Customer Reviews

Aladdin

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have no idea why there is only one song showing on the catalog page. There are 21 songs on this CD. They are:

1. 1:20 Arabian Nights
2. 1:25 Legend of the Lamp
3. 2:23 One Jump Ahead
4. 1:53 Street Urchins
5. 1:02 One Jump Ahead (reprise)
6. 2:26 Friend Like Me
7. 1:39 To Be Free
8. 2:51 Prince Ali
9. 2:42 A Whole New World
10. 2:43 Jafar's Hour
11. 1:07 Prince Ali (reprise)
12. 1:35 The Ends of the Earth
13. 1:51 The Kiss
14. 2:56 On a Dark Night
15. 0:47 Jasmine Runs Away
16. 2:37 Marketplace
17. 4:58 The Cave of Wonders
18. 1:52 Aladdin's Word
19. 3:40 The Battle
20. 4:16 Happy End in Agrabah
21. 4:06 A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)

In my opinion for a soundtrack of any movie to be considered excellent, it has to have an extremely good score e.g. Star Wars, The Patriot, Braveheart, etc. Soundtracks for animated movies must have extremely good songs but it's usually ok if they don't have the strong score to back the songs up.

Aladdin has both. The songs are awesome! "A Whole New World", "Friend Like Me", "Prince Ali", and "One Jump Ahead" are great. Lea Salonga and Brad Kane sing an amazing duet on "A Whole New World" and Robin Williams is perfect for the Genie in "Friend Like Me". He sings very well and makes the song funny at the same time.

The songs are very well done but what really makes this CD one of my favorites is the orchestration. The score is simply amazing. Most people listen to just the songs only on these types of soundtrack albums but you can listen to this entire CD because the music is just that good.

This is in my opinion the best Disney soundtrack by far. You will not regret buying it.

Aladdin features some of the best music ever heard, and both the songs and the movie will outlast time.

However, this edition of the soundtrack is CENSORED and EDITED, NOT remastered. During the original theatrical release of the movie in 1992, the opening number, "Arabian Nights," featured the objectionable lyric "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face"; on this reissued version of the soundtrack as well as the 1993 video release of the film, it has been removed and replaced with "Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense." This is not only wrong, but it is done in a very unprofessional and obvious manner: that is, you can tell that the actor singing that line is different than the actor singing the rest of the song.

ther lyrics have reportedly been changed for this CD release, as well (supposedly in Friend Like Me and maybe others.) However, I am lucky enough to own the original release of the soundtrack from 1992, which is blessedly unedited, so I can't comment specifically.

I highly reccomend seeking out a copy of the original 1992 release if you can find it. It might be found through eBay, Amazon marketplace sellers, or secondhand music stores. The original release can be easily identified by its alternate cover art, which is different than the one seen on Amazon's page for this version. It features Geenie coming out of his lamp, holding onto a square in which we see Aladdin and Jasmine on the Magic Carpet against the background of the city of Agrabah.

If you can find that version, by all means do and teach Disney that censorship of their movies and music is wrong. If not, since the majority of the music is the same, this version will do nicely. Either way, be sure to add this wonderful soundtrack to your CD collection. You won't regret it.

I have the original version of this CD. And the other reviewers are right; this is a wonderful recording for ANY collection. All the performers are wonderful, and Disney was smart to lure Broadway vets such as Brad Kane, Lea Salonga, and Jonathan Freeman in for the soundtrack and film.

Brad Kane and Lea Salonga's heartfelt performance of "A Whole New World" is truly mesmerizing, and wonderfully well-written (both musically and lyrically). Out of all the songs, though, my favorite is (as always) the VILLAIN song. In this case, the "Prince Ali (Reprise)" performed by Jonathan Freeman (who also speaks for Jafar in the film). This song is performed with just enough elegance and sinicism to make it worthy of hundreds of listenings. He's wonderful on this CD! You won't regret buying this soundtrack. Even though it's intended for kids, adults will get just as much a kick (even more so) out of it. The soundtrack doesn't really even reflect the "animated" style of the film; it actually sounds more like something written for Broadway/live-action than anything else (mainly because Disney brought in great talent). This is a clear winner! :)

Of Disney's full-length animated movies since the late 1980's, ALADDIN boasts one of the strongest scores. Music is provided by Alan Menken, whose partnership with Disney over the past 15 years or so has produced many great songs. This is the last Disney movie to feature lyrics by Howard Ashman, who passed away during the production of the movie. Lyrics later in the production cycle are provided by Tim Rice. All three of the previously-mentioned men are quite talented.

All the voices are great on this CD, although it's a shame that Lea Salonga is only featured on one track. Brad Kane, Bruce Adler, Peabo Bryson, and Regina Belle are great. Robin Williams does a surprisingly good job on the singing of his funny songs. Jonathan Freeman's unique voice is perfect for the evil Jafar.

However, like many of the Disney soundtracks, the original songs plus any reprises are not enough to fill up the CD, so the second half is comprised of the instrumental underscoring used in other parts of the movie. While the underscoring is always pleasant, it is never as interesting as the sung songs. When I listen to this CD, I often skip over tracks 12 through 20.

My CD is not the "remastered" recording, so it features the original, somewhat-insensitive lyric in "Arabian Nights." Therefore, I cannot comment on the recording quality of the substitution made.

The works of Alan Menken never cease to amaze me. This man can do it all. Consider all he has done, from his musical "Little Shop of Horrors" to his operatic score to Disney's "Hunchback of Notre Dame." Everything is stylistically perfect, and dwells completely within the bounds of the genre. Aladdin is yet another successful venture for Mr. Menken. Beautiful score segments and memorable songs with the voice talents of Robin Williams and Leah Salonga combine for an unbelievably wonderful musical experience.

I have a friend in Bloomington with whom I go to films on a regular basis. We have several genres of films which we prefer, and others with which we will experiment, but animation, particularly Disney, was never among them. However, I've often enjoyed Robin Williams characterisations, and so persuaded my friend Jim (who informed me that I would then owe him the next three film selections) to go to Aladdin. He enjoyed the film, and I loved it. This was a children's film that had entertainment value for adults, too, and crafted the witticism and irony into the dialogue and songs that were incredible.

Alan Menken is the primary composer behind this soundtrack. Working with Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, Menken and company produced a Oscar-winning soundtrack with individual songs as winners and nominees ('A friend like me', Williams vocal character tour de force, received a nomination, and the themesong, 'A whole new world', won the award).

Tim Rice (Sir Tim Rice, actually), lyricist, is known for many spectacular productions, including various collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber (again, now titled...), such as Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita. The crafting and care in the songs is evident; erudition is not sparing in this collection, but neither are the songs inaccessible to either children or adults. This, I feel, is the mark of a great talent.

Finally, working on the project was Howard Ashman. Ashman died of AIDS in 1991. He worked on many Disney projects, including Beauty and the Beast. According to the Disney corporation, 'In animation, we have two guardian angels. One is Walt Disney, who continues to touch every frame of our movies. The other is Howard Ashman, who continues to touch every note of our movies.' One of my reasons for originally wanting to see this film is that I had heard of Ashman's connexion with my university, Indiana University -- he received his MFA from that school in the early 1970s. Ashman is also known as the lyricist for 'Little Shop of Horrors', another collaboration with Menken, which, if one watches Aladdin with that in mind, gives a whole new world of impression on the film!

The music makes me laugh and feel good. I am much less prone to aggressive driving if I have this CD in the box in the car! Of course, this is a sappy love story with, in my opinion, a rather silly denouement, but it works for the kids. Of course, the lyrics are, as I indicated, educational: I've had the chance to explain what nom de plume, charge d'affaires, and coterie mean.

Some filmtracks have lifted portions of this music for use as background material, which is another sign of successful composition.

But, by far the high point has to be Robin Williams' vocal flexibility and ingenuity in the characterisation of the Genie. Alternating accents and impressions (at one point doing Edith and Archie Bunker, at another doing William Buckley, etc.) the rapid flow of the voices smoothly across causes me to wonder if the characterisations were improvisational, with the animation produced afterward to fit the flow of the changes.

I recommend this soundtrack most highly to children and to adults who love comedy. It is an interesting treat.

Songs:

Arabian Nights
One Jump Ahead
Friend Like Me
Prince Ali
A Whole New World

'A Whole New World' has two tracks -- the one of the actual movie scene, performed by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga, and the 'radio edit' performed by Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle. There are some dozen additional tracks of background/mood/theme-setting music.

I love the theme song. The Lea Salonga-Brad Kane duet is tops! Reason enough to buy the CD.

I love the movie! My fave songs are: Prince Ali, Arabian Nights, One Jump Ahead, Friend Like Me, & A Whole New World (Original version & "Aladdin's Theme"). They both make me cry. I found the CD @ Borders a few weeks ago, & I love the CD! I was surprised to find the CD, because I thought it wasn't made anymore. Boy, was I wrong! I like the "Legend Of The Lamp". It makes me laugh.

I really loved the song "A Whole new world" It expresses feelings of hopes dreams and, well love. I just want to know why Lea didn't sing in the Aladdin sequels.