The ranking of Disney movie songs continues in part 2 of this new blog series. If this is your first time hearing about this series, here’s the rundown.
I was raised on Disney movies, and the songs were the best part for me. I have treasured memories of singing along to the songs, and because of that, I decided to rank 100 Disney songs! But ranking 100 in one post is too long, so I’ve split it into a 5-part blog series. Part one featured by bottom 20 Disney songs that ranked between #100 to 81. In part two, I’m listing out the next set of Disney songs that rank #80 to 61. A reminder: just because a song is ranked low does not mean I hate the movie. It just means other songs rank higher for me, and it’s okay if you disagree. In fact, tell me if you do! I’d love to hear how other people rank this set of songs.
Here are the movies I’ll be ranking songs from. It isn’t every single song, but it is most of the songs from the following movies.
This one is kind of an awkward set of ranking, an in-between before getting to the top 50 and not seeing the lowest of the low. But bear with me! And take comfort in knowing that if a song you love made it into this ranking, at least it wasn’t in the bottom 20! You’ll notice in my reasoning, that a lot of these songs fall into my “solid” category. I don’t think a lot of these songs are bad, but they don’t quite make it up to the great category. Solid songs, but not favorites by any means. I look at these songs and think to myself, I appreciate what you’re doing, but you’re not on my playlists. Sorry. Are any of these songs on yours?
Let’s get started.
80) “God Help the Outcasts” – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
If you read part one of this ranking, you know that Hunchback isn’t really “my” movie, but this is one of the better songs from the film. So, it made it past the bottom 20, but just barely. Perhaps I’m well overdue for a rewatch!
79) “Waiting on a Miracle” – Encanto
Encanto is one of the better Disney films to come out of the last five years that features music. I love the movie, but this song isn’t one you’d find me throwing on in my own time. The subject matter is great. It’s just not that catchy of a song for me.
78) “Zero to Hero” – Hercules
Ah, Hercules. Another movie I didn’t see much growing up. So, naturally, I don’t feel much about this song. It’s solid, but it isn’t great, in my opinion. I will say however that the vocal range in this one is stunning. Ariana Grande’s cover of this song is cool too, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the range of this original.
77) “Remember Me” – Coco
This is a solid, emotional song from Coco. It could be in part because it’s so sad that I don’t find myself coming back to it often. I appreciate it for what it did, but it’s not a song I am apt to turn on.
76) “Be Prepared” – The Lion King
A solid Lion King song that helps move the plot along, but beyond that, there isn’t much I have to say about it. It’s a middle-of-the-road track for me.
75) “Never Smile at a Crocodile” – Peter Pan
Do you remember those Disney sing-along VHS tapes? I so vividly remember the sing-along for this song on one of my tapes, and I have a warm memory of it. It’s a solid song, and the ticking is a nice touch.
74) “You’ve Got a Friend in Me (Wheezy’s Version)” – Toy Story 2
Wheezy is a cool little penguin, and I love him. But his version of the classic “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” doesn’t hold a candle to the original. I love the jazzy influences, and I love the fun energy of it. This is the ultimate, I appreciate what you’re doing, but you’re just not a favorite.
73) “Little Dressmakers/Work Song” – Cinderella
I can hear the mice singing, “Cinderelly Cinderelly” in my head, and this song definitely makes me nostalgic. There are so many half-songs in Cinderella, so that’s part of why this one is a combination of the two. It’s decent.
72) “Savages” – Pocahontas
This one probably should rank lower for the racist undertones. But I can’t deny that it’s a catchy tune. As a kid, I was scared by this sequence in the movie. The men all looked so hateful, and I was scared for Pocahontas and her tribe. So, it was effective, at the very least. I feel good about this placement. It’s low, but not as low as other forgettable tracks.
71) “Prince Ali” – Aladdin
Aladdin may not have been one of my frequent rewatches, but “Prince Ali” is a solid song. It’s definitely one I can hear the chorus playing in my head as soon as I see the title. It’s actually a song that gets stuck in my head even though it’s not a song I ever seek out. Funny how our brains do that.
70) “Dig a Little Deeper” – The Princess and the Frog
The Princess and the Frog is an underrated movie with some pretty solid songs. This is definitely one of them. I love the vibe of this one. I may not seek it out to play on my own time, but I appreciate it for what it does and the messaging behind it.
69) “You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!” – Peter Pan
There’s nothing like discovering you have a magical ability. This is a cute little song from Peter Pan I enjoy. It’s not one I often search for outside of the movie, but it’s still a catchy, fun song.
68) “Siamese Cat Song” – Lady and the Tramp
These Siamese cats scared me at first, but once my grandma told me kitties were nice and not all like these cats, I started looking forward to their scene and song. I appreciate it for what it is, but it’s not a favorite. Also, it didn’t really age well with time.
67) “Woody’s Roundup” – Toy Story 2
Woody is the “rootinest tootinest cowboy in the wild, wild west” and I love that for him. I love singing along to this song when I’m watching the movie. The ending “Woody’s rooooooundup” always gets stuck in my head. It’s a solid little song, and a great theme for our favorite cowboy Woody.
66) “Some Day My Prince Will Come” – Snow White
Here we have a fun little song about dreaming of the day a handsome prince will whisk the main character away. This time it’s Snow White. It’s one of the earliest examples of this type of song in a Disney movie. Even though the idea of needing a prince to make your life better is a little outdated, it’s a solid song.
65) “Making Christmas” – The Nightmare Before Christmas
I love The Nightmare Before Christmas. Anyone who’s a frequent reader of our blog knows I’m into spooky season, and this movie fits that aesthetic perfectly. This song is a solid one, but there are much better songs in the movie. Hence its ranking here.
64) “When You Wish Upon a Star” – Pinocchio
My grandma used to have a light mobile that would show Disney characters on the ceiling while playing this song. It’s a solid song, and I have good memories of it. Although Pinocchio is a classic, this is another song I don’t seek out often.
63) “Down in New Orleans” – The Princess and the Frog
The Princess and the Frog is a great movie, and “Down in New Orleans” is a great track. I love how atmospheric the songs in this movie are. The jazzy feel of it makes it fun to revisit. That said, I don’t revisit it that often, hence it being dubbed “solid.”
62) “When Will My Life Begin?” – Tangled
This is definitely one of the better stand-out tracks for me from Tangled. The subject matter is a little sad, but it’s sung in such an upbeat way, you can’t help but bop along. It’s a solid opener to a pretty solid movie. Average all around. That might be a hot take, but it’s how I feel.
61) “Where You Are” - Moana
This is at the top of this set of 20 because it’s just so much fun. It’s a solid track, but it’s in my opinion, the best out of the 20 songs listed. The beat is just so catchy and warm. So many voices come together to sing about how much they love their home. I love it. I also just love the message of finding happiness where you are and not always looking toward a mystical future and missing what you have in the present.
Well, folks, we’re one step closer to the top 20, and the top 50 Disney songs are just around the corner. Did I put your favorite song in this middle tier, or is your favorite still yet to be ranked? I’m excited to start getting into my top 50, where I’m sure I’ll have more to say about the songs.
What do you think of this ranking? Do you think any of these songs deserve to be higher? Let me know in the comments!
Keep an eye out for part 3 coming soon which will feature Disney songs ranked in the #60 through #41 range. Thanks for reading and being a part of my world for a few minutes. 😊
Written by Kristen Petronio
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