the original 1964 version of the album. The cover features a classic haunted house painting by Paul Wenzel, which he created as part of the concept art for the Haunted Mansion attraction.



On Side One, a narrator tells stories that feature sound as part of the narrative. Side Two features a wide variety of sound effects. In addition to the standard screams, thunder, and creaking doors, there are also some unexpected sounds- cats and dogs who sound like they're in pain, crashes, explosions, dripping/water torture, and more. I love this warning on the back of the album:


Happy Halloween!




Do you remember this chilling album? Tell us about it in the comments...

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