I’m not the least bit bashful when I name the amazingly cool and educational Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln as one of my favorite Disneyland experiences.
I usually have to drag the other Dames kicking and screaming, and even sometimes go alone while they get corn dogs or take photos elsewhere in park. But thanks to Mother Nature and the unusually hot temperatures of last weekend, this time convincing the Dames to sit in on the air-conditioned Great Moments was a cinch. ;-)
And what awaited us just outside the theater was a brand-new treat that made the heat much more bearable. No, not froyo…something way better: The Voices of Liberty!
The Voices of Liberty is an acapella singing group that debuted at Disneyland back in June to accompany Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln with sweet, sweet sound. For about fifteen pre-show minutes, they dazzle you with eight-part harmony on American standards such as America the Beautiful, This Land is Your Land, and Grand Ole’ Flag. *Shout-out to Mrs. Thibodeaux, my fourth grade teacher, who made us sing one of these EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. before the start of class, so I knew all the lyrics and could sing along.*
The Disney parks are well-known for providing a forum for great, budding talent and Disneyland’s Voices of Liberty are no exception. As a singer myself, I’m a bit of a song-snob (I’ll admit it!) and very critical of voice performances, but these men and women were fantastic! Completely on key, completely on time, completely in sync. Leave it to Disney to accept nothing less than perfection. Not to mention that completing a five-song acapella set in a cotton-burlap-polyester blend in 90-degree heat is no easy feat – but they did it with the effortless grace of Civil War-era ladies and gentlemen, making me, as usual, yearn for a classier time long, long ago and far, far away.
Inside the Great Moments exhibit in the theater’s entryway is a short film documenting Abraham Lincoln’s rise from a tree-chopping young man, to a lawyer in Illinois, to our nation’s 16th president. If you don’t know much about his life and presidency (and even if you do), this exhibit is fascinating. I love walking around the early model of the White House and taking in the Civil War-era dim-lit chandeliers and décor, and for those not as interested in all that, there’s an entire exhibit on the history of Disneyland as well. *Be sure to take a look at the original blueprints for the park while you’re in there. You’ll find that much has changed over the years.
After the film ends, you are invited inside the theater for the show. But this time, the Voices of Liberty started us off with another medley of patriotic tunes, and I have to say I loved every minute of it! I kept thinking that I wish they always started off this show! What I really loved about this portion of things was when they did a medley paying homage to those that fight for our country. They sang the song of each branch of the military, and as they did, called out for anyone who serves or has ever served in that branch to stand, so that we could applaud and thank them for their service, something that isn't done nearly enough.
During the Navy song, an old man a few rows in front of us stood up very slowly, but surely. His legs undoubtedly moved a little differently that day than they had when he fought for our country, but he wanted his moment anyway. And we wanted to give it to him. And as his eyes teared up to our loud applause, I felt so lucky to be there.
Then came the short introductory reel about Lincoln. It includes a music video, “Two Brothers”, about a family whose sons were split apart by the Civil War. One fought for the Confederacy, and the other for the Union. One particular hook in the song always stands out to me:
“One was gentle, one was kind. One was gentle, one was kind. One came home, one stayed behind. The cannonball don’t pay no mind. The cannonball don’t pay no mind, if you’re gentle or if you’re kind. It don’t think of the folks behind…”
*Note: this is NOT the video from Disneyland, just the song.
This song haunts me every time, as it reminds me of the harsh realities of war and the ultimate pices paid to keep our country safe. So by the time the curtain rises next, revealing an eerily-realistic animatronic Abe, I’m feeling all kinds of patriotic!
His speech is referred to in the show as “ten short sentences” that changed the world, that he had no idea would become immortalized. So every time I come to the show, I try to actually count the sentences. I’ve counted 14, 16, 19, and even 21 over the years (and that’s being generous with punctuation), but never as few as 10. It’s a pretty long speech, really. Someone can’t count here. But I digress…
It's such a well-written speech that by the end, you are energized, excited, and you may even jump to your feet screaming "YES WE CAN!" Oh wait...wrong President. ;-)
It's such a well-written speech that by the end, you are energized, excited, and you may even jump to your feet screaming "YES WE CAN!" Oh wait...wrong President. ;-)
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln is an underrated treasure. It’s a great show for a mature audience, and an even better show for youth – it’s a fun way to introduce them to such an important time in our history, and may even inspire them to seek more knowledge of it. It's a must-do! Since it’s right near the Disneyland gates, it’s tempting to walk right by to get to more exciting rides or to get to bed after a long day of fun, but next time take a few minutes to stop and check it out. I think you’ll be happy you did. And if you get there before September 18th, you’ll get to see the Voices of Liberty up close and personal!
In the meantime, thank you Disneyland and Voices of Liberty for reminding us in the midst of fun how blessed we are to be Americans. For reminding us how grateful we should be to the men who fought for our freedom long ago.
And to the many that fight for it every single day.
Thank you for bringing a tear to that former soldier’s eye.
And for making that a moment I will never forget.
