My Top 5 Disney Movie Songs

[Thar]

Figured I'd make this a thread, since I'm sure a lot of people here appreciate Disney for what they were (and subjectively still are), but if there's anything they always nail it's their music. Post your top 5 favorite songs here.

 

Bonus points if:

1. One song per movie (or series)

2. Sung (or thought) by the characters

3. Hasn't been posted yet (though you won't be blamed for posting it anyway)

4. In order from least favorite to favorite (if possible)

 

Disclaimer: Dreamworks is owned by Disney, so it counts.

 

Anyway, here's mine (in order):

 

---

5. Eye to Eye - A Goofy Movie

 

I've always loved the Goofy movies. I feel like he doesn't get enough credit, especially with what Disney has put him through: Single parent stuck with a rebellious, teenaged son and too... well, goofy to keep a source of income. Yet in the end he somehow pulls it off and things turn out rather well. This moment that he shares with his son makes all that frustration worth it, not to mention how catchy the song is and how chill Powerline is with uninvited guests on stage. If only there were more celebrities like him (if any.)

 

4. I'll Make a Man Out of You - Mulan

 

The ultimate pep song for any occasion. Enough said. That on top of one of the best main characters in Disney history (in my opinion) makes this an easy pick for my top 5.

 

3. Hellfire - Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Hands-down the best Disney villain song, not to mention one of my personal favorite Disney movies of all time. No amount of moral conflict can be expressed better than this. Despite how much he hates the peasants of his city, he lusts for Esmeralda and begs his God for forgiveness for having such dark thoughts. If anything, I'd say even the smallest amount of pity can be felt for this guy just because of this moment, if not only for a moment.

 

2. Colors of the Wind - Pocahontas

 

Yes I know, how could I rank this above "Hellfire"? I'll tell you why... Hellfire was only about one man's selfish needs, which made it shallow and pitiful. This song is deeper, more meaningful, and much more beautiful and uplifting. I'd even go as far to say that it changed my perspective of the world as a kid, which says a lot. Another one of my all-time favorite movies.

 

1. The Plagues - The Prince of Egypt

 

This funking scene. I admit, this traumatized me more as a kid than any of Disney's famous "death scenes", but at the same time it made me appreciate this movie even more. The relentlessly dark and grotesque symbolism of God's wrath couldn't be expressed better than this, honestly making it the best part of growing up Christian watching it in Sunday school. This and "Deliver Us" were two of the most powerful Disney songs ever in addition with one of my favorite, despite biblical, stories ever written, making this my all-time favorite Disney movie and all-time favorite Disney song.

[Yui]

funk you I'm doing top seven. Mostly because I'm only posting villain songs (because let's be honest, the villain song tends to be the best song in a Disney soundtrack), so I figured I should add two extra to make up for that. Also because it didn't feel right even cutting #s 7 and 6 out from this list because they're still super-good and pretty big deals. Let's roll.

 

[spoiler=#7 - The one I'm lowkey ashamed to put this low on the list]

The Lion King - Be Prepared

 

Just between you and me, the percussion in this track is probably horribly overlooked in favor of the smooth vocals and some of the most villainous lyrics in this list. Much like the visuals in the movie as this song plays, the song itself gets more intense (for lack of a better word, but it still works) as it goes through the whole process. It starts off a bit low-profile, and comparing the start of the song to the end, you can better understand what I'm trying to say. Also, the backing choir during the chorus is funking great.

 

 

[spoiler=#6 - The one every list of Disney songs needs]

The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Hellfire

 

The quintessential Disney villain song, and probably the first one most people think of when you say "villain songs in a Disney movie". Do I really have to explain? I'll let the composition and the vocals - especially the vocals, who knew Frollo had such an amazing talent just lying there? - of this one speak for itself. And also what Thar said just above I guess.

 

 

[spoiler=#5 - The catchy one]

Princess and the Frog - Friends on the Other Side

 

DISCLAIMER: I've actually never seen Princess and the Frog. I just really like villain songs.

 

Yes, there are a whopping five songs I ranked above Hellfire. Heretical? Yes. And fitting enough in the theme of me being a filthy heretic, next up on the list is this groovy number from Disney's latest practitioner of voodoo and other forms of magic the church would probably not approve of. In the span of about four minutes, Dr. Facilier treats us to this jazzy number that honestly paints a pretty solid picture of the man and his personality. And don't even get me started on the visuals in the final parts of the song (mostly because that doesn't have anything to do with the song itself). That sheet's amazing.

 

 

[spoiler=#4 - The catchier one]

Nightmare Before Christmas - Oogie Boogie's Song

 

Considering my role in the last Halloween Masquerade as Oogie himself, this may not be a surprise. Everything I like about Friends on the Other Side also applies to this song, but comparing the two side-by-side, Oogie's song is notably darker and warns you out the gates that this guy's bad news, as opposed to Dr. Facilier's song sounding a bit more inviting at first (and then being not at all inviting near the end). More villain-y, if you will. 10/10, would "woah-oh" again.

 

 

[spoiler=#3 - The one that I'm honestly surprised it's this high on the list]

The Little Mermaid - Poor Unfortunate Souls

 

I'll be honest. I have absolutely no idea how this song managed to creep its way up to third place. Guess I'll just move on to the second-best since I don't know what happened to bring Poor Unfortunate Souls up to third. It totally earned it though.

 

 

[spoiler=#2 - The old one, not the new one]

Beauty and the Beast (1991) - Gaston

 

A.k.a. the best pep talk ever. Rather than going over why the Gaston song is so amazing, because everyone probably knows exactly why, I'm just going to quickly go over why this is better than the 2017 version. And to be honest, it's a pretty short list. The Gaston in the live-action remake doesn't have nearly the "stereotypical alpha male Chad" voice in the old animated movie; he kinda sounds like an old man in fact. Which is fine; it's something you can get used to. However, there's this really long minute-long instrumental bit near the end - I'm going to assume there's a bar fight (I haven't seen the remake; don't particularly want to) - and the outro is really drawn out. If it weren't for the song being dragged out like that, the 2017 version would probably be here instead of the 1991 one.

 

But it wasn't meant to be ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

[spoiler=#1 - The one I can put on this list now]

Anastasia - In the Dark of the Night

 

ANOTHER DISCLAIMER: I've never seen Anastasia either. Fight me.

 

I don't remember how I stumbled upon this masterpiece, but I'm glad I did. Everything is great. The lead vocals are great, the backing vocals are great, the instrumentals are amazing, the chorus is one of the best I've ever heard (and I've heard some pretty funking stellar choruses), and that final verse at the end, oh baby that final verse. That sheet is just top-notch. I've said it before and I'll say it again, and will probably say it plenty more times until the end of my days: This is my favorite villain song of all time. So I'm pretty stoked that I learned today that Anastasia now counts as a Disney movie. It means I get to finish this post with a bang.