One of the Walt Disney Studios labels, alongside Disneyland, Disneyland Doubles and Disneyland Super Six (q.v. all). Buena Vista was described in 'Record Retailer' of the 17th of July 1968 as Disney's 'more adult' label, intended for soundtracks and the like. It enjoyed a long life in the USA, issuing 7" records from the late 1950s into the mid '80s, but it arrived on these shores later and disappeared earlier: it made its British debut in October 1967, with Tommy Steele's 'Fortuosity' b/w 'I'm A Brass Band Today' ('Billboard' 14th October) and put its last single out in the mid '70s. Numbering was in a DF-400 series, which reached DF-483 in 1972. Where there were American equivalents the number part was taken from the American issue, the original 'F' prefix being replaced by 'DF'; many records from the American series were not issued over here, which may account for most of the gaps in the discography below. There was also a four-track EP of 'Jungle Book' songs of uncertain date (4); it was numbered BVE-201, and it seems to have been the only one in that series. The last DF-400 single came out in February 1972, but Buena Vista made a brief return in 1974-75 with three more singles: these were numbered in the BV-0s. As 'RR' indicated, the material on the records consisted mainly of songs lifted from Disney films.
As far as manufacture and distribution are concerned, Buena Vista went along with the other labels in the Disney stable. Initially EMI acted as distributor, but 'Record Retailer' of the 12th of March 1969 reported that Pye would be taking over from the end of that month. Both of these agreements seem to have been only for distribution, with Disney getting its pressings done by various companies; unsurprisingly, however, EMI appears to have done a lot of manufacturing for them while it was handling the distribution side of things. British Homophone was responsible for some pressings; these had distinctive three-pronged push-out centres (4, 5).
Disney stayed with Pye for a couple of years before signing a three-year pressing and distribution deal with CBS in April 1971 ('RR', 10th April). The move to CBS saw the previously purple labels (1) turning black and the logo increasing in size slightly (2). When the agreement with CBS expired, at the end of April 1974, Disney returned to Pye in another three-year deal, this time a licensing one ('Music Week', 20th April). At the time of the move Buena Vista's singles were given the new numerical series mentioned above, and the label underwent a change in design, with the logo being altered slightly and the Pye logo being incorporated (3). In addition, each single had promo copies made: they were marked with a medium-sized 'A' and the appropriate text (6). Previously, on the few occasions when there were demo copies of singles their labels were in the CBS style (5). Under the licensing agreement, pressing and distribution were done by Pye themselves. Buena Vista singles tended to come in either plain white sleeves or picture ones, the latter sometimes imported from the USA. I am reliably informed however, by someone who owned one from new, that some copies of Anne Shelton's 'It Won't Be Long 'Til Christmas' b/w 'The Christmas Star' (DF-476; 1969) came in the patterned sleeve shown above (7). This may be as close as Buena Vista ever came to having a company sleeve in this country.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.