Rare Disney Songs: Released!

Last year Huston Huddleston, son of late Disney songwriter Floyd Huddleston (“Love” from Robin Hood, etc.), released several vintage song demos to the internet that were collecting dust in his closet. The songs – Peoplitis, Sittin’ In My Favorite Position Doing Nothing, Misery I Never Had I So Good and an alternate Rescue Aid Society theme song – were originally written for Disney animated features of the 1970s. I posted several of them on the Brew. Then, Huston heard from Disney legal…

Huston explains what happened next:

“About a year ago I posted some songs from Disney’s Aristocats and Rescuers with Louis Prima that my father had written that were either different versions or never used. I included artwork I’d found from Disney books and compiled them for all to see on Youtube. I heard from a Disney lawyer at the time asking me what right did I have to release these on Youtube, and I told him “Why the hell hasn’t DISNEY released these in any form, DVD, Blu-Ray or CD? These songs should be heard and if you guys put it out, I’ll happily take it down, but in the meantime, this is celebrating my father’s work”

Months went by, and Huston remained firm about keeping his father’s work alive. The Disney lawyers retrenched – and yesterday called Huston back:

“Having seen my video on You Tube, I just today got a call from Disney saying they are releasing the COMPLETE version of “Peoplitis” (only half the song was on Youtube) with Original animation done at the time (that I’d heard Andre Deja speak of months ago) as well as the other Louis Prima songs for an upcoming release, as well as other goodies for The Aristocats. They WERE going to send me a “cease and desist” letter until they realized who I was. The videos are now OFF LINE from Youtube but will be in stores later this year! FIGHT THE SYSTEM people – it can work!

Just like a Disney movie, this is a happy ending; a rare win-win for all concerned: Floyd Huddleston, Disney – and all of us who enjoy the company’s history.