I made a list back in 2016 before the release of Moana. Not only have many Disney movies been released since then, but I've seen more old Disney films and my opinions have changed on many of the songs I ranked previously. From Snow White to Encanto, Disney has revolutionized music in film for 85 years. I'll also be expanding eligibility to Pixar and other things I did not include last time

To be continued

Cool

Any suggestions for things to check out before finalizing the list? I'm limiting it to theatrical films, so no songs from DTV or Disney channel movies. Any other song from a film released by Buena Vista is eligible

Shortened the list to a top 50. Felt restrictive, but I was struggling to get to 100 songs I felt passionate about. Number 50 should come soon.

50. Happy Working Song
From the Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Enchanted (2007)
Sung by Giselle
Performed by Amy Adams
Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz



For the first song to make the list, we have one of five original songs from the comedic parody musical film Enchanted. Alan Menken would be tapped a few times to write music for 21st century Disney films, but with Enchanted it would be the only time he would approach the brilliance of his 90's heyday. Happy Working Song is a parody of such songs as Whistle While You Work and A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes, where the protagonist sings and a bunch of animals come to help her complete her chores. In addition to masterfully pointing out the ridiculousness of this trope, the song itself is incredibly catchy and makes expert use of Adams' dynamic full singing voice. The bridge of the song takes on a more serious note as Gisele ponders the strange new place she is in, and highlights again her greatest desire, to marry Prince Edward. It's a really good character development song as well as delivering a good degree of comedy and singability that it made the very end of this list.

I still have to see Enchanted before the sequel

49. Touch the Sky
From the Pixar Animation Studios Motion Picture Brave (2012)
Performed by Julie Fowlis
Music by Alex Mandel Lyrics by Alex Mandal and Mark Andrews



I tend not to be a fan of songs in Disney films that are not sung by the characters, as will be evidenced by the forthcoming entries on the list. But every time I watch Brave, the opening sequence of Merida adventuring in the Scottish countryside is breathtaking and gorgeous on its own. But this song recorded for the film by folk singer Julie Fowlis, perfectly captures Merida's adventurous spirit in musical form. By the end of the sequence the viewer can fully understand exactly why Merida is so hesitant to be married off, she'd have to potentially give up experiences like that in the above video.

Good first picks. I'll listen to Touch the Sky from time to time. It's also a really good song to use in a dance or skate routine (think Disney on Ice).

48. Into the Unknown
From the Walt Disney Animation Studios Motion Picture Frozen 2 (2019)
Sung by Elsa and the Voice
Performed by Idina Menzel and AURORA
Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez



This song was unfairly compared to Let It Go when it came out, in my opinion. It does not top Let it Go, but I think its a very different song that deserves to be appreciated outside of that song's shadow. Firstly, the subject matter of not knowing what to do about the voice she is hearing is completely different from that song's message of being who you are truly, rather than allow yourself to be pressured into being someone else. My favorite part of this song is the end, where the voice sings the "ah-ah, ah-ah" motif, and Elsa matches it. The way their voices harmonize is one of the greatest moments in a Disney song ever. It reminded me greatly of the end of the song "Poor Unfortunate Souls" from The Little Mermaid where Ariel is singing her own "ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah" motif. I also thought the visuals in the song were excellent, with the light at the end being incredibly creatively animated. Overall, any song that followed up Let It Go had a tall order to fill, and I think Into the Unknown does a bang up job.

47. Almost There
From the Walt Disney Animation Studios Motion Picture The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Sung by Tiana
Performed by Anika Noni Rose
Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman



Tiana's I Want song from The Princess and the Frog is a grower. When the film was released, the soundtrack was dismissed largely as a formulaic shadow of the studio's past successes. But the jazz sound of the song coupled with it's stylized animation for Tiana's fantasy sequence makes this a standout years later. It's a short song, but it's simple and catchy melody helps it leave an impact, along with a strong build into some high notes that show off Rose's killer vocals. It's also unique from a content perspective, as Tiana's goal is so diametrically opposed to previous I want songs. Even songs like Belle (Reprise) and Just Around the Riverbend talk ambiguously of adventure, that ends up being well, a romantic relationship. While Tiana finds love by the end of the film, she is set apart from other protagonists, at least in 2009, as that not being her primary goal.

46. Mother Knows Best
From the Walt Disney Animation Studios Motion Picture Tangled (2010)
Sung by Mother Gothel
Performed by Donna Murphy
Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Glenn Slater




In one of Menken's weaker but still decent scores, Mother Knows Best manages to be one of the stronger villain songs in the Disney pantheon. It covers similar ground as both Frollo's verses from Out There (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and Stay With Me from the Sondheim musical and fellow Disney production Into the Woods, with the protagonist's captor, posing as a parent figure, lies about why they must stay inside. The original version of Mother Knows Best is solid enough, with a dreamy comedic performance by Murphy. But the real strength of the song comes out in the reprise, performed later as Gothel gaslights Rapunzel into believing she is crazy to think Flynn could love her. While the audience is aware of Gothel's villainy for the entire film, unlike the twist villains of later Disney films, it is incredibly entertaining and exciting to watch her fly off the handle and embrace full villainy as the third act of the film begins.

Into the Unknown is great

Mother Knows Best is the last real villain song I believe, weird they went so many movies in a row without one

Love Is An Open Door is a villain song.

Borderline, it would have been if they gave him a few more sinister moments when she wasn't looking or something or revealed his villainy at the end.

Disguising his villain song as a party song sums up the Hans character perfectly though. At that point you're supposed to think the Duke of Weaseltown is the villain. Revealing himself too early would have hurt the story.

He definitely wasn't about to say sandwiches

Also Shiny is a villain song.

45. Let It Go
From the Walt Disney Animation Studios Motion Picture Frozen (2013)
Sung by Elsa
Performed by Idina Menzel
Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez



This one has been hurt by overexposure for me, but not enough to take it off this list, as its incredibly easy to see where the appeal on this one is. I prefer the verses and bridge for their more complex musical structure, as opposed to the chorus's standard 3 note upward run. The lyrics are also clever, who would have thought that you would hear the word "fractal" in a Disney song? Menzel can belt, but her performance of this song is actually one of the weaker renditions compared to vocalists in the foreign language recordings. All in all, a standout moment that singlehandedly catapulted the Disney Animation studio back to dominance. But unlike higher entries on this list, it has been hurt too much by overexposure to be among my absolute favorites.

I always liked For the First Time in Forever and Do You Want to be a Snowman more, but yes, overexposure hasn't helped

I adore Almost There. I don't know where it'd rank for me exactly, but I feel it'd be an easy Top 20.

Mother Knows Best is fun.

That will be the last entry until Sunday...

44. Zero to Hero
From the Walt Disney Animation Studios Motion Picture Hercules (1997)
Sung by The Muses
Performed by Lillias White, Cheryl Freeman, LaChanze, Roz Ryan and Vanéese Y. Thomas
Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by David Zippel



The Hercules soundtrack would be nothing without the Muses. The gospel sound is a surprising match with the Greek setting, and the songs they sing to link the acts of the film do a wonderful job of filling the viewer in on events that cover a broad span of time. While the song's account of the labors of Hercules resembles the original story not at all, there is much clever wordplay and just an infectious energy that makes the listener more than ready for what the remainder of the film will contain.

43. Friend Like Me
From the Walt Disney Animation Studios Motion Picture Aladdin (1992)
Sung by The Genie
Performed by Robin Williams
Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Howard Ashman



It's a real shame that Williams' songs from Aladdin are unavailable on streaming services, but Friend Like Me is so enhanced by its animation that you can't get the full experience anyway. Friend Like ME is so iconic that it has inspired many subsequent fantasy musical sequences such as You're Welcome and Surface Pressure. It's also got a very memorable melody and the opening notes are about as synonymous with the film Aladdin as anything else from the film. While not the best song from the film, Friend Like Me is often what is pointed to when people say "Disney just doesn't make songs like that anymore" and one that many songs since have been compared to.

I think that's fair, as a song it might be slightly overrated and below several other Aladdin ones

42. Under the Sea
From the Walt Disney Animation Studios Motion Picture The Little Mermaid (1989)
Sung by Sebastian
Performed by Samuel Wright
Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Howard Ashman



This was another overexposed one for me, but since I avoided listening to it for so long it has crept back up my list of favorites. The melody here is so inventive and catchy, and set the stage for the more lavish and big musical numbers to come in films that would come after. The best part of the song is the bridge where all the musical fish are given their moment to shine, though obviously the "blackfish" could be offensive by todays standards. One of the first songs I learned all the words to as a kid, and I definitely prided myself on getting all the words correct as they speed up near the end.