Day 2 of the Disney Music Madness Round 1 competition. The last 4 categories are a little more difficult to decide than the first 4. See if you agree with my choices.
Academy Award Winners
“You’ll Be In My Heart” from Tarzan won the Oscar in 1999. It’s a song of love, comfort, and acceptance sung by Kala the ape who became a mother to the infant baby left alone in the jungle. Phil Collins had a hit with this song peaking at #21 on the adult contemporary charts.
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“Colors Of The Wind”: Four years before its opponent, this song was honored with the “Best Original Song” award. It’s sung by Pocahontas who is doing her best to show Captain John Smith her view of the world compared his. She points out the beauty of the new world, her native land. Just a bit of trivia I discovered about this song. I found out that lyricist, Stephen Schwartz, made up the phrase “blue corn moon.” There is no such thing in the moon’s cycle or Native American folk lore, but the phrase fit well into the song so he used it.
Both of these songs are very strategically placed in the context of their movies and are very effective. In this category when needing more than just the songs themselves to make a decision I can step outside of the movie and use other perspectives to choose the winner. I have a sentimental connection to “You’ll Be In My Heart” because I used to play it on the air at my last radio job. “Colors Of The Wind” has a between the lines implication blaming the greedy selfish ambitions of white males of European descent for all the injustice in the world. Not something I agree with at all. Those two factors make my choice an easy one.
The Winner is…”You’ll Be In My Heart”
“Zip A Dee Doo Dah” Chances are if you’re under 20 years old you have never seen the movie that this song comes from, Song of the South. It has never been released in its entirety on home video by Disney. The last time it was in the theaters was 1986. It’s considered to have unacceptable racist overtones. Despite the controversy over the movie the song “Zip A Dee Doo Dah” is heard in many places in the world of Disney. It’s used in theme park parades and attractions, TV show introductions, sing-along-videos and more. It’s probably one of the top 10 Disney songs of all time.
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“If I Didn’t Have You” won an academy award for Randy Newman. It’s technically a Pixar song but for the sake of this tournament it’s a Disney song. It musically expresses the depth and commitment within the friendship of Mike and Sully in the movie “Monsters Inc.”. They are one of my favorite Disney duos.
This matchup is a matter of a nice little movie song going against an iconic composition that conveys an important aspect of the Disney spirit. Sorry Sully, but there’s only one choice here.
The Winner is…”Zip A Dee Doo Da”
“Under The Sea” won the Academy Award for best song in 1990. According to a documentary I watched recently, “Waking Sleeping Beauty”, the idea to do this song calypso style was that of song writer, Alan Menken. It is a production song in which Sebastian the crab warns Ariel, the starry eyed dreamer, about the dangers of the world she wants to be a part of. It’s the kind of song that gets stuck in your head every time you hear it.
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“Chim Chim Cheree” the Oscar winning song from Mary Poppins tells the story of Burt the chimney sweep and his philosophy of life. Sung by Dick Van Dyke the song shares the idea of contentment with one’s lot in life and how sometimes it’s better to be lucky than rich.
This pair of songs are unique for me in that I have written parodies to both of them. The “Chim Chim Cheree” parody was about my job at a company called “AFNI”. That was about 10 years ago. Most recently I used the music from “Under The Sea” to write a parody about the Bible verse John 3:16. So being so familiar with and really liking both of these two songs makes my decision on this match up most difficult. But I’ve got to make a choice and so…
The Winner is…”Under The Sea”
“We Belong Together” the most recent award winner in this category. Just 2 months ago Randy Newman stood on stage at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood to accept his Oscar for this “Toy Story 3” song. The song played during the closing credits puts a musical seal on the last movie for Woody, Buzz and all of Andy’s Toys. But the spirit of this wonderful song tells us that nothing will ever come between the toys ever again because they’re a family.
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“When You Wish Upon A Star” Jiminy Cricket’s tender ballad from Pinocchio not only won the first “best song” Oscar for a Disney movie back in 1940. For more than 60 years it’s been the musical face of the house that Walt built, The Disney Company. What more can be said about this song?
The new kid on the list of the Disney Academy Award winners may be a song that best conveys the conclusion of the Toy Story trilogy but it doesn’t stand a chance against its iconic competitor.
The Winner is…”When You Wish Upon A Star”
Theme Song Bracket
“A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes” The 2nd song from Cinderella in the tournament. It’s in the “Theme” category because it’s the theme of the 1950 classic. The message of the song and the movie is that you can find discover the desire of your heart by following your dreams. That’s a key factor in Walt Disney’s personal philosophy.
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“Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life For Me) This is the first song in the tournament that’s not from an animated movie. It’s from the infamous theme park attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s a musical representation of the last attraction Walt worked on at Disneyland. “Yo Ho” is the song that serves as the theme for all that has to do with Disney pirates.
Cinderella also has a presence in the theme parks. Her castle is the icon of Florida’s Magic Kingdom. Attending the “Cinderella’s Table” character meal is #1 wish of all young “princesses” who visit Walt Disney World. Her theme song has reached beyond the movie.
Over the last 8 years the 3, soon to be 4, “Pirate” movies based on the park attraction have breathed new life into the popularity of pirates in the theme parks. That increases the value of “Yo Ho”.
A tough choice but when you “crunch” the numbers the result has to be this…
The Winner is…”Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life For Me)
“You Can Fly” is the best known song from Peter Pan. It helps transition the Darling children from their home in London to Never Never Land. It infers that with faith and a little bit of pixie dust a person can achieve the impossible. Hanging on a wall in my computer room in my house I have a Peter Pan composite print by Thomas Kinkade that’s a snapshot of what’s happening during this song in the movie. The song really encourages all Disney fans that if they believe they can “fly”.
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“There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” is the theme song for the ever popular theme park attraction, Carousel of Progress. There’s a well-known film clip and recording of the song’s composers, Richard and Robert Sherman singing the song during a presentation with Walt Disney. The song also expresses Walt’s optimism about the future. It’s very popular with longtime Disney fans.
Despite having the Thomas Kinkade print hanging on my wall, I’m not a big Peter Pan fan. I do like the Carousel of Progress having visited it in during my first trip to Disney World in 2004.
The Winner is…”There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow”
Ballad of Davy Crockett The theme song for the first ever TV miniseries that was shown on the “Disneyland” TV show in 1954. Because of the show’s popularity the song made the Billboard Top 40 charts 3 times by 3 different artists. The lyrics tell the story of one of America’s most legendary figures. The song represents one of the first examples of the power of television to influence children. In 1954 coonskin caps were everywhere.
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The Mickey Mouse Club March is the most popular Disney song that requires spelling. It is the opening song of the Mickey Mouse Club; a popular daily afternoon kids show aired on ABC network in the mid 50’s. Written by one of two adult Mouseketeers, Jimmy Dodd, this song continues to be associated with Disney’s #1 character and corporate icon: M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E. After all he is the leader of the club that’s made for you and me.
When this bracket was “seeded” there was a 33% chance that this match up would happen. The theme songs of two of the most ground breaking children’s TV shows of the 1950’s. Both were game changers in the world of television. In the context of overall Disney history there’s only one choice to be made here.
The Winner is…”The Mickey Mouse Club March”
“Grim Grinning Ghosts” is a song from a Disney Theme park attraction. The Haunted Mansion is an every popular ever evolving attraction at 4 Disney parks. One of its singers is Thurl Ravenscroft. He was a voice artist who did quite a bit of work for Disney. Fans of the Haunted Mansion are extremely passionate about the attraction. For them “Grim Grinning Ghosts” is the ultimate Disney song.
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“It’s A Small World” Another theme song written by the Sherman Brothers written to convey the universal message of friendship and common ground among all the people of the world. It debuted as part of the UNICEF exhibit sponsored by Pepsi at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. With one of the most hypnotic melodies ever written its message can be heard at versions of this attraction in Disneyland, Walt Disney World and 3 other Disney theme parks worldwide. Yet another iconic Disney song.
While “Grim Grinning Ghosts” is part of one of the most popular Disney theme park attractions outside of that attraction it doesn’t have any main stream popularity. “It’s A Small World” has universal appeal even with those who aren’t familiar with the boat ride.
The Winner is…”It’s A Small World”
Love Songs Bracket
“Nobody Else But You” is the first song in this bracket but it’s not about romantic love rather the love between a father and son. It’s from “The Goofy Movie”. The song is sung by Goofy (voiced by Bill Farmer) and his son, Max (voiced by Aaron Lohr) as they float down a river while sitting on their half-submerged car. The lyrics speak of the fact that despite their differences they prefer to be together. That’s a commitment that’s the sign of true love; like that between a father and son.
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“Belle Notte: Speaking of a romantic song. This one serves as the musical background for one of the most unusual love scenes in movie history. You can’t hear this song without picturing two dogs brought together by a piece of spaghetti.
“Bella Notte” is an infamous song from one of my favorite Disney movies. Believe it or not “Nobody Else But You” always brings a tear to my eye because it reminds me of the relationship I had with my dad. But as far as being the best love song is concerned…
The Winner is…”Bella Notte”
“Now I See The Light”. This song is the love ballad from the latest Disney film, Tangled. It was nominated for an academy award but lost out to “We Belong Together”. It’s the expression of the love between Flynn Rider and Rapunzel brought on by the presence of hundreds of floating lanterns.
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“Can You Feel The Love Tonight” could have been in the Academy Award Winners bracket but better belongs in this one. The reunion of two childhood friends, Simba and Nola, leads to romance as they rediscover each other as adults. The Elton John/Tim Rice composition is the perfect musical romantic expression of that discovery.
Although it fits well within the context of the scene in which its featured “Now I see The Light” reminds me too much of the song “A Whole New World.” It sounds too much like other Alan Menken songs. I like it but it doesn’t sound very original. “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” is an Academy Award winner, enough said.
The Winner is…”Can You Feel The Love Tonight”
Beauty & The Beast: Another Academy Award winning song that’s better as a love song. Whether it’s the duet by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson or the solo by Mrs Potts (voiced by Angela Lansbury) it’s a love song that tells a “tale as old as time.”
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Baby Mine: This lullaby is another musical expression of parental love. Dumbo’s mother has been restrained and can barely reach Dumbo who is outside crying and needs her. But the mother elephant finds a way to reach and comfort her child with this tender song. It’s a sweet and sentimental song and accentuates the bond between mother and child.
Not to make a choice of romantic love over any other type but in the 2nd match up of differnt types of love songs the result is the same: the romance song is the better of the two.
The Winner is…”Beauty & The Beast”
“Ma Belle Evangeline” This song is sung to a figment of the imagination (No not the one from the “Journey into Imagination” attraction at Disney World). The imagination is that of Ray the Cajun firefly in “The Princess and the Frog.” He believes the North Star is a female firefly who’s in love with him. It really serves as the back drop for a bit of romance between the two main characters who are frogs. The song is a double entendre. Ray sings it about a love that doesn’t exist but he believes does while Tiana and Prince Naveen are discovering the love they deny but is obviously there. It’s not a bad song but there’s really nothing special about it.
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“A Whole New World” Speaking a song that has two meanings. This love song does as well. Aladdin takes Princess Jasmine on a carpet ride to places she’s never seen before. All the while the “New World” they sing about actually refers to falling in love for the first time. Yet another Oscar winner by Alan Menken and Tim Rice.
Romance is the common thread in both of these song but one is much better than the other.
The Winner is…”A Whole New World”
Miscellaneous Bracket
“Candle On The Water” is a charming sentimental ballad from “Pete’s Dragon” that deserved to be in this tournament because it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song in 1977. Helen Ready, who played Nora, sings the song. The title refers to a lighthouse. Nora even sings it while standing on the walkway at the top of an actual working lighthouse. I really like the song and it’s metaphor. It may not go far in the tournament but it at least deserved a berth.
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“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” is by far the song from Mary Poppins that is the most fun to sing. I learned the words when I was a kid and sang it for my friends all the time. I remember they liked the part about “my achin nose”. Written by the Sherman Brothers the song’s title is the combination of parts of half a dozen different words to create a new 34 letter word.
The only criteria songs in this category have to meet to advance is just be better than its competition. In this first match up the choice is easy.
The Winner is…“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”
“Little April Showers” An orchestral and choral illustration of Bambi’s observation of his first storm in the forest. It begins with notes from a clarinet making the sound of the initial drops. The chorus then adds descriptive lyrics in a rhythm that mimics the course of the storm. Finally the music and the storm slow ending once again as individual drops. It’s one of my favorite narrative Disney songs.
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“Heigh Ho” Another song from the Disney’s first full length animated feature, Snow White. The song tells the audience just why the dwarfs are living so deep in the woods and what they do. They go to work all day in their diamond mine. It tells the audience that these are regular hard working blue collar guys. In the midst of The Great Depression they had a steady job. They just happen to be short and live together in an isolated cottage.
I really like “Little April Showers” a lot and did my best to find reasons to justify picking it over “Heigh Ho”. But anything that has to do with the seven dwarfs is iconic. Besides how can you not side with a song that’s sung in by evil creatures in a theater in another movie (see the movie theater scene in “Gremlins”)
The Winner is…”Heigh Ho”
“Feed The Birds” A song that sends the global message that as you go through life you need to take notice of those who need you and it doesn’t take much to help. This is yet another Mary Poppins song but it has significance beyond the movie. In many interviews song writer Richard Sherman has told the story of how he was summoned to Walt Disney’s office every Friday afternoon. He’d sit down at the piano and Walt looking out the window with his back toward Sherman would make a simple request. “Play it” he’d say. Sherman knew that he was referring to “Feed The Birds”.
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“Whistle While You Work”. This is a simple little song from Snow White that has become a children’s favorite over the years. I guess it could be considered an ancestor of “Spoonful of Sugar.” Snow White did her best to have a positive outlook while making doing her chores as easy as possible.
If it was good enough to be Walt’s favorite how can I not make it one of mine.
The Winner is…”Feed The Birds”
“Everybody Wants To Be A Cat” from the Aristocats. Thomas O’Malley the alley cat needs a place to crash with Duchess, a damsel in distress, and her kittens. The only place he knows is the hangout of Scat Cat and his jazz band. A song breaks out as the jammin feline musicians make an effort to explain to the kittens that being a cat is where it’s at.
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“He’s A Tramp” from Lady and The Tramp” Caught as a stray and placed in the pound Lady meets some of the Tramp’s “associates”. They regale her with stories of the Tramp’s past and his reputation with other lady dogs. Peg, a stray Pekinese (voiced by Peggy Lee) expresses in song how she and most all of the other lady dogs feel about him.
This last matchup of the first round puts the dogs against the cats. I like “The Aristocats” but “Lady and the Tramp” is one of my top Disney movies and I’m a dog person.
The Winner is…”He’s A Tramp”
This completes Round 1. Come back next time for the first part of Round 2, the category semi-finals.
