Podcast by Jonathan Goodman
23 February 2026
We all know how Disney music makes us feel, but there is another, underlying question—why does it make us feel this way? Today we are joined by John Powell, who has written two books on the psychology of music, to help us understand the power of music and musical techniques that create such powerful emotional and physical responses in us.
You can find John's books on Amazon here and here. And check out the classical guitar piece he wrote, performed by Alexandra Whittingham on YouTube: https://youtu.be/N-7ohzLQKg4?si=psJFdruumcQnHcpD
Please follow us on IG @musicbehindthemagic, join of FB group at facebook.com/groups/musicbehindthemagic, or on YouTube at @musicbehindthemagic.
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50:31
26 January 2026
As we celebrate the 50th episode of the podcast, what better way to celebrate than with an incredible, legendary guest. Marc Shaiman, who has composed music for everything from Hairspray to City Slickers and from South Park to Mary Poppins Returns, has just published his memoir: Never Mind the Happy: Showbiz Stories from a Sore Winner, and he shares so many amazing stories, and even plays some of his work for us.
You can buy Never Mind the Happy on Amazon and bookstores nationwide. You can also follow Marc at marcshaiman.com and on Instagram @marc_shaiman.
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50:47
12 January 2026
Happy New Year! 2026 is shaping up to be a very eventful year for Disney, with lots of huge movies, new and returning TV shows, and theme park updates. Join me as I preview all these incredible upcoming releases, and the music behind all of them. What are you most excited about?
Please like and follow this podcast, and leave a good review if you think I deserve it. I would love to hear from you--reach out to me via email, on IG @musicbehindthemagic, or in our awesome FB community.
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42:22
18 December 2025
The Avatar films have changed the way we experience the movies. They have been groundbreaking in almost every way--technologically, narratively, and sonically—not only transporting us to a new world, but making it so immersive that we are actually a part of it. But it is not only immersive--the world of Pandora has been created and rooted in so much detail and mythology that, paired with all the incredible technology created for the films, it is deeply authentic and as real as any planet in the universe. But it isn’t just the visuals that make the story so compelling, it is the incredible use of music and themes that really draw the audience into the story. And today we are so lucky to be joined by the composer of the newest Avatar film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Simon Franglen. Simon talks about the work that went behind making an epic 3 hour score, which included a deep collaboration with James Cameron, that intricate emotional theming, and even the need to create completely new musical instruments. You can listen to Simon’s amazing soundtrack to Avatar: Fire and Ash now on all streaming services, and the film comes out this Friday, December 19th.
You can follow Simon at simonfranglen.com and on Instagram @simonfranglen
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31:15
16 December 2025
Of all the iconic attractions at the Disney parks around the world, one of—if not the—most recognizable is Spaceship Earth at Epcot. A marvel of both engineering and imagineering, the attraction takes us on a voyage of mankind’s technological innovations across the centuries, with so many iconic moments and smells (if you know, you know). There are so many details associated with the attraction around its history, construction and storytelling that it could fit in a book. That’s a great idea, right! Fortunately, our pal Tim Foster of Celebrations Press has done just that—another terrific book called Spaceship Earth: The Definitive History. Tim tells us all about awesome facts about the ride and his favorite parts, as well as some fun discussions/debates around changes to the attraction over the years. And since it’s the holidays, we also dive into a fun musical scavenger hunt to find our favorite holiday songs in the parks, as well as our favorite Disney holiday songs in general.
You can find Tim, all his great books, and Celebrations magazine at celebrationspress.com. And if you are trying to get the Spaceship Earth book in time for the holidays, email him at subscriptions@celebrationspress.com and he will do everything he can to make that happen.
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01:31:32
08 December 2025
When you think of all the iconic imagery associated with Disney, lots of things immediately come to mind—Cinderella Castle, Tinkerbell, Spaceship Earth…and Mickey’s Sorcerer’s hat from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. That legendary vignette is the most famous part of Fantasia, the groundbreaking film that married music and animation in ways that were so far ahead of its time conceptually, musically, and technically. This year marks the 85th anniversary of Fantasia, and to commemorate the film’s milestone, a new book has just come out, “Worlds to Conquer: The Art and Making of Walt Disney’s Fantasia” by noted film historian J.B. Kaufman. We are joined today by J.B. to learn more about the story of how Fantasia came to be, and the critical importance that music played in its creation.
Please follow J.B. at jbkaufman.com and find his book on Amazon and all other booksellers.
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01:20:14