Mary Martin Hi-Ho

Album review

Despite being an album on which Mary Martin sings songs from animated Walt Disney movies, Hi-Ho isn't exactly a children's collection. Tutti Camarata provides sympathetic swing arrangements for the songs, and conducts an ensemble dubbed His Trumpets and Orchestra, which gives some hint of the prominence of brass, particularly in the opening title song, from Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs, and such other uptempo numbers as "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" (here re-titled "The Magic Song"), from Cinderella. But most of the songs are actually ballads on which Martin frequently sings the rarely heard introductory verses (such as the lengthy one for "Whistle While You Work" from Snow White), and the deliberate tempos, sweet strings, and minor keys give her an opportunity to reach down to her throbbing alto range, recalling her performances of such songs as "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" in One Touch of Venus. To be sure, however, the playful Martin of Peter Pan is also present here and there (just listen to "I'm Late" from Alice in Wonderland), but this is an album full of romantic performances that children will understand only as lullabies, when there is a whole other layer of meaning for adults. [This album was reissued in August 1966 under the title Mary Martin Sings Walt Disney Favorites.]

© William Ruhlmann /TiVo