10 of Disney's Best Songs

I wrote this for A.C. but I put more work into it than I thought I would so I decided to post it here after I submitted it. You all should know by now how much I ADORE everything Disney. I wrote papers on the MAN, he is one of my personal heroes! There are many more songs of course, I have lots of favorites, over 60 on my IPOD I just put there a few days ago, but these are a good range of why Disney songs are so special. From soft and slightly sad to exuberant!

1) "Two Worlds" sung by Phil Collins in the Disney film, Tarzan. I think it beautifully summarized Tarzan's struggle to fit in with both his gorilla family that raised him, and with the other humans, that are like him in so many ways and that he wants to be part of too. He is being torn in two directions, two different rules, but what he wants is to join his two worlds into one big family.

2) "Go the Distance" sung by Roger Bart in Hercules. Michael Bolton also sings a version of this song, but I prefer the movie version. Hercules is struggling to find his place in the world. He knows he is different, but he just wants to belong and be PART of something. And he isn't going to give up, he will keep on trying, which is a wonderful message.

3) "Part of Your World" sung by Jodi Benson in the film The Little Mermaid. Ariel doesn't understand why everyone thinks humans are so bad, when they create all these "magical items" she finds under the sea. She is showing her yearning to be able to explore the world that she doesn't know. She wants a chance to stand on her own and learn new things, instead of just watching them from a distance.

4) "The Age of Not Believing" which is sung by Angela Landsbury in Bedknobs & Broomsticks. She sings of losing that innocence you have where everything has happy endings. She tells us we have to accept that we will lose that sense of belief in all things magical, but that it is time we find ourselves to BE what is magical. You have to FACE this age, and I have always loves the words and the way Angela sings them.

5) "Best of Friends" is sung by Pearl Bailey in the Disney film, The Fox and the Hound. It is a song about friendship, how innocent it is, but that when you get older, people will get in the way of that friendship. When you are young though, no prejudices can stop that friendship, opinions don't matter. And that hopefully, when you are older, you can see past those differences still and remain...well, the best of friends.

6) "Baby of Mine" sung in Dumbo by Betty Noyes, makes me cry to this day. It is such a lovely lullaby. There is also a version sung by Bette Midler, which is also quite beautiful. You don't really need to dissect the reasons why this song is wonderful, it shows the utter love and devotion a mother has for her child. Which in itself is beautiful. Who doesn't want their mother to feel this way about them?

7) "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from the film Mulan, sung by Donny Osmond and the Chorus. This song is just so powerful, and their leader, wants them to all succeed. He finds it a personal failure when he feels he has to send "Mulan" home, because he feels he can't train this sad excuse for a soldier. The lyrics are just so beautiful, so many comparisons to the land around them, to nature. This song is about perseverance and I think that is extremely powerful and something worth fighting for.

8) "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, sung by the movie's own Brad Kane & Lea Salonga. This couple is on a magical journey and the sights are not the only thing they are experiencing for the first time. They are falling in love, which is a whole new world to them both. And they are sharing it together. Disney picked the perfect song to show the love developing and blossoming on a "magical carpet ride". They see all these amazing wonders as they fly above the clouds, but the most amazing wonder is Love.

9) "Feed the Birds" sung by Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins. This song is sad but happy at the same time. She is saying that God is watching the woman feed his creatures and smiling as she gets others to show they care, for all of his creatures. She isn't just calling to others, she is calling to us too, to remember to be kind and show love to all. That is what I get from it anyway. Just give a tuppence. CARE.

10) "When You Wish Upon a Star" sung by Cliff Edwards in Pinocchio, will always be one of THE most magical Disney songs ever written. All you have to do, anything you want to happen, will come true, if you use your heart to wish upon a star. If you remain a dreamer and believe in it with all your might, anything is possible. That is what makes this Disney's most powerful song. It is what Disney stands for: dreams, wishes and magic.

I will even include one that is STUCK in my noggin, and it is difficult to write the lyrics, as...well you will see: