What do Love Me Tender , Stormy Weather , The Shawshank Redemption , Toy Story , and New York City ’ s classic Tin Pan Alley all have in common ?
If you guessed the Pizza Planet truck , you ’ d unfortunately be wrong … but still pretty close .
Just like that iconic truck , many Pixar films ( half of them , in fact ) feature soundtracks and compositions written by either Thomas or Randy Newman — two cousins who belong to the Newman family dynasty of composers .
HELLO , NEWMAN Even if you ’ ve never seen a Pixar film , you ’ ve likely heard a composition from a Newman . Alfred Newman originally composed the iconic 20th Century Fox Fanfare in 1933 ; it has since found its way into the intro of countless films , both classic and current . Think of it as a precursor to the giant list of Newman family contributions to film scores , including Pixar .
Starting with Toy Story in 1995 , Randy Newman , Alfred ’ s nephew , provided music and vocals to such hits as “ You ’ ve Got a Friend in Me ,” “ Strange Things ,” and “ I Will Go Sailing No More ” before composing the music for every Pixar film until 2003 ’ s Finding Nemo — the soundtrack of which was written by none other than his cousin ( and another one of Alfred ’ s sons ), Thomas Newman . These two men alone are responsible for 12 unforgettable Pixar soundtracks , with Randy taking credit for all four Toy Story films , A Bug ’ s Life , Monsters , Inc ., Cars , Cars 3 , and Monsters University . Meanwhile , Thomas provided soundscapes to Finding Nemo , WALL • E , and Finding Dory .
GROWN-UP ’ S LEMONADE
When Toy Story premiered , I was just shy of four years old , and when Andy was headed to college in 2010 ’ s Toy Story 3 , I myself was prepping for my first year at a university . Andy and I have been in lockstep as we ’ ve grown up ( and turned 30 , yikes ), so it felt rather fitting to grab an adult beverage in my late 20s while visiting Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios . As I sat sipping my Grown-Up ’ s Lemonade at Woody ’ s Lunch Box , I half expected Andy to pull up a chair Babybel cheese and have a drink with me .
That ’ s right : Even when exploring the world of children ’ s toys , Disney makes alcohol easily accessible to parents ( or , in my case , childless millennials chasing down the nostalgia of the movie of their childhood ). If you find yourself at Woody ’ s Lunch Box on a hot day , give this delicious cocktail a try .
This isn ’ t your average lemonade-stand cuppa lemonade . For starters , it ’ s purple thanks to a Black Cherry Purée ( also in this drink are Minute Maid Premium Lemonade and Three Olives Cherry Vodka ). I ’ m normally not one for flavored vodka , but this concoction was just the refreshment I needed while exploring Toy Story Land ’ s famously unshaded pavement .
At $ 12 , the drink is a little pricey , but unless you want to hoof it to the Milk Stand in Galaxy ' s Edge and double back to your long wait for Slinky Dog , it ’ s your best bet for a fresh cocktail with a little vodka kick .
BY TIMOTHY MOORE PHOTO BY TATJANA LAZAR
AN INCREDIBLE COMPOSER But with 2004 ’ s The Incredibles , a new artist outside the Newman family finally composed the soundtrack
When not on hiatus , Finding Nemo – The Musical is a great way to hear Pixar music in the parks . PHOTO BY JUDD HELMS
PIXAR IN THE PARKS Music of Pixar Live ! at Disney ’ s Hollywood Studios ran for the summer of 2017 at Theater of the Stars , offering a live orchestra performance of classic Pixar music from Toy Story , UP , Cars , Finding Nemo , and more , complete with an appearance from Sarge and a large screen playing highlights from the films .
While the show hasn ’ t returned , you can still hear Pixar music sprinkled throughout your Walt Disney World visit :
• Hear “ You ’ ve Got a Friend in Me ” during Disney Enchantment nightly at Magic Kingdom .
• When it launches , take in the revamped Finding Nemo — The Musical , which retains some beloved songs from the original musical developed for Animal Kingdom ( like “ In the Big Blue World ” and “ Go with the Flow ”).
• Explore Toy Story Land to hear some of your favorite bangers from the films .
PREVIOUS PAGE : Wheezy serenades guests aboard Slinky Dog Dash . PHOTO BY CLIFF WANG