Remember the good old days when you could sit down with your friends and a bowl of popcorn and watch old Disney cartoons? When deadlines and tests didn’t bog you down and the only thing you had to do was sing along with Aladdin and Jasmine to “A Whole New World”?

In memory of the good old days of Disney, and to offer you a break from pressures of life, I would like to offer a list of the top 5 Disney songs of all time.

This list is completely arbitrary, not in any particular order, and based on my personal opinion, so you may or may not agree with it. Feel free to offer your own opinion.

“I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from Mulan

I think Mulan was the last good animated movie Disney made, although the recent The Princess and the Frog came pretty close. I love how Disney always incorporates music and animation that goes along with the theme of their movie, and this song is no exception. This song is just pure fun. It has great drums, Chinese flutes, and funny lyrics. It also has a great video montage, so it can’t be fully appreciated without seeing the video.

“Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast

This song is my personal favorite from Beauty and the Beast because it makes you tap your toes and smile. Again, it can’t be fully appreciated without watching the video that goes with it. Where else can you see dishes make themselves into a mini Eiffel Tower? Lumiere the candelabra is a great soloist, and the backup singers add the perfect feel. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song but got beat by “Beauty and the Beast.”

“Oo-de-lally” from Robin Hood

I know this song is a little bit weird for a list of top 5 Disney songs, but I just had to put it in. Robin Hood came out in the ‘70s, so I think a lot of people from my generation missed out on it. However, it’s one of my absolute favorite Disney movies of all time.

This song lacks the drama and showmanship of many Disney songs, but I love its simplicity. It’s just a soloist with his guitar, singing about Robin Hood and Little John walking through the forest. This song is just what I need when I’m having a bad day. Try singing, “Oo-de-lally oo-de-lally, golly what a day!” without smiling, and I guarantee you’ll fail.

“Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas

It was really hard to choose my favorite song from this movie. I picked this one not because of its oh-so-subtle messages about conservation and prejudice, but because it’s such a good one to sing along with. Judy Kuhn performed this song, and she has an amazing voice. This song won the 1996 Academy Award for Best Original Song, which doesn’t surprise me. I love the animation in the video that goes along with this too. Also, it’s the start of John Smith and Pocahontas falling in love, which is a bonus.

“That’s How You Know” from Enchanted

Okay, I know this song is not from an animated movie, and it came out in 2007 – more than 10 years after all the other movies I have listed so far, but it definitely deserves a spot on this list. It was nominated for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Original Song, and it combines the fun music, grand showmanship, dancing, and bright colors of classic Disney music, but it’s all live action in Central Park.

I love the use of steel drums and the other multicultural elements. It encompasses the diversity of previous Disney movies into one fantastic spectacle. This is another one you have to watch as well as listen to in order to appreciate. I tried to find the fountain they sing at when I went to New York last year, but I couldn’t, and I was very disappointed.

Trackback URL

animation, classic, Disney, fun, movies, Music, random