Tim: Woo-hoo, we've made it to the 20th Music Fridays. That's right, I have made it this far with what is my favorite thing to do for you guys. I have talked about so many songs over the past 19 entries and I have loved most of them. You know when I started Music Fridays, it was because I wanted to be able to talk about the songs I loved without that consuming too many articles and I feel that I have done that. Though today, join me as three of my Channel Awesome pals shed some light on their favorite Disney songs and I will close this puppy out by talking about a Disney song that I have always loved but which one. You'll have to read to find out.
Tim: All right our first song comes from Patrick_O, author of At The Scene of The Crime. The song is....
My Lullaby - The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
Tim: Here is what Patrick had to say about the song.
Patrick: Not your typical choice, is it? Personally, I consider "The Lion King 2" to be one of the underappreciated Disney sequels, right along The Rescuers Down Under (like the first movie, but cooler!) and Cinderalla III (where the villain is no longer an evil lady, but an evil lady with a stick!).
I enjoy this song because it's a kick-ass villain song. Zira, who is singing, is not an original villain- she's more or less a regurgitation of Scar, with a motive a lot more ambiguous than Scar's (who was just after power). She's just evil, but what makes her a somewhat intimidating villain is how unrepentant she is about it. "Yeah, I'm evil," she seems to be saying. "What are you gonna do about it, you schmuck?"
It starts off as an apparently sweet and innocent children's lullaby, and yet there's a hostile, sharp edge to the words that make it a very aggressive song, far from the passive song you'd expect it to be. Heck, there's nothing wrong really with the words themselves- it all depends on the delivery, which is excellent, as the sweet lyrics are delivered with a bitter edge.
Then, all of sudden, Kovu has apparently gone to sleep, or he's at least not in the room, and Zira drops the act. She allows the words to get as cruel and bitter as her emotions, and she relishes at the prospect of murder, violence, and power. That she chooses such a song to serenade a child with is just creepy, and the way young Vitani eagerly swallows the words up is also kind of disturbing.
Yet, odd as it seems, that's what gives the whole thing its charm. It is a grotesque- a child's lullaby that would frighten any child out of their mind. But this paradox really appeals to me, and it's an interestingly effective way of making the villain menacing. And at any rate, it's a lot more successful than a similar experiment in
"Pete's Dragon", a song about child abuse (You know, for kids!) called The Happiest Home In These Hills.
Tim: Our next song comes from Mark, who you may know as BigBlackHatMan, the author of such great blogs as Support Your Classic Westerns and M*A*S*H* Notes and the song is...
Why Should I Worry - Oliver & Company
Tim: Here is what BBHM had to say about the song.
BBHM: Well, the simplest answer to why I like it is that it is a ton of fun. Dodger is clearly kind of a jerk, but you can't help but get into it as does most of the city. Dodger reeks havoc on the city and has a blast doing it. Oliver, of course, is completely disgusted. Really, it is the fun.
Our next song comes from James Daniel Walsh, author of Stop The Hate and a good pal of mine. Someone that kept me going on this blog. The song is...
You'll Be In My Heart - Tarzan
JDW: "You'll Be in My Heart" from Disney's underrated classic Tarzan would be my choice for a number of reasons. First of all, its performed by my favorite singer of all time, Phil Collins. That alone might give it the edge over everything else, but there are many other factors. When the movie came out in 1999, I was 19 and had just left home after an ugly fight with my parents. The songs themes of unconditional parental love really touched a cord with a kid who never felt that. When I had my own child, the song took on a different meaning. I went from seeing the song from the perspective of the child to seeing it through the eyes of a parent. One reasons Phil's music always meant so much to me is that it evolves. What many of his songs meant to me when I was a teenager is completely different than what they mean to me now. "You'll Be in My Heart" may be the best example of that.
Tim: The final song to come from a CA pal of mine comes from Dawn_Heart or Meg, if you will. Meg just as James and Patrick have all collabed with me in the past and when Meg joine me, it was on the Top 6 Leading Ladies of Disney and well, it was no surprise what her choice of song as it goes hand in hand with her choice for her # 1 leading of Disney and the song is...
God Help The Outcasts - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Meg: As much as I love the songs from The Lion King this song is my favorite. This one really speaks to me and I think it is one of the best songs to come out of Disney. Esmeralda is praying a selfless prayer for the outcasts like her while others are asking for things they want for themselves. It also shows a lot about Esmeralda's charater as a kind and caring person. The singer really hits this one out of the park and even though I've heard it many, many times I still get chills
Tim: Now there is just one person left to include a song and that is me. But what song, I have talked about so many great songs over these past few Music Fridays. It wasn't easy picking a song that I wanted to talk about but in the end, I had to go back to A Goofy Movie as that it is where one of my all time favorite songs comes from...
After Today - A Goofy Movie
Tim: Now, I don't know what it is about this song but I just have so much fun each time I listen to it. As I have stated in the past that I use to have this summer traditon when I was still in school that on the first day of summer, I would watch this movie. I think part of the reason that I enjoy this song so much is because of how much I can relate to Max as I had a girl I wanted to ask about but I felt like a goof around her and I just love the lines from all the other characters that make this song really fun such "I'm gonna sit on my but". That cracks me up each time. It is just by and large a fun song that I always find myself singing along to. No doubt about it, this had to be the one to be included.
Tim: I'd like to thank Patrick, Mark, James and Meg for joining me on this special Music Fridays. You guys made this really awesome. I'd also like to thank anyone that has taken the time to not just read a Music Fridays but any of the A Look at Disney articles as that means a lot to me. Thanks again and I hope you guys have enjoyed this rather special Music Fridays. Join me next week though when things go back to normal as I take a look at the Firehouse Five Plus Two.
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