Everyone has a favorite Disney movie. Disney was there for most of us growing up and it filled our imagination, and probably gave us unrealistic expectations of life and love. It also gave us some of the most adored and memorable songs in history! This is a list of the Ten Best Disney Songs. The list includes only one song from each movie.
10 You’ll Be in My Heart
Tarzan
Written by Phil Collins, This won an Academy Award (like most on this list) for Best Original Song. This song relaunched Phil Collins’ career after being virtually unknown to younger generations.
9 Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
Song of the South
Written by Allie Wrubel and Ray Gilbert, this is a song most people know because it has become such a part of our culture. It also was the opening theme music for most Disney movies and TV shows for years.
8 Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag)
Mary Poppins
Written by the Sherman Brothers, this song will probobly be the most argued on the list. This scene has a begger women giving bread crumbs to the locals for a tuppence and to the birds of course. The song is a very different and serious in contrast to the rest of the movie. Therefore I gave it the nod, and because I find the scene to be one of the best in any film.
7 Colors of the Wind
Pocahontas
Written by Alan Menkin and Stephen Schwartz, it won the 1995 Academy Award for best song. It was the highest ranked song when it comes to the American pop charts - reaching number four. It is the most cherished song in the movie by far and it very fairly shows you how the Native Americans view the world around them.
6 Someday My Prince Will Come
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
Written by Larry Morey and Frank Churchill, this song appears 17th on AFI’s best songs in film history! This song is known for being an influence not only on Disney movies, but Jazz, and an entire generation of women looking for a prince.
5 Kiss the Girl
The Little Mermaid
Also written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, this song was also nominated but it lost to the other “Little Mermaid” song “Under the Sea”. This song is on the list however because I find it rather gorgeous and beautifully sung.
4 Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast
Written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, it is sung by one of my favorites: Angela Lansbury. It brought more people to tears then almost any other song in disney history. It won best song at the Academy Awards, the Grammy’s, and the Canadian Film awards (a Juno award).
3 A Whole New World
Aladdin
An Alan Menkin and Tim Rice work, it is arguably the most cherished duet in Disney history. It went on to win Numerous awards at the Oscars and Grammy awards where it took home the Song of the Year award.
2 When You Wish Upon a Star
Pinocchio
Written by Ned Washington and Leigh Harline, it won the Academy Award for best original song in 1940. It is seventh, and the highest ranking disney song on AFI’s 100 greatest songs in film history.
1 Circle of Life
Lion King
Written by Elton John and Tim Rice this song is no doubt one of the best written songs in any movie. I could have really picked one of about 4 songs from this amazing movie and not gotten much opposition. Though it did not win the award for best song (’Can you Feel the Love Tonight?’ did) It has become more of an overall fan favorite especially after the Broadway musical really made this song the Best Disney song of all time.
Notable Omissions: Bells of Notre Damn, Once Upon a Dream, A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes, Bare Necessities.
Contributor: Schiesl