With the 94th Academy Awards about to air in March, now is a good opportunity to look back at some of the previous winners. Disney music and films are frequently included at the Academy Awards. With Lin-Manuel Miranda’s wonderful song Dos Oruguitas, Encanto has been nominated for the best original song this year. This category has a lot of stiff competition. Down to Joy from Belfast, Somehow You Do from Four Good Days, Be Alive from King Richard, and No Time to Die from No Time to Die are among the nominees.
Disney has a flair for crafting some of the most amazing original music, and Disney songs have been nominated for 42 Academy Awards for Best Original Song, winning 14. We’ll go back to the 1940s in this post, remembering and evaluating the top Oscar-winning Disney tunes.
9/9 Can You Feel the Love Tonight — The Lion King
With so many famous Disney songs featured in the film, it may come as a surprise to some that this one was named the greatest original song. This ballad, on the other hand, has it all. It begins with a charming Timon and Pumbaa introduction and progresses to a stunning symphonic symphony that envelops the entire film. Joseph Williams as Simba and Sally Dworsky as Nala sing well in this song. This song was written by Tim Rice and Elton John, and while it may not be the first song that comes to mind when you think of The Lion King, it is the ideal conclusion of themes from the movie.
8/9 A Whole New World — Aladdin
The song was written by Alan Menken and Tim Rice, and it was first performed by Brad Kane as Aladdin and Lea Salonga as Jasmine. This wonderful song recounts Aladdin and Jasmine’s amazing magic carpet voyage as their love for one another deepens. During the credit scene of Aladdin, the song is also performed in a pop version.
7/9 Under the Sea — The Little Mermaid
This ballad from The Little Mermaid is influenced by Calypso, a form prominent in Trinidad and Tobago, and is one of the most well-known Disney songs. The song, delivered by Samuel E. Wright as Sebastian, is intended to persuade Ariel to stay at sea rather than pursue her ambition to become a human. This song was also the major production number in Tituss Burgess’s performance as Sebastian in the 2007 Broadway musical adaptation.
6/9 Chim Chim Cher-ee — Mary Poppins
The Mary Poppins song is the oldest of the Disney songs on our list today (though Disney Best Original Song Oscars date back to 1940, with Pinocchio), and it’s about the mythology of chimney sweeps and the good fortune that comes to people who shake their hand. This classic song is a wonder because of the ominous and deep music and the wonderful vocals of Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews. The song was composed by Robert and Richard Sherman and was inspired by an artwork drawn by Don DaGradi, the film’s scriptwriter.
5/9 You’ll Be in My Heart — Tarzan
Phil Collins created the music for Brother Bear and Tarzan II in addition to this film’s soundtrack and garnered two further Oscar nominations for Best Original Song in the 1980s (but not for Disney songs). Collins, a highly gifted musician who works outside of the film industry, brings a lot of passion to the situations when his music is performed. Interestingly, instead of having the actors perform the singing, filmmakers Kevin Lima and Chris Buck chose to utilize Collins’ songs as a type of narration, which works brilliantly to illustrate the larger-than-life story.
4/9 Colors of the Wind — Pocahontas
Returning to the custom of characters singing, Pocahontas gives John Smith an emotive explanatory plea to respect nature in this moment. Alan Menken and Stephan Schwartz created the song, which Judy Kuhn sang the words for. The music sounds fantastic, and the lyrics are tremendously moving and convey a moral message that is just as relevant now as it was in 1995. The lovely ode to mother nature is a visual feast of light and color, which perfectly complements the similarly vibrant melody. This song’s combination with its location in the film is what truly distinguishes it as one of the finest Disney originals.
3/9 Remember Me — Coco
This is one of the most conceptually significant Disney songs since it is played in a variety of genres and versions and appears as a pattern throughout Coco. The first, more acoustic song, is sung by Hector in a flashback to his great-great-grandson Miguel, and then by Miguel to Mama Coco. The second version is sung by Miguel’s idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, while a third duet-style longer version is heard during the film’s credits. The song is really nice and vital within the setting of the film, being used to construct an even more emotional history.
2/9 Let It Go — Frozen
In recent years, this song has risen to become one of the most renowned Disney tunes. With the film’s popularity, the song brought out the crown of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the first Disney original to do so since Pocahontas’ Colors of the Wind; now, We Don’t Talk About Bruno has also notched up similar success. The song revolves around an emotive montage of Queen Elsa abandoning her kingdom in order to build her own castle. The song was written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, with lyrics sung by Idina Menzel, who plays Elsa.
1/9 If I Didn’t Have You — Monsters Inc.
This song, which is included in the credits of Monsters Inc, is the ideal way to put an end to a fantastic film. Randy Newman wrote the song; however, instead of performing this song as his usual role, he takes a break and passes the torch to John Goodman and Billy Crystal. Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote the song, while Idina Menzel, who plays Elsa, sang the lyrics. If I Didn’t Have You, as a credit sequence music, can easily stand on its own without any visual accompaniment, and it keeps people glued to their seats long after the film has ended. The song showcases Mike and Sully’s happy relationship and concludes the film in a witty, pleasant, and light-hearted tone.
