The first Snow White album to be released on the Disneyland Record label in America was the movie soundtrack in 1956. Catalog no. WDL-4005. In Italy, the first Disneyland Record was issued in November of 1962, no. DLP-52. This Italian Disneyland series was distributed by the Curci label--Carosello Records. (Before this time, Curci reprinted the American versions, both 45s and 33
1⁄
3. Also see the 1961 Curci songbook in an
earlier post.)
This Biancaneve record release was timed to coincide with the 1962 theatrical return of the motion picture in Italy. The album artwork pictures the characters surrounded by yellow concentric circles. This design was borrowed from the 1957 Storyteller record, American catalog
no. ST-3906. However, no fold-out storybook was included.
The recording was not the full Italian soundtrack, but it did feature songs, musical dialogue, and sound effects taken directly from the original 1938 film with Lina Pagliughi as the Italian singing voice. No storyteller narration was added. Total run time is 45 minutes. This same record would be reissued several times and was available in shops until 1978.
Red disc label with white lettering.
There were three different versions of the back cover for this album. The first one from 1962 included the story in text and the name printed in violet. The second also had the story but the name was in black. The third dates from 1972 and only featured the title along with photos of the other records in the series.
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In 1967, this same recording was also packaged in the red Magic Mirror series album cover, including an attached 11-page storybook. Italian catalog no. STP 3906. Note that there is no text in the framed plate directly below the image of Snow White. In the US version,
no. ST 3906, the text reads, "Magic Mirror".
Red disc label with white lettering.
The storybook is identical to the American version except for the Italian text, of course.
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In 1970, the recording was again repackaged with different album cover artwork. However, the attached storybook was identical to the one above. It was sold as part of an 8-piece boxed LP set,
Cantastorie di Walt Disney. The collection was issued exclusively by Italian publisher Arnoldo Mondadori Editore.
Blue disc labels with white lettering.
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In 1971, Disney changed the album cover to the artwork used in the
1969 US Storyteller album. Snow White is pictured sweeping the cottage with a purple background. The attached storybook was also updated to include full-color images.
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In December 1972, the original 1962 recording was replaced with the updated dialogues and songs from the brand new Italian soundtrack dub (which screened in cinemas that year). The well-known voice actor, Giuseppe Rinaldi, was also added to the record as the narrator. See two magazine advertisements for this new version in the
previous post.
The album cover art, however, did not change. This new recording was packaged in the same 'Snow White sweeping" slipcase. The disc labels remained blue until 1975 when they were changed to a red-orange label with black writing. Beginning around 1977, they switched to the yellow rainbow labels.
The rainbow disc label from late 1970s with the 1972 recording. Includes Giuseppe Rinaldi credit.
This detailed record information was generously provided by Snow White collector and historian,
Nunziante Valoroso. The majority of image scans are courtesy of Nunziante's personal collection as well as Lino Cappellini's collection.
