Disney tunes work their magic
Twenty-five years ago, Disney’s “The Lion King” roared to the big screen and became one of the most beloved animated movies of all time. With it, songs such as “Circle of Life” earned their own special place in pop culture.
As its “live-action” (if you can call it that) remake hits theaters this weekend, we take a look back at 25 of the best classic songs to come out of the Mouse House before the year 2000.
25. ‘Strangers Like Me,’ Tarzan (1999)
If you asked people to name just one song from “Tarzan,” it’d probably be “You’ll Be in My Heart,” the schmaltzy karaoke staple that unjustly usurped “When She Loved Me” from “Toy Story 2” for the best original song Oscar that year. (More on that later.) But we’d argue that the soundtrack’s best cut is in fact “Strangers Like Me,” a pulsing, drum-propelled anthem that captures Tarzan’s wide-eyed curiosity with the human world as he falls for headstrong explorer Jane. It’s Phil Collins at his most Phil Collins.
24. ‘I’m Wishing / One Song,’ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Look, we get that “Some Day My Prince Will Come” is iconic. And it doesn’t get much cuter than a bunch of woodland critters helping Snow White tidy house during “Whistle While You Work.” But when was the last time you listened to this song by the O.G. Disney princess, whose wishing-well daydreams are happily interrupted by her prince? The melodies are absolutely gorgeous, and we’d no doubt be blushing, too, if a strapping baritone like that showed up serenading outside our house.
23. ‘Cruella de Vil,’ 101 Dalmatians (1961)
This mischievous, saloon-piano ditty announces the imminent arrival of the fur-coated culprit who hopes to skin a ton of puppies in the name of high fashion. (Dark, right?) The song’s charms are in its simplicity, as struggling songwriter Roger Radcliffe comes up with increasingly playful ways to describe Cruella, from a “vampire bat” to “a spider waiting for the kill.” The less said about Selena Gomez’s abysmal pop-rock cover, released in 2008, the better.
22. ‘When She Loved Me,’ Toy Story 2 (1999)
Arguably the toughest omission from this list was “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” the perennial theme tune that warmly guides you into all the “Toy Story” movies before they inevitably emotionally destroy you. But few songs can bring the waterworks quite like “When She Loved Me,” also written by Randy Newman and performed by Sarah McLachlan. McLachlan is a master at singing sad (yeah, we’re still scarred by that animal cruelty PSA). Paired with toy cowgirl Jessie’s painful back story about being abandoned, this ballad is totally gut-wrenching.
21. ‘A Whole New World,’ Aladdin (1992)
Fun fact: This is the first and only Disney song to win a Grammy for song of the year. And it’s a completely worthy victor, ranking among the very best of Alan Menken and Tim Rice’s contributions to the Disney Renaissance animated films. The heavenly duet soundtracks Aladdin and Jasmine’s romantic, globe-trotting rendezvous on a magic carpet, with soaring harmonies and evocative lyrics that encapsulate the wonder of first love.
20. ‘Baby Mine,’ Dumbo (1941)
If you’re unmoved by this lullaby – sung as a smiling baby Dumbo is cradled in his mother’s trunk – then you should probably get your pulse checked. The song has notably been covered by Bette Midler, for the “Beaches” soundtrack, and Arcade Fire, for Tim Burton’s lackluster live-action “Dumbo” remake this year. But none come close to topping Betty Noyes’ achingly beautiful original, which encapsulates all the tenderness and affection of that scene.
19. ‘Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me),’ Pirates of the Caribbean ride
No list of great Disney music would be complete without at least mentioning some of the classic tunes that infiltrate its theme parks. Haunted Mansion theme “Grim Grinning Ghosts” is delightfully kooky, and “It’s a Small World” is perfectly endearing when you’re not listening to it on a 13-minute loop while trapped inside a plastic boat. But one song that never gets old is “Yo Ho” from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, with cheeky lyrics about sleazy swashbucklers and really bad eggs that roll off the tongue and get lodged in your brain.
18. ‘So This is Love,’ Cinderella (1950)
At what point is it fair to call a Disney song “underrated?” Because “So This Is Love” might low-key be the most romantic song in the studio’s catalog, and yet it continually is overshadowed by the more upbeat “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” from “The Lion King” and “Kiss the Girl” from “The Little Mermaid.” Not only is the animation throughout the entire sequence stunning, but the combination of sweeping orchestrations and rich vocals make this writer swoon every time.
17. ‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You,’ Mulan (1998)
Disney made the right call in axing the songs and problematic characters from its upcoming live-action remake of “Mulan,” which promises to be a more grounded and culturally sensitive take on the ancient Chinese tale. Still, a part of us is going to miss seeing “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” brought to life. Sung by Captain Li Shang as he helps transform Mulan from clumsy recruit to battleready warrior, it’s a rousing anthem that makes us feel that we, too, could take on the Huns (or, you know, the bench press at the gym).
16. ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls,’ The Little Mermaid (1989)
The ultimate Disney villain song, in which brassy sea witch Ursula tricks Ariel into trading her voice for legs. But who needs to talk when you can just listen to Pat Carroll sell the heck out of this deliciously witty diva number for 41⁄2 minutes? Melissa McCarthy has some seriously big tentacles to fill if she assumes the role for the forthcoming live-action version.
15. ‘Belle,’ Beauty and the Beast (1991)
“Belle” is the quintessential introduction song, telling us everything we need to know about our book-smart heroine and the provincial life she’s so desperate to escape. It’s also just super
fun to sing all the townsfolk’s parts by yourself. (”I need six eggs” lady, forever and always our queen.)
14. ‘He’s a Tramp,’ Lady and the Tramp (1955)
A sexy, burlesque-style number set inside a dog pound. Now, if you’re wondering why “sexy” is being used to describe a Disney tune, then you’ve clearly never listened to “He’s a Tramp,” which somehow didn’t even crack Cosmopolitan’s list of “10 Disney songs to have sex to.” (”Heigh-Ho?” Really?) Sung with sultry ease by Peggy Lee, this minor but memorable scorcher finds a stray Pekingese named Peg literally wagging her tongue over the movie’s titular Casanova.
13. ‘Friend Like Me,’ Aladdin (1992)
Two words: Robin Williams. If we had three wishes, we’d use them all to forget Will Smith’s rap-sung travesty in the recent remake.
12. ‘Just Around the Riverbend,’ Pocahontas (1995)
It’s at this point in the ranking that we start getting to all the classic Disney “I want” songs. You know, that anthem early in the movie when your favorite character explains how they want to be king or find out who they are inside. “Just Around the Riverbend” is a textbook “I want” number, as Pocahontas wrestles with following tradition and choosing the uncertain path, both in life and on the river she’s canoeing. The thrilling chorus and quiet finish – ending on a reflective, rather than belted note – give it a slight edge over “Colors of the Wind” in our book.
11. ‘I Wan’na Be Like You,’ The Jungle Book (1967)
The unadulterated joy of this song is infectious no matter how many times you listen to it. Written by Richard and Robert Sherman, and sung by famed trumpeter Louis Prima, “I Wan’na Be Like You” is a swinging, toe-tapping jazz number smack dab in the middle of a kid’s movie, which is honestly pretty cool when you think about it. The tune starts with orangutan King Louie trying to coax Mowgli to make fire and ends with a scat sing-off between him and slaphappy bear Baloo, flanked by dancing monkeys. It’s as wild and wonderful as it sounds.
10. ‘Part of Your World,’ The Little Mermaid (1989)
Lyrically, one of the most ingenious songs to come out of the Disney Renaissance, with its whozits and whatzits galore. Ariel made forks the hottest playground accessory long before Forky entered the picture.
9. ‘I Won’t Say I’m in Love,’ Hercules (1997)
“The Gospel Truth,” “Go the Distance,” “Zero to Hero,” “A Star Is Born” – “Hercules” has more bops in 93 minutes than most pop stars do in their entire careers. None is catchier than droll doo-wop ballad “I Won’t Say I’m in Love,” sung by sarcastic damsel Meg as she (unconvincingly) shrugs off her feelings for hunky demigod Hercules. The song manages to strike just the right balance of side-eye and sweetness and serves as a fitting 11 o’clock number for one of Disney’s most subversively feminist characters.
8. ‘A Spoonful of Sugar,’ Mary Poppins (1964)
Choosing your favorite “Mary Poppins” song is a lot like picking children. “Jolly Holiday,” “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” even “Sister Suffragette” all could easily have a spot on this list. “A Spoonful of Sugar” always brings a smile to our face, though, and Julie Andrews’ warm, lilting vocals are practically perfect in every way.
7. ‘Once Upon a Dream,’ Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Imagine you’re dancing with an owl in the woods and all of a sudden that hot guy you have a crush on turns up out of nowhere. Mildly embarrassing, but also makes for a perfectly lovely duet.
6. ‘Circle of Life,’ The Lion King (1994)
Can you name a better movie opening? We’ll wait. Although we don’t share the rabid obsession that many of our fellow millennials have with “Lion King,” the power of this song is undeniable.
5. ‘When You Wish Upon a Star,’ Pinocchio (1940)
A timeless classic that is basically Disney’s unofficial theme song, performed with haunting beauty by Cliff Edwards as Jiminy Cricket.
4. ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ Beauty and the Beast (1991)
What is there to say about this that hasn’t already been said? One of the all-time great love songs with some of the most enchanting animation to ever grace the big screen.
3. ‘Out There,’ The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Full disclosure, “Hunchback” was our favorite movie growing up. (Yes, we dressed up as Quasimodo for Halloween and a Fourth of July parade, and yes, we have questions about the latter, too.) Obvious bias aside, we truly believe this is one of the best “I want” anthems ever written. It begins as a duet with Quasimodo’s repressive guardian, Frollo, who literally tells him he is an ugly, deformed monster and should stay inside the bell tower forever. Feeling dejected and alone, Quasimodo longingly imagines what it must be like to be out among the people of Paris. The song steadily builds as our gentle hero scales Notre Dame, reaching its emotional crescendo just as he triumphantly ascends the cathedral’s famous steeple. It’s a moment that gives us the same chills at 27 years old as it did when we were 7.
2. ‘A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,’ Cinderella (1950)
As “Saturday Night Live’s” Stefon might say, this song has everything: chirping birds, a wistful princess, the hopeful promise of yet-unfulfilled dreams. Yes, this is Classic Disney 101, and it never fails to melt our hearts.
1. ‘Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag),’ Mary Poppins (1964)
If you told our childhood selves that we’d one day be fighting back tears listening to Mary Poppins sing about the bird lady, we’d never have believed you. And yet here we are, two decades later, trying to articulate why we become emotional wrecks whenever we hear this impossibly beautiful lullaby, which we impatiently rolled our eyes through as kids waiting for “Chim Chim Cheree.” With a stirring melody and altruistic message that’s made even more poignant by Julie Andrews’ dulcet tones, it’s easy to see why Walt Disney called “Feed the Birds” his favorite song from the Disney catalog.