The sparky, little puppet will officially turn 75 this Saturday, February 7th. What may be more surprising is the depth and luster of the music that set the scene for Pinocchio and, for that matter, so many cartoons from days of old. I lived in southern Florida for much of my childhood, visited Disney World often, and even sang for Disney's choirs at EPCOT from a young age. My favorite Disney music was always the gentle orchestral suites from the older cartoons. There were bands of animals, phantasmagorical scenes of fury and calm, not to mention the creativity from other cartoon studios such as MGM, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera. Who can forget Bugs Bunny as Brunhilde? I digress.
Take a moment, and listen to what used to be music made for children. You'll find it is quite good at any age, and very different from the myriad of Let It Go's of today's films. One can only reminisce and hope for a return to such great compositions. Happy Birthday, Pinocchio. (I love the swinging bluesy theme around 3:30 in this clip.)