From a Baroque Hoedown to…Walk the Dinosaur?

Image: DisneyMusic was an integral part of the parade going all the way back to Dedication Day. Disney did something a bit different for the pageant. Rather than commission a new musical piece for the show, they acquired the rights to a 1967 song by Moog artists Jean-Jacques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley.

As a musical act known as Perrey and Kingsley, they popularized the Moog synthesizer, which would later become a staple of 1970s mood music from artists like Gordon Lightfoot, the Beach Boys, and Kraftwerk. Their synthesizer had a weird tin sound that sounded robotic. Disney executives believed it was the perfect sound for the show, although they hired their own artist to remake their favorite Moog song. It was called…Baroque Hoedown.

A musician named Paul Beaver performed the first Electrical Water Pageant version of Baroque Hoedown. He had two claims to fame as an artist, having played the Moog organ for some band called The Beatles for some album called Magical Mystery Tour. He also recorded musical effects that literally everyone knows. Beaver created many of the sound effects for the original Star Trek.

While Disney loved Beaver’s version of Baroque Hoedown, their park changes necessitated a re-recording a few years later. The song was to become a staple of the Main Street Electrical Parade at both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland. To avoid confusion, park planners took a different approach with the Electrical Water Pageant, one that’s still in use today. They gave each participating boat its own song.

This change occurred in 1977, although the first version of musical accompaniments was rather silly. For example, the turtle boat played I’m a Turtle while the octopus boat offered Up in Arms. Even by 1970s musical standards, the whole thing was pretty cheesy.

The version of the Electrical Water Pageant that you know today is cheekier in nature. The boats play songs that generally have a Disney movie theme. Here’s the current lineup:

• Quartet of sea serpent floats -- Boo Bop Bopbop Bop (I Love You Too) from Pete’s Dragon
• Whale float – A Whale of a Tale from 20,000 Leagues under the Sea
• Octopus – Poor Unfortunate Souls from The Little Mermaid
• Crocodile – Never Smile at a Crocodile from Peter Pan
• Brachiosaurus – Walk the Dinosaur by Was (Not Was)
• Quartet of sea horse floats -- Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid
• King Neptune -- Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid

Some floats have no music. Those are the turtle one (come back, I’m a Turtle!) and the trio of jumping dolphin floats. The oddest choice of the bunch is also the funniest. The Brachiosaurus playing a song from one-hit wonder musical act, Was (Not Was), never fails to put a smile on my face.

One part of the Electrical Water Pageant has remained the same since 1971. As the performance winds down, the musical accompaniments change from melodious to patriotic. The floats change into flags and stars as a trio of American classics plays. The songs are You’re a Grand Old Flag, Yankee Doodle, and America the Beautiful. It’s a lovely touch at the end of the eight-minute parade.