Nothing fulfills a fantasy like the perfect Disney song. Although we all have our favorites, a few Disney songs will never become extinct. From their melodic content to their intriguing lyrics, these songs will always provide the perfect escape from reality. In a world of passing trends and all things forgettable, here are five Disney songs that will never die.
“Part of Your World” (1989)
Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, “Part of Your World” was the lead single from Disney’s feature film The Little Mermaid. The sentimental ballad was performed by Jodi Benson, who also voiced the film’s lead character, Ariel. “Part of Your World” features Ariel expressing her desire to become human. Additionally, she longs to live a happy life with her love interest, Prince Eric. Although showcased as one of Disney’s most memorable songs, “Part of Your World” never received any awards, nominations, or chart entries during its initial debut.
Disney never released it as a single because they were unsure of how popular it would become. Instead, two of the film’s other songs, “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl,” were nominated for Best Original Song at the 62nd Academy Awards. “Under the Sea” won the award.
In 2023, The Little Mermaid was recreated in its first live adaptation. In this version, Halle Bailey starred as Ariel and covered “Part of Your World”. One month before the film’s release, Bailey’s version was released as a digital download. In June, the soundtrack reached number 1 on the Billboard Top Soundtracks chart and number 21 on the Billboard 200.
“Beauty and the Beast” (1991)
Written by Howard Ashman and composed by Alan Menken, this endearing love theme was first recorded by Angela Lansbury. In her voice role as Mrs. Potts, the veteran actress describes the relationship between the title characters. In the song, Lansbury melodically chronicles how both parties have learned to accept their differences. This move eventually allows them to change each other for the better. Released as the sole single from the film’s soundtrack, “Beauty and the Beast” was later recorded by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson.
Released on November 25, 1991, this version was deemed to be the most popular. Played during the film’s end credits, the song was produced by Walter Afanasieff, who also arranged it with Robbie Buchanan. Both versions of “Beauty and the Beast” were highly successful, winning both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song. Additionally, the song won two Grammy Awards, including one for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. At the 35th Annual Grammy Awards, the song was nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
“A Whole New World” (1992)
Extracted from Aladdin, “A Whole New World” was written by Tim Rice and composed by Alan Menken. The uplifting love song describes a fantasy-filled magic carpet ride. An adventure where Aladdin describes to Princess Jasmine a perfect life together. This perfect life includes freedom and no worries. The original version, sung by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga, won an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 65th Academy Awards. Additionally, it won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song at the 50th Golden Globe Awards.
Although the original version was successful, the pop version proved to be the most significant. Performed by R&B icons Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle, “A Whole New World” is played over the film’s end credits. Also known as “Aladdin’s Theme“, this soulful rendition peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also went gold, selling 600,000 copies. “A Whole New World” also peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart in 1993.
At the 34th Annual Grammy Awards, “A Whole New World” was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals. Winning the latter. This marked Bryson’s second Grammy win and Belle’s first.
“Circle of Life” (1994)
Extracted from Disney’s 1994 blockbuster film, The Lion King, “Circle of Life” was composed by Hans Zimmer and the incomparable Elton John. Also performed by John, the song’s meaningful lyrics were written by Tim Rice. Produced by Chris Thomas, “Circle of Life” is also prominent for its opening line, sung by South African composer Lebo M. The film’s soundtrack featured a plethora of other hits such as “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King”, also written by John and Rice. Brilliantly performed by Jason Weaver, the song remains one of the most beloved sing-along tunes in Disney history.
Ultimately, it’s no surprise that the Lion King Soundtrack remains one of the best-selling soundtracks for an animated film worldwide. In 1994, “Circle of Life” was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Two other songs from the film, “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”, were nominated for the same award, which was won by the latter. The same year, “Circle of Life” was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. At $763 million globally, The Lion King completed its theatrical run as the highest-grossing film of 1994.
“Let It Go” (2013)
2013 was another prolific year for Disney, with the release of another anthem, “Let It Go”. Performed by Tony Award winner Idina Menzel, the song provided motivation for anyone plagued with uncertainty. Its message left listeners feeling that they could conquer any obstacles thrown their way.
Extracted from the popular film Frozen, the song is spotlighted in a memorable scene with Queen Elsa. Also voiced by Menzel, Elsa abruptly leaves her kingdom, once discovering her inability to create ice. She soon has an epiphany and realizes that she doesn’t need to conceal her inability. She then takes delight in using her power freely while totally disregarding other people’s assumptions of her. “Let It Go” is Menzel’s first single to reach the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
As of December 2014, the song had sold 3.5 million copies in the US. “Let It Go” also reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also won both the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2014 and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media in 2015. Overall, the song has gained global recognition, becoming one of the most recorded Disney songs in history.
In these ever-changing times, it’s rare for music to remain ageless. This is a quality that much of today’s music just doesn’t possess. Despite this, it is comforting to know that some music will never leave us. As pure as an enchanting fairytale, Disney songs will always remain the glitter-filled soundtrack to our hearts.
