Anyone who knows me really well probably expected me to make a list like this at some point, so here it is. The reason I never made this until now is because there are so many songs littered throughout the Disney universe that it's really hard to choose 15 that I consider the best. Narrowing it down to one per film made things easier, I guess, but it was still hard. Well, after careful consideration and planning, I have finally come up with my 15 favorite Disney songs of all time. I can almost guarantee you will not agree with every choice on this list, so if you see one you don't think belongs or don't see one that you think does belong, that's fine, but please, don't be a jerk about it. Also keep in mind I'm only choosing one per film.
15) I've Got No Strings from Pinocchio
"I've got no strings to hold me down, to make me fret or make me frown. I had strings but now I'm free. There are no strings on me."
I don't know what it is that makes me put this over the ever-iconic "When You Wish Upon a Star" but I guess it's just simply how fun this song is. I find myself listening to this more than any other song in the film. It's addictive, but what's more is that it shows just how nice it feels to, well, not be bound by the shackles of life. All-in-all, a fun and enjoyable song that takes the number 15 spot.
"I've got no strings so I have fun, I'm not tied up to anyone. They've got strings but you can see there are no strings on me."
14) Why Should I Worry from Oliver and Company
"One minute I'm in Central Park, then I'm down on Delancy Street. From the Bow'ry to St. Marks, there's a syncopated beat."
A part of me tells me this shouldn't be list-worthy, but I listen to it so much and hold it in such high regard I don't see how it can't make the list. It's a very catchy and energetic number and it's actually interesting hearing this kind of song from a Disney movie. Billy Joel's voice is incredible and the rhythm is hard to get out of one's head.
"Why should I worry? Why should I care? And even when I cross that line I got street savoire faire."
13) Perfect World from The Emperor's New Groove
"There are despots and dictators, political manipulators! There are blue bloods with the intellects of fleas! There are kings and petty tyrants who are so lacking in refinements, they'd be better suited swinging from the trees!"
Talk about underrated. This song is probably the one thing from the film most people seem to forget, and I don't see why. This is a very catchy and, for lack of a better word, groovy song that's very hard to forget. Oh yeah, it's egotistical alright but that's what makes it kind of funny as well.
"He's the sovereign lord of the nation, he's the hippest cat in creation! He's the alpha, the omega, a to z! And this perfect world will spin around his every little whim 'cos this perfect world begins and ends with... WHAT'S HIS NAME!?"
12) Friends on the Other Side from The Princess and the Frog
"Don't you disrespect me little man! Don't you delegate or deride! You're in my world now not your world and I got friends on the other side."
It seems odd that the first villain song to appear on the list is one that's not quite as energetic as the others. Well, as I've stated before, this is my favorite song in the entire film and for many reasons. Normally I wouldn't put a song like this high on any list as it's the kind that's frequently changing its melody, like, constantly. However, this song actually makes it work. Not only is each rhythm catchy, but they go so well together. Ruber's song went wrong by simply slapping any old melody into the mix and putting them in a somewhat random order whereas with this one, it made more sense. I love the change in tone throughout the song and how it goes from threatening to just sinister to hopeful to epic. It makes for quite possibly the most interesting villain song to come from Disney.
"You're changing, you're changing, you're changing alright! I hope you're satisfied! But if you ain't, don't blame me! You can blame my friends on the other side!"
11) I've Got a Dream from Tangled
"I'm malicious, mean and scary, my sneer could curdle dairy and violence-wise my hands are not the cleanest! But despite my evil look and my temper and my hook, I've always yearned to be a concert pianist!"
So cheesy, so predictable and yet so much fun. I've been obsessed with this song ever since I saw the movie. Someday, I may give up listening to this number once a day, but for now I just love this song too much. This was the one song I actually remembered after my first viewing of the film while the others I had to listen to online before getting them stuck in my head. I love how this song gets across an obvious "Don't judge a book by its cover" message making it feel out-of-place with the film or making it too in-your-face and with each thug whose dream is shared, you learn to love them to some degree. I don't even feel I should mention how surprised I was by Brad Garrett and Jeffrey Tambor's singing again.
"Call us brutal, sick, sadistic and grotesquely optimistic cause way down deep inside I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream! WHOO-WHOO-WHOO-WHOO! Yes way down deep inside I've got a dream!"
10) A Boy Needs a Dog from Teacher's Pet
"I know it's been said everyone needs someone, a loyal companion to share in life's fun. Like a day at the park or a game of leapfrog... a friend needs a friend, a boy needs a dog."
This is just... beautiful, simply beautiful, and I can't help thinking of my old dog Keltie when I hear it. I'm sure many of you have never heard this song since many of you have probably never seen this movie, but I do recommend you at least listen to it. (And look for the reprise. It's much better than the original) As the song progresses, you really want Spot and Leonard to reunite with each other and feel each one's sadness over the loss of the other. And nearing the end, it's just so epic!
"I can't go on with just half of my heart! Nothing and no one can keep us apart! It's a permanent bond we can never destroy! A friend needs a friend, a friend needs a friend, I need to get back to my boy!"
9) I Wanna Be Like You from Jungle Book
"Now, I'm the king of the swingers, oh, the jungle VIP. I've reached the top and had to stop and that's what's bothering me. I wanna be a man, mancub, and stroll right into town and be just like the other men. I'm tired of monkeying around."
Sorry, Bear Necessities, the less iconic one is replacing you... that's happened for both Walt Disney films, hasn't it? Bear Necessities is great, sure, but this one is just so catchy and addictive that I love it more. The beat is catchy, the lyrics are wonderful and it's just a lot of fun, but what else can you expect from a song sung by monkeys?
"I wanna be like you! I wanna talk like you, walk like you too! You'll see it's true someone like me can learn to be like someone like me! Can learn to be like someone like you! Can learn to be like someone like me!"
8) I Just Can't Wait to be King from The Lion King
"I'm gonna be a mighty king so enemies beware! I've never seen a king of beasts with quite so little hair. I'm gonna be the main event like no king was before! I'm brushing up on looking down, I'm working on my roar!"
How can I not have this on the list? It's just so energetic and addictive, it has to be. Although I guess this is another case of me not choosing the more iconic song. (Circle of Life) Sorry, I just find this a lot more enjoyable, but that's just me.
"Let every creature go for broke and sing! Let's hear it from the herd and on the wing! It's gonna be King Simba's finest wing! Oh I just can't wait to be king!"
7) Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid
"The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake. You dream about going up there but that is a big mistake. Just look at the world around you right here on the ocean floor. Such wonderful things surround you. What more is you lookin' for?"
Again, how can I not have this on the list? Though I'm sure you were all expecting this to be higher. Well, I just feel the other six are better. That said, though, this song is so hard to get out of your head and it was that one song from this film I always remembered no matter how long I went without watching the film. The melody is wonderful, the lyrics are great... it's just a wonderful song all-around.
"Each little clam here know how to jam here under the sea! Each little slug here cuttin' a rug here under the sea! Each little snail here know how to wail here. That's why it's hotter under the water! Ya we in luck here down in the muck here under the sea!"
6) Go the Distance from Hercules
"I have often dreamed of a far-off place where a great warm welcome will be waiting for me. Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face and a voice keeps saying this is where I'm meant to be."
I've already talked about this one on my top 10 heroes songs list, but I may as well go into it again. This is a beautiful song with a wonderful melody and it's the only one that makes me forget just how bland of a character Hercules really is. It's inspirational, it's touching and it's the only part of the film that actually feels, well, "magical" if you know what I mean. Sure, I love the other songs too, but this one has the Disney magic to it.
"I will beat the odds, I can go the distance! I will face the world fearless, proud and strong! I will please the gods, I can go the distance till I find my hero's welcome right where I belong!"
5) Gaston from Beauty and the Beast
"Gosh it disturbs me to see you, Gaston, looking so down in the dumps. Every guy here'd love to be you Gaston, even when taking your lumps. There's no man in town as admired as you, you're everyone's favorite guy. Everyone's awed and inspired by you and it's not very hard to see why."
I know most people would choose "Beauty and the Beast" or "Belle" over this one, but man is this one addictive? Not only is it catchy and magical, it's hilarious! This is the kind of song that proves that Disney films are just as much for adults as they are for kids. What kid is going to understand the appeal of chest-hair or what a swell cleft is? Essentially, this song is just a guy being praised by everyone including himself, but it's boasting at its finest.
"No one shoots like Gaston, makes those beauts like Gaston or goes stomping around wearing boots like Gaston! I use antlers in all of my decorating! My what a guy... Gaston!"
4) I'll Make a Man Out of You from Mulan
"Let's get down to business to defeat the Huns! Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons? You're the saddest bunch I ever met, but you can bet before we're through, Mister I'll make a man out of you!"
Those of you who know me well know this is my favorite animated hero song of all time. It's just so... manly! Oh yeah, it's sexist beyond belief, but keep in mind it's an accurate representation of how men actually thought during the time, which a lot of those easily-offended types seem to forget. (I'm looking at you, sanjaynewton!) It's got a great beat and is just so hard to get out of one's head.
"Be a man! We must be swift as a coursing river! Be a man! With all the strength of a great typhoon! Be a man! With all the strength of a raging fire! Mysterious as the dark side of the moon!"
3) Never Had a Friend Like Me from Aladdin
"Well Alibaba had them forty thieves, Scheherezad-ie had a thousand tales. But master you in luck 'cause up your sleeves, you got a brand of magic never fails. You got some power in your corner now, some heavy ammunition in your camp. You got some punch, pizzazz, yahoo and how. See all you gotta do is rub that lamp."
For a while, my favorite song from this film was Prince Ali, but the more and more I listened to this, the more I started to love it. Oh yeah, it's chalked full of modern references, but that's part of the fun. When you got Robin Williams bringing his own charm to the song, you know you got something fun and memorable, and that's just what this is.
"Mister Aladdin, sir, have a wish or two or three! I'm on the job, you big nabob. You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend, you ain't never had a friend, never had a friend. You ain't never had a friend like me! You ain't never had a friend like me, hah!"
2) Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas
"You think I'm an ignorant savage and you've been so many places, I guess it must be so. But still I cannot see if the savage one is me. How can there be so much that you don't know? You don't know..."
This is easily the most beautiful Disney song ever made. It's got a lovely melody that'll stick in your mind for a long time and lyrics so brilliant it's mind-blowing. Sure, it's an environmental song, but who really cares? It's still brilliant beyond all compare.
"And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon for whether we are white or copper skinned! We need to sing with all the voices of the mountains! We need to paint with all the colors of the wind. You can own the Earth and still, all you'll own is Earth until you can paint with all the colors of the wind."
1) Hellfire from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
"Beata Maria, you know I am a righteous man. Of my virtue I am justly proud. Beata Maria, you know I'm so much purer than the common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd."
This truly is the ultimate villain song. Of all the songs Disney has written, this is guilty of everything Disney normally can't get away with, especially in a G-rated film. In this scene, Frollo is singing about his lust for Esmerelda and if he can't have her, no one can. That's the darkest Disney's ever gonna get, folks. This song is just epic beyond all compare.
"God have mercy on her. God have mercy on me. But she will be mine or she will burn!"
15) I've Got No Strings from Pinocchio
"I've got no strings to hold me down, to make me fret or make me frown. I had strings but now I'm free. There are no strings on me."
I don't know what it is that makes me put this over the ever-iconic "When You Wish Upon a Star" but I guess it's just simply how fun this song is. I find myself listening to this more than any other song in the film. It's addictive, but what's more is that it shows just how nice it feels to, well, not be bound by the shackles of life. All-in-all, a fun and enjoyable song that takes the number 15 spot.
"I've got no strings so I have fun, I'm not tied up to anyone. They've got strings but you can see there are no strings on me."
14) Why Should I Worry from Oliver and Company
"One minute I'm in Central Park, then I'm down on Delancy Street. From the Bow'ry to St. Marks, there's a syncopated beat."
A part of me tells me this shouldn't be list-worthy, but I listen to it so much and hold it in such high regard I don't see how it can't make the list. It's a very catchy and energetic number and it's actually interesting hearing this kind of song from a Disney movie. Billy Joel's voice is incredible and the rhythm is hard to get out of one's head.
"Why should I worry? Why should I care? And even when I cross that line I got street savoire faire."
13) Perfect World from The Emperor's New Groove
"There are despots and dictators, political manipulators! There are blue bloods with the intellects of fleas! There are kings and petty tyrants who are so lacking in refinements, they'd be better suited swinging from the trees!"
Talk about underrated. This song is probably the one thing from the film most people seem to forget, and I don't see why. This is a very catchy and, for lack of a better word, groovy song that's very hard to forget. Oh yeah, it's egotistical alright but that's what makes it kind of funny as well.
"He's the sovereign lord of the nation, he's the hippest cat in creation! He's the alpha, the omega, a to z! And this perfect world will spin around his every little whim 'cos this perfect world begins and ends with... WHAT'S HIS NAME!?"
12) Friends on the Other Side from The Princess and the Frog
"Don't you disrespect me little man! Don't you delegate or deride! You're in my world now not your world and I got friends on the other side."
It seems odd that the first villain song to appear on the list is one that's not quite as energetic as the others. Well, as I've stated before, this is my favorite song in the entire film and for many reasons. Normally I wouldn't put a song like this high on any list as it's the kind that's frequently changing its melody, like, constantly. However, this song actually makes it work. Not only is each rhythm catchy, but they go so well together. Ruber's song went wrong by simply slapping any old melody into the mix and putting them in a somewhat random order whereas with this one, it made more sense. I love the change in tone throughout the song and how it goes from threatening to just sinister to hopeful to epic. It makes for quite possibly the most interesting villain song to come from Disney.
"You're changing, you're changing, you're changing alright! I hope you're satisfied! But if you ain't, don't blame me! You can blame my friends on the other side!"
11) I've Got a Dream from Tangled
"I'm malicious, mean and scary, my sneer could curdle dairy and violence-wise my hands are not the cleanest! But despite my evil look and my temper and my hook, I've always yearned to be a concert pianist!"
So cheesy, so predictable and yet so much fun. I've been obsessed with this song ever since I saw the movie. Someday, I may give up listening to this number once a day, but for now I just love this song too much. This was the one song I actually remembered after my first viewing of the film while the others I had to listen to online before getting them stuck in my head. I love how this song gets across an obvious "Don't judge a book by its cover" message making it feel out-of-place with the film or making it too in-your-face and with each thug whose dream is shared, you learn to love them to some degree. I don't even feel I should mention how surprised I was by Brad Garrett and Jeffrey Tambor's singing again.
"Call us brutal, sick, sadistic and grotesquely optimistic cause way down deep inside I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream! WHOO-WHOO-WHOO-WHOO! Yes way down deep inside I've got a dream!"
10) A Boy Needs a Dog from Teacher's Pet
"I know it's been said everyone needs someone, a loyal companion to share in life's fun. Like a day at the park or a game of leapfrog... a friend needs a friend, a boy needs a dog."
This is just... beautiful, simply beautiful, and I can't help thinking of my old dog Keltie when I hear it. I'm sure many of you have never heard this song since many of you have probably never seen this movie, but I do recommend you at least listen to it. (And look for the reprise. It's much better than the original) As the song progresses, you really want Spot and Leonard to reunite with each other and feel each one's sadness over the loss of the other. And nearing the end, it's just so epic!
"I can't go on with just half of my heart! Nothing and no one can keep us apart! It's a permanent bond we can never destroy! A friend needs a friend, a friend needs a friend, I need to get back to my boy!"
9) I Wanna Be Like You from Jungle Book
"Now, I'm the king of the swingers, oh, the jungle VIP. I've reached the top and had to stop and that's what's bothering me. I wanna be a man, mancub, and stroll right into town and be just like the other men. I'm tired of monkeying around."
Sorry, Bear Necessities, the less iconic one is replacing you... that's happened for both Walt Disney films, hasn't it? Bear Necessities is great, sure, but this one is just so catchy and addictive that I love it more. The beat is catchy, the lyrics are wonderful and it's just a lot of fun, but what else can you expect from a song sung by monkeys?
"I wanna be like you! I wanna talk like you, walk like you too! You'll see it's true someone like me can learn to be like someone like me! Can learn to be like someone like you! Can learn to be like someone like me!"
8) I Just Can't Wait to be King from The Lion King
"I'm gonna be a mighty king so enemies beware! I've never seen a king of beasts with quite so little hair. I'm gonna be the main event like no king was before! I'm brushing up on looking down, I'm working on my roar!"
How can I not have this on the list? It's just so energetic and addictive, it has to be. Although I guess this is another case of me not choosing the more iconic song. (Circle of Life) Sorry, I just find this a lot more enjoyable, but that's just me.
"Let every creature go for broke and sing! Let's hear it from the herd and on the wing! It's gonna be King Simba's finest wing! Oh I just can't wait to be king!"
7) Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid
"The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake. You dream about going up there but that is a big mistake. Just look at the world around you right here on the ocean floor. Such wonderful things surround you. What more is you lookin' for?"
Again, how can I not have this on the list? Though I'm sure you were all expecting this to be higher. Well, I just feel the other six are better. That said, though, this song is so hard to get out of your head and it was that one song from this film I always remembered no matter how long I went without watching the film. The melody is wonderful, the lyrics are great... it's just a wonderful song all-around.
"Each little clam here know how to jam here under the sea! Each little slug here cuttin' a rug here under the sea! Each little snail here know how to wail here. That's why it's hotter under the water! Ya we in luck here down in the muck here under the sea!"
6) Go the Distance from Hercules
"I have often dreamed of a far-off place where a great warm welcome will be waiting for me. Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face and a voice keeps saying this is where I'm meant to be."
I've already talked about this one on my top 10 heroes songs list, but I may as well go into it again. This is a beautiful song with a wonderful melody and it's the only one that makes me forget just how bland of a character Hercules really is. It's inspirational, it's touching and it's the only part of the film that actually feels, well, "magical" if you know what I mean. Sure, I love the other songs too, but this one has the Disney magic to it.
"I will beat the odds, I can go the distance! I will face the world fearless, proud and strong! I will please the gods, I can go the distance till I find my hero's welcome right where I belong!"
5) Gaston from Beauty and the Beast
"Gosh it disturbs me to see you, Gaston, looking so down in the dumps. Every guy here'd love to be you Gaston, even when taking your lumps. There's no man in town as admired as you, you're everyone's favorite guy. Everyone's awed and inspired by you and it's not very hard to see why."
I know most people would choose "Beauty and the Beast" or "Belle" over this one, but man is this one addictive? Not only is it catchy and magical, it's hilarious! This is the kind of song that proves that Disney films are just as much for adults as they are for kids. What kid is going to understand the appeal of chest-hair or what a swell cleft is? Essentially, this song is just a guy being praised by everyone including himself, but it's boasting at its finest.
"No one shoots like Gaston, makes those beauts like Gaston or goes stomping around wearing boots like Gaston! I use antlers in all of my decorating! My what a guy... Gaston!"
4) I'll Make a Man Out of You from Mulan
"Let's get down to business to defeat the Huns! Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons? You're the saddest bunch I ever met, but you can bet before we're through, Mister I'll make a man out of you!"
Those of you who know me well know this is my favorite animated hero song of all time. It's just so... manly! Oh yeah, it's sexist beyond belief, but keep in mind it's an accurate representation of how men actually thought during the time, which a lot of those easily-offended types seem to forget. (I'm looking at you, sanjaynewton!) It's got a great beat and is just so hard to get out of one's head.
"Be a man! We must be swift as a coursing river! Be a man! With all the strength of a great typhoon! Be a man! With all the strength of a raging fire! Mysterious as the dark side of the moon!"
3) Never Had a Friend Like Me from Aladdin
"Well Alibaba had them forty thieves, Scheherezad-ie had a thousand tales. But master you in luck 'cause up your sleeves, you got a brand of magic never fails. You got some power in your corner now, some heavy ammunition in your camp. You got some punch, pizzazz, yahoo and how. See all you gotta do is rub that lamp."
For a while, my favorite song from this film was Prince Ali, but the more and more I listened to this, the more I started to love it. Oh yeah, it's chalked full of modern references, but that's part of the fun. When you got Robin Williams bringing his own charm to the song, you know you got something fun and memorable, and that's just what this is.
"Mister Aladdin, sir, have a wish or two or three! I'm on the job, you big nabob. You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend, you ain't never had a friend, never had a friend. You ain't never had a friend like me! You ain't never had a friend like me, hah!"
2) Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas
"You think I'm an ignorant savage and you've been so many places, I guess it must be so. But still I cannot see if the savage one is me. How can there be so much that you don't know? You don't know..."
This is easily the most beautiful Disney song ever made. It's got a lovely melody that'll stick in your mind for a long time and lyrics so brilliant it's mind-blowing. Sure, it's an environmental song, but who really cares? It's still brilliant beyond all compare.
"And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon for whether we are white or copper skinned! We need to sing with all the voices of the mountains! We need to paint with all the colors of the wind. You can own the Earth and still, all you'll own is Earth until you can paint with all the colors of the wind."
1) Hellfire from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
"Beata Maria, you know I am a righteous man. Of my virtue I am justly proud. Beata Maria, you know I'm so much purer than the common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd."
This truly is the ultimate villain song. Of all the songs Disney has written, this is guilty of everything Disney normally can't get away with, especially in a G-rated film. In this scene, Frollo is singing about his lust for Esmerelda and if he can't have her, no one can. That's the darkest Disney's ever gonna get, folks. This song is just epic beyond all compare.
"God have mercy on her. God have mercy on me. But she will be mine or she will burn!"
