Saturday, January 12, 2008

Electrical Light Parade

Three images of the Electric Light Parade heading down Disneyland in the Summer, circa early 1970s. Unfortunately no date stamp on the slides. The slides are not detailed and actually kind of blurry, but they do show the kinetic activity of the lights and the parades. Which of course made the Electric Light Parade a favorite of many fans. In fact it is so popular, it has been retired several times just to be brought back out of mothballs and presented at another park to boost attendance. I did enjoy the parade but the earworm of the song (Baroque Hoedown) really started to annoy me. If I hear it now I have the same reaction as most people have to It's A Small World music.

6 comments:

Major Pepperidge said...

Cool early pix, and pretty good considering that they are night photos.

There is a certain podcast that once spent the better part of a long episode playing umpteen versions of the Baroque Hoedown as the song was modified over the years. It was interesting from a strictly informational standpoint, but wow, did I get sick of that song!

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

Great post, thanks for putting "Baroque Hoedown" into my head all day!

Actually, as soon as I saw your first photo it started playing in my head as if on cue! This and the small world jingle (lets not glorify it by calling it a song) are both magical and disturbing at the same time!

sroden said...

these are beautiful photos!!!!! like pictures of fireworks... yes, the song is horrible and thanks for adding it to my morning coffee.... i hope it's gone by lunch!

Daveland said...

Great Patrick - thanks for clogging up my brain with that dastardly song...it is now competing with Small World for space between my ears.

Chris Jepsen said...

Yes, "Baroque Hoedown" seems to be a "love it or hate it" song. Personally, I still love it. I guess I was just born at the right time for the MSEP to be featured prominently in my happy childhood memories.

Terrance T said...

I would have loved to have seen this incarnation of the parade. I just happen to have a 1973 picture disc of the Electrical Parade and I can picture how the parade was back then, especially that dragon. I first saw the parade, however back in 1981 when, by then, the parade was updated.