It's everywhere. The horribly catchy Oscar-winning song from the cartoon film that everyone saw except you. Until last year, Disney hadn't made a movie anyone cared about in over a decade. When Frozen came out, no one could possibly have predicted its quick rise to ubiquity. But now you can't escape the masses of preteens, toddlers and adults belting in zombie-like unison, "The cold never bothered me anyway."
It's not even a very good song, the lyrics pander and the melody is one-note. Sure, I couldn't write it, but even the songwriters admit that some of the lyrics sound like they were written by a drag queen. Let's step back in time, shall we? To the days of Elton John writing the music to The Lion King or Alan Menken's stunning compositions for Beauty and the Beast. The next time you find yourself trapped in an icy vortex of "Let it Go" on repeat, here are 10 better songs from animated films to melt away the brain freeze.
"Tale as Old as Time" from Beauty and the Beast Tell me this doesn't send you back to the good old days of childhood, before the liberal media taught you that Disney princesses were terrible feminists and the princes practically invented misogyny. This song is absolutely gorgeous: the understated piano melody, with the sweeping flutes and the sweet lyrics sung by Angela Lansbury's dear old Mrs. Potts.
Just Around the River Bend - Extended Clip on Disney Video
"Just Around the River Bend" from Pocahontas
I'm not here to debate the muddied historical facts I learned from Pocahontas. We're talking song quality. This adventurous anthem contains the rising melodies that hooked millions upon millions of children on the Disney brand. Judy Kuhn's (not Lea Salonga's as previously stated) silky voice floats between the bursts of symphonic magic.
Kiss the Girl - Clip - The Little Mermaid on Disney Video
"Kiss the Girl" from The Little Mermaid
Because Sebastian is one of the best animated characters ever written.
"A Whole New World" from Aladdin Two rebellious teenagers flying into the night on a magic carpet. Perhaps the only Disney song that is sung too often at karaoke. Dare I say, it's one of the most stunning duets ever written.
"Once Upon a December" from Anastasia This is one princess who wasn't owned by Disney. This 20th Century Fox flick imagined the life of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia if she had survived the execution of her family, as some folktales claimed.
"The Bare Necessities" from The Jungle Book When I was a kid, I had a great fondness of bears thanks to Baloo. What a lovable guy. "Now when you pick a pawpaw, or a prickly pear and you prick a raw paw, next time beware. Don't pick the prickly pear by the paw. When you pick a pear try to use the claw. But you don't need to use the claw when you pick a pear of the big pawpaw. Have I given you a clue?"
"Here I Am" from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron If I was fond of bears, my littler self was obsessed with horses. When Dreamworks released this flick in 2002, it played on a loop in our house. And you know what, the soundtrack by Bryan Adams is pretty damn good. I enjoyed it even as a teenager who was "over" cartoon movies.
Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat - Extended Clip - The Aristocats on Disney Video
"Ev'rybody wants to be a Cat" from The Aristocats
"Blow some of that sweet stuff my way." It's catchy; it's clever; it's jazz, baby.
"Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty Mmmmm, the good old days.
"The Circle of Life" from The Lion King I'll leave you with this song, because if it doesn't send waves of nostalgia through you, you're beyond hope. Now, go out and listen to animated songs all day if you'd like. But listen to the good stuff and stop pretending that "Let it Go" is the best thing that ever happened.
