Happy October! To celebrate the spookiest month of the year, all of my rankings posts will be related to Disney villains or Halloween content in some way. To start off this month's creepy content, let's look at some of my favorite songs ever: Disney villain ballads.
If you check out 3 Reasons Why Disney Songs are More Than Just Bops, you'll read about some of the storytelling techniques used in Disney villain songs. And as smart as the villain ballad can be, these catchy tunes are also just really fun.
Here is my ranking of the top 17 Disney villain songs. This only includes Disney animated films—so no live-action movies like Hocus Pocus, no remakes (musical or live-action), and no television music.
Where will "Friends on the Other Side" make it on this list? Or will it even make it? Read on to find out.
Photo retrieved from Daily Dot.
17 A Pirate's Life/ The Elegant Captain Hook (Peter Pan)
Oh, how I wish one of my favorite villains had a heart-stopping villain ballad—though I do acknowledge that Captain Hook isn't really the type of villain to have a villain song. He's not serious enough for that. Regardless, these short interludes of music are pretty catchy, but that's about it.
16 Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee (Pinnochio)
Forgot about this song? Most people have, which is why it's ranked so low. But listening to only a few seconds will bring up buried memories, and although it's a rather simple song, it only takes one listen to get it stuck in your head
15. Savages (Pocahontas)
A truly evil song. It sort of reminds me of The Mob Song with its mob mentality against a person/group of people. The lyrics can be hard to listen to, but it's a compelling look into the antagonists' twisted perspectives, and it's much more complex than the greedy "Mine, Mine, Mine"—which you'll notice did not make the list. Yet, for some reason, the song just doesn't quite stick with me, but that may be because Pocahontas as a whole doesn't rank high in my favorite movies.
14 Prince Ali Reprise (Aladdin)
The only regrettable thing about my favorite movie is the lack of a villain song. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman tried four times to create a villain song for Jafar, but nothing quite fit the storytelling except this short reprise. It's fun, it's a bop, but this short play off of a previous song just isn't enough to pack a punch like our other evil ballads.
13. Trust in Me (The Jungle Book)
Both villain songs from The Jungle Book lose a few points because they're not from the main villain (Shere Kan has a dramatic line in "That's What Friends Are For," but no song). Yet, the hypnotic song from the snake uses just about every snake slither it can in the song, and it's a fun one to listen to (unless you're my mom who always makes me turn it off if I play it near her because she doesn't like snakes).
12. I Wanna Be Like You (The Jungle Book)
Like "Trust in Me," King Louis' ballad doesn't have the same punch that a main villain song can pack. In fact, I almost forgot this was a villain song because it feels more like a catchy bop to dance around to. Points for catchiness, but reductions for the lack of any real villainy.
11 Shiny (Moana)
A BOP. It loses a few points since Tamatoa isn't the main villain and the song is purely there for fun, but fun does it deliver.
Need some cheering up? Go ahead and give "Shiny" a listen. I guarantee it will boost your mood.
10 Kidnap the Sandy Claws (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
Another bop—but it doesn't quite pack the same punch as the others. Perhaps because it's hard to think of the kids as villains? Or maybe because in a song full of monsters and Halloween fun, the villain songs have trouble sticking out? Regardless, it's another fun one to listen to, especially during the Halloween season.
9 Oogie Boogie Song (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
Everything that applies to "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" also applies here. "Oogie Boogie Song" ranks a spot higher for a few reasons. First, it's sung by the central villain, and as a result, affects the plot more than "Kidnap the Sandy Claws." Second, we get to see actual villainy happening during the song, and whenever a villain song is paired with a villain action, the music is much more effective. Finally, I could listen to the smooth tenor and jazzy undertones for days and never get tired of it.
8 Cruella de Vil (101 Dalmations)
Such a classic villain song—in fact, this was one of the very first. "Cruella de Vil" is an interesting villain song because it's sung about the villain, not by the villain. Normally, this would make the song less impactful, but "Cruella de Vil" makes it work. The lyrics are smart, and because the villain isn't singing the song, we get some fun commentary about Cruella de Vil:
"This vampire bat, this inhuman beast
She ought to be locked up and never released
The world was such a wholesome place until
Cruella, Cruella de Vil"
The song also serves as a bit of fun irony because Roger, who sings the song, doesn't actually know about Cruella de Vil's true villainy. He's singing the song to make fun of his wife's friend who is just a bit mean. Its catchiness is different from bops like "Shiny" or "Oogie Boogie Song," but it resonates nonetheless.
7 Hellfire (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)
Does it get points for being so dark and complex or are points taken away since this is so dark for children? Depends on who you ask. Regardless of the audience, the song is a masterpiece. The fiery visuals paired with the twisted lyrics and dark musical undertones create a true villain song. However, I'm not sure I would spend my days bopping and singing along to "Hellfire," which is why this powerful song only comes in as number seven.
6 Mother Knows Best/Mother Knows Best Reprise (Tangled)
One of the best parts about this song is that every terrible thing Mother Gothel warns Rapunzel about can be traced back to her—the red paintbrush she uses to draw the "men with pointy teeth," the mop she prods Rapunzel with for "large bugs, the darkness caused from her snuffing out the candles. All circle back to the idea that the only bad person Rapunzel needed to worry about was Mother Gothel. Smart storytelling aside, the first "Mother Knows Best" is a total bop, and the reprise is a masterpiece. While in the original, Mother Gothel is still masquerading as a protagonist, her careful grip has nearly slipped at the end, and Rapunzel slowly starts to notice. The faux concerned mother in the first song has become the critical, vicious villain in the reprise. The writers had fun playing with the lyrics in the reprise, creating a phenomenal part two to Mother Gothel's villain ballad. I definitely recommend paying close attention to the lyrics and contrast between the two:
Both the original and the reprise are fun to listen to, but the lyrics, lighting, and coloring make "Mother Knows Best" stand out.
5 The Mob Song (Beauty and the Beast)
From the irony of the illiterate Gaston making a Macbeth reference to the perfect portrayal of mob mentality, "The Mob Song" covers all the bases. The scare tactics Gaston uses are actually frightening, and the song furthers the plot and introduces us to the climax of the movie. Gaston is an interesting villain because he becomes more vicious as the story goes on, transforming from a representation of toxic masculinity to an unforgivable villain. "The Mob Song" is the perfect switch to show this transformation, and we get the bonus of seeing Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts' reactions to the mob. And to make it better, the song is a total bop.
4 Friends on the Other Side (The Princess and the Frog)
Easily the best song in the movie, "Friends on the Other Side" is effective across many fonts: structure, plot, imagery, overall BOP quality. The song itself tells a story and provides us background information on the characters, especially Lawrence and his hatred against Naveen. The deep vocals and scales of Dr. Facilier match the tone of the song, and the story arc of learning about Naveen's and Lawrence's wishes, watching them believe they will achieve it, and ending with the official beginning of Dr. Facilier's villainy is impressively accomplished in a three-minute song. The added dramatic irony ups the tension of the song, and the voodoo visuals are especially enjoyable to watch.
3 Poor Unfortunate Souls (The Little Mermaid)
The first villain song in a princess movie, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" piloted the now-common princess villain ballad. For that alone, it gets major bonus points. "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is a sassy song with demeaning lyrics and manipulation: what more could you want for a villain song? Like "Friends on the Other Side," this song is made more tense and enjoyable by the fact that the audience knows what Ursula is up to while clueless Arielle hasn't picked up on the obvious fact that the sea witch is evil. From the strange lyrics of "Beluga sevruga/
Come winds of the Caspian Sea/Larengix glaucitis/ Et max laryngitis/ La voce to mehe X" to the adult humor in the suggestive "Don't underestimate the importance of body language," "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is a fun bop that we would all immediately belt out in the car.
2 Be Prepared (The Lion King)
I know that for many people, Scar's ballad is their favorite villain song, and I totally get it. Jeremy Irons and Jim Cummings' performance is iconic. Yes, I listed two people as the singers for "Be Prepared." Irons, the voice of Scar, blew out his voice while singing, and Cummings, who played Ed the hyena, had to take over near the end.
Other than the great performance of two dastardly villains, "Be Prepared" sticks out with its clever lyrics and impactful imagery, which as I mention in my musical analysis post, reflects political tyranny. It's an effective song because it furthers the plot; provides a clear insight into Scar's motivations, character, and personality; and draws on historical contexts to tell us more about the story.
Oh, and most importantly, it's a total bop.
1 Gaston (Beauty and the Beast)
This isn't just my favorite Disney villain song; it's in my top ten, no top five favorite Disney songs of all time (I can't say it's my favorite because I'm way too indecisive to choose a singular favorite song). If you want an explicit reason why this song reigns supreme, head over to 3 Reasons Why Disney Songs are More Than Just Bops.
The basics are this: the clever and rhythmic lyrics guarantee that this song will be catchy; the tune solidifies it. Gaston breaks down the normal villain song tone. We don't get dramatic or deep tones or laments over how the world is unfair or the diabolical plan to ruin the protagonists' lives. No, instead we get a three-minute-long ego boost for Gaston because Belle rejected his marriage proposal. It's hilarious, and the boasting of Gaston perfectly matches his motivations in the movie and one of the film's main critiques: toxic masculinity. Though "toxic masculinity" wasn't a term in the '90s, there's no doubt that Gaston perfectly emulates it. Aggressiveness? Check. Dominance? Check. Violence? Check—the song is one of the best definitions and examples of toxic masculinity, and considering its 1991 release date, the social commentary is rather impressive.
Need another reason to love this song? Take the lyric "I use antlers in all of my decorating!" If you walked up to someone who knew nothing about Beauty and the Beast, gave them this lyric, and then asked them to guess what type of person Gaston is, chances are, they could give you a very accurate description. This lyric is one of the best character descriptions out there, and it's only eight letters long.
Of course I had to throw in the video of the best villain song out there.
I know many of you have different songs in your top five or even top ten. What is your favorite villain song? Did I leave out any of your favorites? Add a comment or send me a message!
Until later, have courage and be kind.
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