Everyone knows the song “It’s a Small World After All.” (I don’t know if many people actually like it.) But where is it from? I know it’s played on a ride in Disneyland and Disneyworld, but I’ve only been there a few times in my life and I don’t remember any other songs from any other rides. Was in some movie or TV show?
According to Since The World Began, by Jeff Kurtti (Hyperion, 1996):
In other words, the music was written specifically for the 1964-65 World’s Fair attraction, and was then used when the attraction was re-created at Disneyland and later Walt Disney World.
If I remember correctly, the Wonderful World of Disney television show did a special program on the ride when it opened. It went into the design of the ride, the concept behind it and so forth. It seems I recall that they made a point of saying that the song was specially commisioned just for that ride.
As for why the tune sticks with you so long after the ride as compared with other rides there; I believe it is because it is constantly played and on no other ride do they do play one song to such a great extent.
But on Peter Pan’s Flight the music loop that plays while you wait in line last about 17 seconds. Then it just repeats over and over and over and over.
It’s a Small World is reported to be able to be sung in any language. (I wonder if you could do it in BASIC) But I think it would be infinetly creepier to be in there alone after with the song and motions turn off and surrounded by all those dolls.
Yes, it would be… see my post here:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=121833&perpage=50&pagenumber=2
(not quite alone, and the motions were still on, but … <shudder>)
I used to think it was an eerie coincidence that every time I went on the IASWAA ride at Disney World the ride stopped right at the point where they’re singing it in about 500 languages… but I now I suspect they did that intentionally to creep you out…
The song came from hell!
Um, sorry about that. I got stuck on the ride for 20 minutes and the song just kept playing and playing. And all those evil dolls, Satan-spawn I tell ya.
There’s a Duff for you and a Duff for me…
In the classic nuclear holocaust movie Sekai Daisenso, released stateside as The Last War, that song is featured in the closing moments.
Interestingly, though, the movie was made in 1961, predating the song by approximately 3 years according to my admittedly public school education. I’d be curious to know if in the original Japanese version what the song was, if indeed there was a song.
No, no. That’s
Duff Beer for me,
Duff Beer for you,
I’ll have a Duff,
You have one too.
A lot less annoying that that other Little Children of the World™ ride, if you ask me.
Okay, check this out.
I was watching the Tom Snyder show awhile back(before Craig took it over). I know, it was weird that I was watching it.
Anyway here is a story he told.
He had said on the air that he had always wondered who in the world wrote the song “It’s a Small World After All”. A few weeks after he said that, an elderly woman came up to him on the street and spoke to hiim rather angrily. Being the way Tom Snyder is, he took her out to lunch to calm her down.
Turns out, her husband wrote the song and was very proud of it. She didn’t like hearing Tom bash her husbands music on the air. She said her husband was told to write a song that could repeat itself over and over and that’s how he came up with it.
Anyway, here’s the kicker. About a week later, Tom is walking down the street elsewhere, and an elderly gentleman came up to him. The gentleman said, “Tom Snyder, I just want you to know that I wrote It’s a Small World after All and I don’t like hearing you attack it!”
Tom paused. Tom says, “I ran into your wife last week and she yelled at me too.”
“Well, it’s a small world,” the guy replies.
True story. 
It was a clause in the contract Disney signed when he sold his soul to ALL MIGHT SATAN.
…for the next four weeks (give or take). The ride is currently closed until July 26, 2002.
[/end hijack]
A friend of mine wrote the following. Good for a laugh.
http://www.mrlizard.com/hellvision.html
(Yes, it’s related to the OP!)