More Magic From Aladdin's Lamp

American Idol: More Magic From Aladdin's Lamp
Posted by: Idolhead Ed on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 07:38 PM PST

A Comment on Clay's New Song From Disney

I had yet to buy the new DVD version of "Aladdin" and couldn’t wait to get my Disney DVD collecting hands on it. I have them all to date. I will buy the rest when they come out. I have a copy of “Mulan” but I’m buying the new version on DVD because of the new 16X9 transfer.

"Mulan' has,...had my favorite Disney song ever on it , "0Reflection". It turns out that the new "Aladdin" DVD now has my favorite Disney song ever on it and it’s not even a part of the movie. It’s just an add on. It’s in the special features section. It’s written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menkin. “"t’s called "Proud of Your Boy". It’s sung by Clay Aiken. It’s incredible!
This song was left out of the movie because of a plot change. The writers decided it would be better for Aladdin not to have parents, thus the song was cut, but thankfully, not forgotten. As Alan Menkin says in his interview on “Proud of Your Boy” says, “.... good songs never get lost. They will somehow find their way to us.” Thanks to DVD, “Proud of Your Boy” found it’s way to us.

Clay absolutely shines, singing what I believe will become another Disney classic song. For the Claymaters, you’ll want to buy it to buy it for no other reason. For the Clayhaters, It might be enough to change your mind. Clay’s distinctive voice soars in this song and if you have a slacker son like me, the hope that your child could someday sing this song to you will make the tears well up inside. The song is sung from the boy’s perspective, telling his parents he’s going to do better and make them proud of him. Clay translates this song like I believe no one else possibly could. Once you hear it, it will stick in your mind forever.

When watching the video, if you have a Dolby Digital surround sound system, you must select Enhanced Home Theatre Mix. (Husbands, if your wife is a Claymate, here’s your excuse and chance to upgrade that sound system to Dolby Digital, if you haven’t already.) The home theatre mix puts you right in the middle of the orchestra with Clay in your living room. It is virtually indescribable. There is no CD that sounds this good unless it is a DTS disc. It will blow you away.

The visuals of the camera winding it’s way around Clay as he apparently is singing to record the new song, captures Clay’s sincerity. He’s by himself in the recording studio with nothing but empty orchestra chairs and Aladdin constantly playing on screen in the background. The camera pans every direction on Clay. Then, in the last break of the song, the camera rises from his feet and goes over his head revealing the marvelous 40 piece orchestra. Breathtaking!

The suggested retail of the DVD is $19.95. I’m sure you can find it even less expensive if you look long enough. What ever you pay, if you are a Clay fan, it won’t matter because you will most certainly be "Proud of Your Boy".