Disney Theme Songs

From LoveToKnow Music

Disney theme songs have created some of the most celebrated and memorable moments in the history of musical cinema. When Mickey Mouse's Steamboat Willie broke the sound barrier in 1928, no one could have imagined the colorful musical history that Disney films would create over the next century. The most successful and influential Disney theme songs can be organized into two distinct periods.

The Early Years

Providing musical memories for generation after generation, the roughly thirty-year period from just before World War II to the mid-1960s produced some timeless Disney classics.

The 1940s
  • Pinocchio – Released in 1940, this musical's most memorable moment is the lovable character Jiminy Cricket singing When You Wish Upon a Star. Vocalist Cliff Edwards performance of this track marked the high point of his professional career.
  • Fantasia – Also released in 1940, Fantasia was an atypical musical for Disney in that the film had no dialogue. Leopold Stokowski's classical soundtrack complimented the beautiful animation. The Nutcracker Suite and The Sorcerer's Apprentice are two featured pieces from this classic film.

The 1950s
  • Cinderella – Cinderella's pumpkin coach and glass slipper dazzled audiences when the film was released in 1950. The film's soundtrack also featured some classic theme songs, most notably the Oscar nominated Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, a novelty song featuring lyrics comprised of all gibberish.
  • Alice in Wonderland – Who can forget Alice's fall down the rabbit hole and the amazing adventure that unfolded? This 1951 animated classic features many eclectic songs, but none more memorable than White Rabbit's caffeine and sugar fueled I'm Late, voiced by Bill Thompson.
  • Peter Pan – The Jud Conlon Chorus and The Mellowmen created a vocal "soundscape" for this 1953 musical's soundtrack. The songs You Can Fly! and Never Smile at a Crocodile are two of the film's most memorable.

The 1960s
  • Mary Poppins – Mary Poppins was a runaway success for Disney as the album's soundtrack spent 14 weeks as Billboard's number one album. Most celebrated were the Julie Andrews and Dick Van Patten duets Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Chim Chim Cheree, the latter the winner of an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

The Modern Era

The late 1980s and 1990s period of Disney's history could also be referred to as the Alan Menken years. Menken's songwriting produced a remarkably successful string of commercial and critical hits during this new golden era for the company. Lyricists who have collaborated with Menken through this period include Stephen Schwartz, Tim Rice, and the late Howard Ashman.

  • The Little Mermaid – Disney's relationship with Alan Menken began with 1989's The Little Mermaid. The film's whimsical song Under the Sea, performed by Vanessa Williams, won an Oscar for Best Original Song.
  • Beauty and the Beast – Released in 1991, the title track to Beauty and the Beast featured Peabo Bryson and Celine Dion and won Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal, Duo or Group and Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture.
  • Aladdin – The soundtrack to this modern Disney classic from 1992 sold over three million copies behind the hit single A Whole New World. One again featuring Peabo Bryson, this hit single found him paired with Regina Bell on the ballad A Whole New World. The song won an Oscar for Best Song and a Grammy for Song of the Year and was the only Disney theme song ever to reach number one on the Billboard Pop Chart.
  • The Lion King – Disney's golden touch continued in 1994 with the smash success of The Lion King. Breaking records set just years earlier, The Lion King soundtrack has sold over 10 million copies. The multi-platinum ballad Can You Feel the Love Tonight performed by Elton John was a runaway hit nominated for another Grammy.
  • Pocahontas – The Menken magic continued in the 1995 film Pocahontas. Vanessa Williams' performance of Colors of the Wind was another commercial success and won an Oscar for Best Original Song.

The Magic of Disney Theme Songs

Disney musicals have provided warm memories and quality entertainment for millions of families around the world. From the classics of the early years like Pinocchio and Fantasia to the magical Alan Menken run of successful hits in the 1990s and continuing through today, Disney has consistently managed to create musical magic.

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