The First Commercial Soundtrack - Vinyl, Cassette, CD and MP3

Entitled Songs from Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, it was an immediate sensation. Unleashed in January of 1938, this commercially-released movie soundtrack was the first of its kind. Originally sold as a set of three individual 78rpm singles, altogether they contained the eight songs from the film. A month after the release, each and every single was a hit with "Whistle While You Work" topping the pop charts.

 















1938 - Set of three 78rpm 10" records, Victor, US.
Images via Wikipedia, Fair Use.
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Record 1: Victor #25735
Side 1: "With a Smile and a Song"
Side 2: "Dig-a-Dig Dig / Heigh Ho"

Record 2: Victor # 25736  
Side 3: "I'm Wishing / One Song"
Side 4: "Whistle While You Work"

Record 3 Victor # 25737
Side 5: "Dwarfs' Yodel Song"
Side 6: "Some Day My Prince Will Come" 

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Over the years the soundtrack has been re-issued in a wide variety of formats and packaging styles (see just a few below), but the actual album content usually consisted of the original eight songs. Often the musical score would be added and sometimes a narration track of the story as well. Later versions also include the two deleted songs, "Music in Your Soup" and "You're Never Too Old To Be Young".

1963 - Music LP. 33 1/3rpm 12" record, Disneyland Records #DQ-1201, US. Front Cover (left), Rear Cover (below). Images courtesy of mauiiangel. Used with Permission.

1968 - Music LP. 33 1/3rpm 12" record, Disneyland Records #DQ-1201, US. Front Cover (left), Disc Label (below). Image courtesy of Children's Records and More. 

Disneyland Doubles (below) appeared in the United Kingdom in the 1970s. Each 45rpm record contained two singles from the film.

1972 - Disneyland Doubles. 45rpm 7" record, Disneyland Records #DD31, UK. Front Cover (left), Rear Cover (below). Images courtesy of Disneylicious. Used with Permission.

1980 - Disney Picture Disc, Music LP. 33 1/3rpm 12" record, Disneyland/Vista Records #3101, US. Side One (left). Side Two (below). Image courtesy of scampy. Used with Permission.

Mid 1980s - Music LP. 33 1/3rpm 12" record, Disneyland/Vista Records, UK. Front Cover (left), Rear Cover (below). Images courtesy of Disneylicious. Used with Permission.

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1985 - Music Cassette, Disneyland/Vista Records, Disney Cassettes # 101GP, US. Front Cover (left), Tape (above). Images courtesy of Alameda Music Company. Used with Permission.

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On June 8, 1993, about three 3 weeks before the last North American release of Snow White hit theaters, the first Compact Disc appeared in stores. Then eight years later and just shortly before the film's premiere on DVD, a digitally remastered CD was released on September 25, 2001.

1993 - Music CD, Walt Disney Records, US. Front Cover (left), Rear Cover (middle), Inside (below). Images from personal collection.

1993 - Music cassette, Walt Disney Records, US.

2001 - Remastered Music CD, Walt Disney Records ISBN: 0-7634-0385-7, US. Front Cover (left), Rear Cover (middle), Inside (below). Images from personal collection.

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On October 14, 2008, you could begin sampling Snow White songs and purchasing download-able MP3 audio files online. You can find these on several sites including Dada, Amazon, iTunes and others.