Merry Mardi Gras Parade music anyone?

All about the shows, music, and performers at Marriott's GREAT AMERICA
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MGA1
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Merry Mardi Gras Parade music anyone?

Post by MGA1 »

Does anyone have a digital copy of the "Merry Mardi Gras Parade" theme music? It was one of the two songs written by Gene Patrick specifically for the Great America theme parks. I still remember the tune & most of the lyrics. If anyone remembers them, please feel free to correct what I have below:

"Here comes the very Merry Mardi Gras parade.
The parade passes by with it's flags waving high,
Shout hooray, it's a day like the Fourth of July,
In a marching revue, Great America comes to you,
It's the Merry Mardi Gras parade."

These lyrics made up the refrain. Each float had a unique sound track that was themed to the park area it represented. The parade featured the Great America Marching Band, a fire engine, two trolleys and 5 or 6 floats...I remember Spirit of America, Orleans Place, Yankee Harbor, Yukon Territory, and County Fair floats...but I can't remember if there was a Hometown Square float. Maybe the fire engine & trolleys were suppose to rep Hometown. Anyone remember better?
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Tech Services 1
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Post by Tech Services 1 »

One of my friends from the Marriott days (he's a member on this site also) acquired an old soundtrack from the parade . . .
Trouble is, it's on an 8 channel 1" analog reel-to-reel tape. That format is defunct!
I found a studio in Canada that has a 1" 8-track deck and could dub the tape to CD for somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,200.00. :shock:

How badly do you want to hear that soundtrack?? :D


-PPG
Technical Services technician
Gurnee park '81 - '86

Eegads, has it been that long?
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MGA1
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Post by MGA1 »

Thanks Tech Services 1, but that's a really really expensive option. Yeah, I can see how the 8 Channel reel-to-reel format would be a problem.

I'm hoping that maybe some former Show Ops people might have a copy of it....probably on an old cassette tape. That would be fine too...I still have a cassette deck on my stereo.

BTW, have you or your friend checked with any local community colleges or vocational training schools that have an "Audio Engineering" program. They might be able to transfer from the 8 Channel format to either cassette tape or CD....and they'd likely do it for free if you asked nicely. As long as your friend has possession "ownership" of the 8 Channel format, I don't think it would violate any copyright to transfer it to cassette or CD for his personal use. If he were to attempt to sell copies of that tape, that would create a copyright issue.
"...and enjoy the rest of your day here at Marriott's GRRRREAT America"
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Tech Services 1
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Post by Tech Services 1 »

So far no one from Show Ops has come forward with a recording. :(
I have a VERY small segment of the parade on a cassette. It's playing in the background of a recording I made with a handheld recorder, when I walked in to the shop and talked to the guys.

I haven't tried the college / school idea. The problem is finding a working tape deck in the 1" 8-channel format.
The deck we had in Tech Services was made by Ampex. It was actually obsolete in the early '80s, as Ampex had stopped making audio decks!

-PPG
Technical Services technician
Gurnee park '81 - '86

Eegads, has it been that long?
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MGA1
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Transferring 8 Channel tape to digital format

Post by MGA1 »

Hey, I might have found someone who can help you with this way cheaper. Check out Ebay.com & search for item # 180231941921 His ad says he can transfer from reel to reel (as well as other formats) to digital for just $17.95 plus $8.95 shipping. I've never used his service but his ebay feedback is positive & seems legit. Hopefully he can do the 1" format.
"...and enjoy the rest of your day here at Marriott's GRRRREAT America"
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MGA1
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Post by MGA1 »

If that guy can't do it, I also found the following company in NJ who's website says the can do 1" reel to reel....for $199 and they clean up the sound quality in the process.

http://canaanmedia.com/transfer-cassette-to-cd.htm

Yes, still expensive but way better than $1200.00
"...and enjoy the rest of your day here at Marriott's GRRRREAT America"
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ILuvTheDemon
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Post by ILuvTheDemon »

I'm pretty sure that the song is in this video at around 00:23. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CPmZmls3PM As for the tape, My uncle has an 8-track tape player and I have a digital recording and restoring program just for this purpose and would convert it for free, but I guarntee that you would not want to send away something like that tape to someone you just met on the internet, so that option is out of the question, unless you have an extra copy of the tape. But, since that song is in the news cast, that must mean that someone has a digital copy that they used to make the video! Who this person is though, I have no clue. If someone can ask NBC where they got that song from, they (NBC) might be able to get us a copy! So, that's my opinnion on this...
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Tech Services 1
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Post by Tech Services 1 »

ILuvTheDemon wrote: As for the tape, My uncle has an 8-track tape player and I have a digital recording and restoring program just for this purpose and would convert it for free, ...
Thanks for the offer, but just to clarify, this is a 1" reel-to-reel 8 channel tape, not an 8-track 'cartridge' tape.
:D
Technical Services technician
Gurnee park '81 - '86

Eegads, has it been that long?
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