08 July 2010

One of Walt Disney's most memorable characters is Jiminy Cricket from the studio's 1940 animated feature film "Pinocchio." The tiny, talking cricket nearly steals every scene, especially when he sings "When You Wish Upon A Star." Performed by vaudeville star Cliff Edwards, the original voice of Jiminy Cricket, the Oscar-winning song is one of 25 titles inducted into the 8th Annual National Recording Registry.

According to Librarian of Congress James Billington, "The latest list of selections showcases the diverse beauty, humanity and artistry found in the American soundscape."

R&B pioneer Little Richard earned a spot on the list with his debut single and a song that contributed to the birth of rock and roll, "Tutti Frutti." Released in 1955, it was the first of more than a dozen Top 10 R&B hits Richard collected over the next three years.

Selections for the Registry, which are recommended to Mr. Billington by the National Recording Preservation Board, must be at least 10 years old and deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."

Among the titles is a 1923 recording of "Canal Street Blues" by King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band; a U.S. Marine Corps combat field recording from the Second Battle of Guam; a 1949 spoken-word narration of the popular children's story "The Little Engine That Could"; the original Broadway cast recording of "Gypsy" from 1959; and covering the past 40 years, works by Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Patti Smith, R.E.M. and The Band.

The Band's second album contains several of the quintet's best-known hits, including "Up On Cripple Creek." The Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

This year's list marks the third time a rap or hip-hop performance has been selected, "Dear Mama" by the late Tupac Shakur. The National Recording Preservation Board describes the song as a moving tribute to both Tupac's mother and mothers everywhere.