We like to occasionally visit our local thrift store in order to maybe snatch some nifty schwag at a bargain. My wife generally migrates toward the clothing and I head for the media: books, CDs, movies…

Today’s visit to the thrift store resulted in my finding an album I had no idea existed, but I’m so glad I scooped it up!

‘Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music From Vintage Disney Films‘ is just that: a compilation of various artists adding their own spin on Disney film music. The artists on this album are unlike anything I’ve ever seen with Disney music.

When I was younger, I enjoyed ‘Simply Mad About the Mouse‘, which featured pop artists covering Disney tunes (LL Cool J’s ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?’ is still a guilty pleasure of mine). But as I get older, I just don’t enjoy ‘Simply Mad’ as much as I used to.

‘Stay Awake’ is something entirely different, featuring Jazz and Blues artists, many of the songs are almost indistinguishable from their original counterparts. Tom Waits’ ‘Heigh Ho’ is a definite highlight, as well as Aaron Neville’s ‘Mickey Mouse March’. Other artists include Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Merchant, Michael Stipe, Sinead O’Connor, James Taylor, Ringo Starr, and a lot more.

This album is over twenty years old, having been released in 1988, but it’s definitely worth a listen. (Hint: it’s still available at amazon.com!)

** A note about the thrift store we frequently visit: We go to The Thrifty Shoppe, which is run by an organization called Vail Valley Cares. Vail Valley Cares is a multi-denominational Christian charity that assists people in need in our local community. So along with discovering new music and getting cool stuff, the money goes to a good cause. Precisely what I’d call a win-win!