When I was faced with the decision of what to play during my wedding, it was easy- Disney love songs. I wanted to incorporate Disney into my wedding (which is in December), but not have it be in-your-face or cheesy, so that was my decision. (I'm also having a glass slipper as a cake topper.) :) So while planning my list, I realized that I have very specific favorites when it comes to DP love songs, so I thought I'd share them with you. Enjoy!

10) A Whole New World



Man, does this song get on my nerves. I’m sure it was groundbreaking when Aladdin was released, but this song is so cliché and so overdone at this point that the song has been put on my ‘do not play under penalty of death’ list. I don’t hate the song itself- as far as the technical quality and performance of the song, it’s a pretty good song. But because of my excessive exposure to it, and because of how popular the song is, even outside the context of the movie, ‘A Whole New World’ is kind of the ‘Call Me Maybe’ of the Disney universe.

9) Ma Belle Evangeline



I’m one of the 9 people in the world who actually enjoys The Princess and the Frog, and I’m one of the 4 people in the world who actually really likes the music. I like that it runs the gamut between Broadway, gospel, New Orleans jazz, and good old fashioned show tunes, and as someone born and raised in the South, I understand and appreciate the locally-focused music more than some people. However, Ma Belle Evangeline isn’t the best song in the bunch. I love the way it is sung, and I appreciate the unfettered romance behind it, but it is still a little passionless. I would have preferred for Naveen and Tiana to have had a love song of their own, like on the soundtrack, rather than ‘crash’ a song sung by someone else, to someone else.

8) If I Never Knew You



I think as far as passion goes, this song tops them all. There’s a longing, a yearning in it that is lacking in other songs, and I love that it is a song tinged with sadness. It suits the tone of Pocahontas and makes the song memorable. However, it’s this low on the list for two reasons: for one thing, it wasn’t actually featured in the movie, so most people don’t even realize that this is a legitimate song. And two, I guess due to the time period and the fact that Disney was trying to be more ‘cool,’ the song is so heavy with 90s’ clichés that it’s almost unbearable now. The construed keyboard, the mechanical syncopation, and the breezy ‘Peabo Norman had a baby with Michael Bolton’ singing just grate on my nerves. Therefore, ‘If I Never Knew You’ is pretty close to the bottom of the list.

7) Once Upon a Dream



This is a song that I find cute, but, much like the rest of the movie, kind of bland and soulless. I know a lot of people enjoy the effervescence and sweetness of it, but even as a child, it wasn’t a song I particularly caught on to, and now, as an adult, I find myself humming along, but not really being invested. It isn’t a bad song, but it’s just a bit too light and frothy for me.

6) So This is Love



‘So This is Love’ is the quintessential love song for me. Soft, elegant, restrained, and grandly romantic, much like the rest of ‘Cinderella,’ it is the most perfect description of what falling in love is like, in my opinion. In fact, when I get married in December, I’ll be walking down the aisle to ‘So This is Love’ rather than the wedding march, because I love the song, and because I hate the wedding march. (It’s scary and it sounds like death.) While it isn’t the song I immediately jump to on my iPod, I think there is a timeless feel about it, and that’s what makes Cinderella such a memorable movie and character. While it was created in a very defined period, it isn’t so swallowed in 1950’s culture that it sounds foreign now, unlike some of the other songs on this list.

5) I See the Light



'I See the Light' is a perfect example of the negative side of what I discuss in the previous article. It has such a ‘late 2000’s’ feel, particularly Mandy Moore’s pretty, but breathy and fake-ish voice, that in 20 years it will probably seem painfully silly. It is almost too modern for a fairytale film, as are many of the other songs. However, there are some redeeming factors that set the film apart from the others below it- Zachary Levi. His voice is so smooth and so full of emotion that the rest of the song is forgiven for its sins. He really brings the song to life, and for that reason, and that reason alone, I like ‘I See the Light’ more than the songs before it.

4) Something There



I think 'Something There' is a good example of a song that is content to be what it is. It’s light, its happy, it sounds intrigued and friendly, and it perfectly sets the tone for the remainder of the film. There’s a happiness here that is missing in lots of love songs- lots of songs focus on love that is passionate, sweeping, all consuming, or dangerous, but very few songs focus on the simple joy of spending time with someone you love and trust. Belle and the Beast are beginning to be friends, not lovers, and that’s my favorite part of the song- it feels so honest to what real love is.

3) One Song



Remember how I talked about ‘So This is Love’ having a timeless appeal? I feel the same way about ‘One Song.’ While it is more period-centric and seems more dated than ‘So This is Love,’ there is nonetheless a classic beauty to it, a simple, star-struck ode to the first prick of Cupid’s arrow. The song is short and sweet- a little declaration of devotion, serenaded by a man who warbles more than really sings, but it’s pulled off nicely, and the song tends to get stuck in my head when I’m feeling particularly in love with my fiancé. It’s a sweet song that proves you don’t need a full 3.50 minute song to convey your feelings for your loved one.

2) Beauty and the Beast



For me, 'Beauty and the Beast' embodies all the aspects of love I like the most- friendship, passion, romance, sincerity, sacrifice, and personal humility. The music is understated, but moving, and the simple, minimal singing by Angela Lansbury is about a real, heartfelt love, not a grand, breakneck romance. As far as technical music, i think Beauty and the Beast is the best Disney love song, and I can't wait to feature in my wedding. (Fun note: My fiance and I consider 'Beauty and the Beast' to be 'our movie,' because he says I'm so much like Belle. Once, he even bought me a $100 Books a Million gift card because he "couldn't afford a library yet." :)


1) Kiss the Girl



I know this is weird as far as love songs go, but I absolutely ADORE ‘Kiss the Girl.’ I love the chorus of fish, I love the music, I love the anticipation, and I love the relatable nature of the song. Everyone has been in the situation where there is obvious romantic tension in the air, and there are two lovebirds who simply haven’t found the courage to express their emotions about it. For reasons I cannot fully explain, ‘Kiss the Girl’ is my favorite Disney song ever, and it is the song that I will be playing in my ceremony during the ‘kiss the bride’ sequence and during our grand exit.

So there you have it- Phantomrose89’s favorite Disney Princess love songs.