Naturally, some Disney songs don’t get the same recognition as others, be it because they get overlooked due to another, or forgotten with the passage of time. For example,Phil Collin’sotherinspiring track, “On My Way” fromBrother BearorThe Jungle Book’s"That’s What Friends Are For." AmongDisney’s greatest hitslies “A Whole New World” of tunes that often go under the radar.
Disney’s fans are loyal to their favorite films - and songs, from magnificent showstoppers to classic love ballads. With72 official animated Disney moviesreleased since 1937, there are some that are bound to be overlooked - along with their soundtracks. Thankfully, the power of music is timeless, and these songs can be enjoyed just as much today as when they came out.
10"Why Should I Worry?"
‘Oliver & Company’ (1988)
Before releasingThe Little Mermaid,Disney madeOliver & Company,whichtookCharles Dickens’classic tale,Oliver Twist,and set it in modern-day New York City. The principal characters were made into animals, and many of the themes of the book were dropped since they weren’t translated into the modern day. However, it contained plenty of entertaining songs, such as “Why Should I Worry,” sung byBilly Joel.
Its rock and roll melody captures the essence of urban street life, while also acting as a good intro to the character of Dodger (Billy Joel). His cool, live-life-on-the-edge attitude is infectious and invites the viewer to join in the rebellious fun. In many ways, “Why Should I Worry?” is the perfect way to sum up the movie, taking listeners from Central Park and throughout iconic locations. And who better to sing the ode to New York City than Joel himself, a notable figure throughout the cityfor over 50 years?
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9"The World’s Greatest Criminal Mind"
‘The Great Mouse Detective’ (1986)
The Great Mouse Detectiveis an overlookedbut very important movie in Disney history. Its success during the Dark Age reinvigorated the company’s faith in animation, and two of its directors,John MuskerandRon Clements,would go on to direct many successful films for Disney. The film also hasa phenomenal villainin Ratigan (Vincent Price) and an equally beautiful song to boot.
“The World’s Greatest Criminal Mind” has Ratigan celebrating his upcoming crime spree with a song that highlights his intelligence. His henchmen take over during the course and make sure to heap the professor with praise, especially after he executes one of them for drunkenly calling him a rat. It’s not often that Disney forays into actual crime, but here, Ratigan boasts about “pulling off [his] most diabolical scheme… a crime that will live in infamy!” It’s a number that’s as charming and threatening as Ratigan himself and a testament to Price’s dedication to voicing the character in what has been described as “exaggerated Shakespearean gestures.”
8"Everybody Wants to Be a Cat"
‘The Aristocats’ (1970)
The Aristocatswas the first movie made afterWaltDisney’sdeath and suffered from a lot of growing pains. The film plays it safe in terms of story and characters and thus comes across as more child-oriented than Disney’s other products. However, one place the movie didn’t hold back on was the music, where they brought in jazz musicians likeScatman Crothers. Walt Disney himself was a notable fan of jazz; a Spotify playlist - “Disney Jazz” compiles fan favorites of this genre.
“Everybody Wants To Be a Cat” is an upbeat song that encapsulates free spirit and carefree fun. Crothers andPhil Harristake center stage as the primary vocalists and do a good job working off one another. Its wonderful jazz music and catchy lyrics show that, even during its lowest moments, Disney still knows how to make good music. Disney’s fans may even see a modern rendition of the song in theupcomingAristocratslive-action remake, set to release some 50 years after the original film.
7"I’ve Got a Dream"
‘Tangled’ (2010)
Alan Meneknreigns as perhapsDisney’s best composer. He has created dozens of fantastic songs sinceThe Little Mermaid,many of which rank high among Disney’s best songs and have won numerous awards - even lending his hand torecent live-action and Broadway adaptations. Still, his modern tracks shine as brightly as his older ones, which can be seen in his work onTangled.
Most fans know and love “Mother Knows Best” and “I See The Light;” these chart-topping songs are perfect for the radio or mainstream enjoyment. But “I’ve Got A Dream” is easily the movie’s most fun and upbeat number. It sees a bunch of bandits and cutthroats open up and reveal their deepest desires, which range from playing the piano to interior design. It fits the movie’s themes about following your dreams and has a very catchy melody to boot. Menkin’s return to Disney paid off well, seeing as “I’ve Got A Dream” has since gained nearly130 million streams on Spotify.
6"On My Way"
‘Brother Bear’ (2003)
Phil Collins did a wonderful job on the soundtrack forTarzan,so Disney contracted him to write the music forBrother Bear. Sadly, this wasn’t as universally loved, likely due to themovie’s lackluster reception. Still, the songs are pretty entertaining, such as the one that plays when Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix) and Koda (Jeremy Suarez) set off on their journey.
“On My Way” is a really nice travel song that touches on all the best parts of journeying. It puts a lot of emphasis on the beauty of nature and socializing with others to create new memories. Collins' voice sounds warm and friendly throughout, especially near the end when the music picks up. In many ways, “On My Way” can be seen as a coming-of-age song as Koda ventures into the unknown and discovers who he is and will become.
5"Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride"
‘Lilo & Stitch’ (2002)
Disney’s Post-Renaissance erawas another experimental time for the company, thanks in no small part to the surge of CGI animated films. Their biggest success came fromLilo & Stitch,which combined Disney’s master-class storytelling with the beauty of the Hawaiian islands. One song in particular, “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” incorporates local culture into the song as it was written by Contemporary chanterMark Keali’i Ho’omaluandfeatures background melodies from the Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus.
This song almost feels like a love letter to Hawaii, with the beautiful imagery it conjures and the use of Hawaiian instruments like the ukulele. It evokes a sense of harmony between man and nature, which parallels the harmony between the film’s main characters. Beyond that, it’s a relaxing melody that encourages the audience to mimic Stitch (Chris Sanders) and try something new.
4"That’s What Friends Are For"
‘The Jungle Book’ (1967)
The Jungle Bookwas the last filmDisney worked on before his death. It went through numerous changes and initially planned to have theBeatles cameo as the singing buzzards. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts prevented this, so the birds were re-designed to be an homage that sings a Barber Shop Quartet-style number.
Along with having a fun musical style, “That’s What Friends Are For” is an uplifting song aboutthe value of friendship. It reminds audiences that a real friend will always be there to help in their darkest times. The lyrics are relatively simple and engaging; “I’ll be on your side forever more. That’s what friends are for.” This makes for easy listening. As a plus, all the singers have wonderful voices - but the best has to beThurl Ravenscroft,who showcases his wonderful baritone in the final line.
3"The Headless Horseman"
Of all the movies fromthe Wartime Era,The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toadholds up the best. A large part of this is due to its second segment; anadaptation ofThe Legend of Sleepy Hollownarrated byBing Crosby. To scare his rival, Ichabod Crane, Brom Bones sings a song about the village’s local ghost, the Headless Horseman.
“The Headless Horseman” is the perfect song to listen to when you’re in a spooky mood. Crosby’s voice is soft and bouncy, which lulls you into the song while also carrying a sinister undertone. It paints a vivid picture of the titular ghost which makes his reveal in the climax all the more satisfying. The song is a timestamp from that era; a1948 New York Times articlereported on the landmark deal between Crosby and Disney.
2"The Song of the Roustabouts"
‘Dumbo’ (1941)
Dumbois an interesting film: it was made on a tighter budget than other Golden Age films and survivedthe 1941 animators striketo become one of Disney’s best films about perseverance and outcasts banding together. While a lot of its songs are pretty well-remembered, one that gets slept on is “The Song of the Roustabouts.” It plays during a heavy rainstorm where the elephants and roustabouts work together to set up the circus tent.
The song juxtaposes lines like “Happy-hearted Roustabouts” with images of the workers and elephants doing thankless work in a terrible storm. This gives the lyrics a more cynical tone and shows a darker side to the circus that isn’t all smiles and bright colors. The vocals by The King’s Men help finalize this ironic tone by sounding like they’re chugging along, trying to get to the next verse.
1"Love is a Song That Never Ends"
‘Bambi’ (1942)
Intro songs are, in some respects, the most important songs in a movie. They set the tone of the film and give the audience a general feel of what to expect. Disney has had a fair few great intro numbers, but one of the less talked about examples comes from Disney’s standoutGolden Age movie,Bambi.
“Love Is a Song That Never Ends” paints a tone that is both beautiful and haunting; “Love’s beautiful music comes each day like the dawn.” The lyrics talk about the enduring power of love, even when everything else fades from the world, which sets up the movie’s message about life in all its beauty and tragedies.Donald Novis’singing is chilling, somber, and uplifting, which further reinforces this theme of mourning while also moving forward.
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