#elton john had a banger soundtrack for this movie

[daily-uquiz]

[obtusemedia]

Ranking Lady Gaga's albums, from worst to best

Being a Lady Gaga fan can be an exercise in frustration.

Gaga is far more ambitious than most popstars — I doubt we’ll ever see Ariana Grande or Ed Sheeran make an album as left-field as Born This Way or ARTPOP. But she's also far less consistent, with numerous misbegotten projects.

Gaga's undeniably successful, with five #1 hits, an Oscar and multiple iconic music videos to her name. But her messy album rollouts and tradition of underperforming lead singles make her feel like an underdog compared to the more polished, precise careers of her contemporaries like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé or Bruno Mars.

Gaga is kind of a mess. But she's our mess. This album ranking will cover some records I can't stand — albums that make me constantly hit the fast-forward button, or albums I ignore altogether. But there isn't a single record on here that wasn't a bold move. Even the "back to basics" albums made strong aesthetic choices.

So let's dive into the career of the most fascinating Millennial popstar.

#8: Cheek To Cheek (2014)

This really shouldn't count. It's a Lady Gaga album in name only. But, technically it's a Gaga album, so here we are.

I've got nothing against Gaga having fun playing Rat Pack-era dress-up with Tony Bennett. She's a theatre kid at heart, and I'm sure every theatre kid would kill to make a Great American Songbook covers record like this. It sounds like she and Tony enjoyed themselves, so I'm happy for them!

...but I'm sorry. I can't be objective about Cheek To Cheek, it's the opposite of my taste. There's only so many bland lounge ballads I can take.

BEST SONGS: I have to pick one? "Anything Goes" is cute, I guess.

WORST SONG: "Sophisticated Lady"

#7: A Star Is Born (2018)

Let me first make this clear — A Star Is Born, the movie starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga? It's a masterpiece. It's electrifying and tragic and I'm still upset it didn't sweep the Oscars that year. There's even a cute dog! You won't hear me say a bad word about it.

But A Star Is Born, the accompanying soundtrack? It's extremely hit-and-miss.

Yes, it includes arguably Gaga's best-ever song and one of the greatest movie hits ever written, "Shallow." And there's plenty of other great tunes in the tracklist too — "Always Remember Us This Way," "I'll Never Love Again," the "La Vie En Rose" cover.

Even the country-rock songs from Bradley Cooper (who, reminder, is not a professional singer) are mostly good! "Black Eyes" RIPS, and "Maybe It's Time" feels like a long-lost classic.

But sadly, there are so many mediocre filler tracks on this thing. The second half of A Star Is Born's hour-plus runtime (Gaga's longest!) is padded with generic songs like "Look What I've Found," "Heal Me" and "I Don't Know What Love Is." The only good one out of the bunch is the silly, intentionally-bad "Why Did You Do That?"

In the movie, these filler tracks serve a point – they're meant to show Gaga's character selling out. They work in the movie when you hear them for a few seconds and see Cooper make a drunkly disappointed scowl. But I don't want to listen to them, and sadly, they make up half the album.

In other words — A Star Is Born would've made an incredible six or seven-song EP. But as an 63-minute-long record? It's a slog.

BEST SONGS: "Shallow", "Always Remember Us This Way," "Maybe It's Time"

WORST SONG: "Heal Me"

#6: Joanne (2016)

After Born This Way and ARTPOP, I get why Gaga needed to make a more lowkey, back-to-basics album. I also understand that many of these songs have extremely personal lyrics for her.

But is a down-to-earth album what I really want from our most outré popstar? Not really.

Luckily, Joanne is better than that description suggests. Yes, there are some bland acoustic ballads and awkward hippie-era throwbacks (two styles that are really not in Gaga's wheelhouse), but there's also some Springsteen-style heartland rockers! And those go hard in the paint.

Joanne works best when Gaga works the record's dusty aesthetics into her brand of weirdo pop, like on the sizzling "John Wayne," the winking "A-YO" or the delightfully extra Florence Welch duet "Hey Girl."

The record also has "Perfect Illusion" — a glorious red herring of a lead single that sounds nothing like anything else on Joanne. It's a roided-up mixture of woozy Tame Impala production and hair metal histrionics, and it rules. It might be Gaga's best-ever lead single! (at the very least, it's her most underrated.)

And there is one slow tune that's unambiguously great: "Million Reasons," another solid Gaga lighters-in-the-air power ballad pastiche.

Despite what some Little Monsters may tell you, Joanne isn't a disaster. There's some great stuff in there, and even the worst songs are just forgettable. But it's still far from her best.

BEST SONGS: "Perfect Illusion," "Diamond Heart," "Million Reasons"

WORST SONG: "Come To Mama"

#5: Chromatica (2020)

When Chromatica was released near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it had been seven years since Gaga had released music in her classic gonzo-synthpop vein. I can easily picture the record serving as an "ugh fine, I'll give you what you want" response to the many Little Monsters annoyed with Gaga's half-decade of folksy ballads and Julie Andrews cosplay.

I'll say this about Chromatica — outside of The Fame Monster, it's her most consistent record. There's not a single track that's a glaring mistake. And the three singles — "Stupid Love," "911" and the triumphant Ariana Grande duet "Rain On Me" — easily stand among her best tracks.

But although "all bangers, no ballads" album sounds rad in theory, it doesn't really succeed in practice. Chromatica is solid, but it's also a very same-y record. It feels like Gaga had one really great idea for the album ('90s club music with super-depressing lyrics) and repeated it over and over and over again to diminishing results.

There are some songs that are able to separate themselves: the three singles, of course, as well as the goofy "Babylon" and "Sine From Above," the Elton John duet that's the closest Chromatica gets to a ballad. But by the end of the album, you feel more worn out than electrified.

Also — and this is probably unfair, but still — Chromatica came out just a couple months after another retro-dance blockbuster pop album: Dua Lipa's magnum opus, Future Nostalgia. That's not a flattering comparison.

BEST SONGS: "Rain On Me," "Stupid Love," "911"

WORST SONG: "1000 Doves"

#4: The Fame (2008)

Out of all of Gaga's records, The Fame is most like a time capsule. It REEKS of late '00s/early '10s pop — which isn't an entirely fair criticism, seeing as Gaga popularized that era's sleazy, synthy aesthetic. It's also not a bad thing! I don't mind a little nostalgia!

As you already know, The Fame's singles are masterworks. "Just Dance," "Poker Face," "Paparazzi" — these tracks have titanic legacies for good reason. And although it's probably the least-beloved of this album's hits, despite being a total banger, "LoveGame" should still be commended for having arguably the most Gaga lyric ever (you know, the "disco stick" line).

And even though those tracks are front-loaded on The Fame, there are some gems deeper in the tracklist. "Summerboy" is basically Gwen Stefani covering The Strokes (so obviously, it's great). "Eh, Eh" is adorable. "Starstruck" is the most 2008 song ever recorded, with aggressive Auto-Tune and Flo Rida showing up to make Starbucks jokes.

Sadly, The Fame still feels like Gaga before she became fully-formed at certain points. The back half has a number of songs that feel like generic club tracks forced by the label, and "Paper Gangsta" is one of the clunkiest songs in Gaga's catalogue.

But at the very least, the bad songs on The Fame at least serve as little nostalgia bombs for that era of pop. And the best songs are untouchable classics.

BEST SONGS: "Paparazzi," "Just Dance," "Summerboy"

WORST SONG: "Paper Gangsta"

#3: ARTPOP (2013)

For much of Gaga's career, she's been ahead of the curve. She tries something, and a year or a few years later, other popstars try something similar to diminishing results.

That doesn't just apply to the successful stuff, like Gaga's extravagant music videos inspiring many copycats from 2010-2013. It also applies to the mid-late '10s trend of legacy popstars making a controversial record with risky aesthetic or lyrical choices that backfired: reputation. Witness. Man of The Woods.

Gaga did this first, with ARTPOP — arguably the most abrasive, and bizzare major label album released by a major modern popstar. And she did it better, because unlike Swift, Perry and Timberlake, Gaga's weirdness was for real. And it was in service of some prime, hyper-aggressive bangers.

ARTPOP isn't Gaga's best work — some of her experiments on it are major misfires, from the obnoxious "Mary Jane Holland" to the bland Born This Way leftover (and Romani slur-utilizing) "Gypsy."

But when ARTPOP is on, it's ON. The opening stretch in particular, from "Aura" to "Venus" to "G.U.Y." to "Sexxx Dreams," is chaotic synthpop at its finest. Those songs took Gaga's classic sound to an apocalyptic, demented extreme, and they're fantastic.

"MANiCURE" is a great glam-rock banger, "Dope" is another classic Gaga piano ballad, the title track is some sikly-smooth dreampop; even the misguided, clunky trap anthem "Jewels N' Drugs" is bad in a hilarious, charming way!

Trust me: ARTPOP will go down in history not as a flop, but as a gutsy, underrated record from a legend. Less Witness, more In Utero.

BEST SONGS: "G.U.Y.," "Venus," "Sexxx Dreams"

WORST SONG: "Gypsy"

#2: The Fame Monster (2009)

Objectively speaking, this is probably the best Gaga album.

It's her one record with no fluff, no filler — only 34 minutes and 8 tracks, all of them stellar.

It's the record that took Gaga from "wow, this new woman is a fresh new face in pop!" to "this woman IS pop."

It's the record with her signature track, "Bad Romance," which was accompanied by arguably the greatest music video of the 21st Century. (It also has my absolute favorite Gaga track, the relentlessly catchy "Telephone.")

I don't think I need to explain what makes mega-smashes "Bad Romance" and "Telephone" and "Alejandro" great, nor the accompanying legendary deep cuts "Speechless" and "Dance In The Dark." They speak for themselves.

However — the sleek, calculated perfection of The Fame Monster, while incredible, isn't something I return to often. It's just not the side of Gaga that's my favorite. That honor would have to go to...

BEST SONGS: "Telephone," "Dance In The Dark," "Bad Romance"

WORST SONG: "So Happy I Could Die" (but it's still pretty solid)

#1: Born This Way (2011)

One of my favorite podcasts is Blank Check. The concept of the show is to analyze each movie by a famous director — in particular, those who had big success early on and then got a blank check to make whatever crazy passion project they wanted. Here's a great example: because Batman was a massive hit, Tim Burton got to make whatever Hot Topic-core movies he wanted to for decades, from Edward Scissorhands to a creepy Willy Wonka remake.

That long-winded tangent is just to say: Born This Way was Lady Gaga's blank check. By early 2011, she had conquered the pop universe, notching hit after hit after hit. Every other pop star was copying her quirky music videos. So the label let Gaga do whatever she wanted — and she didn't waste that opportunity.

Born This Way is wildly overproduced. It's both extremely trend-chasing (those synths were cutting edge at the time but charmingly dated now), but also deeply uncaring about what the teens want (I don't think Springsteen and Queen homages were big at the time). And I love every messy, overblown second of it.

From the hair-metal/synthpop hybrid opener "Marry The Night" to the majestic '80s power ballad "The Edge of Glory," Born This Way starts at an 11. And Gaga never takes her foot off the pedal for the album's entire hour-plus run time. Clanging electric guitars, thunderous synths and Clarence Clemons (!!!) sax solos collide into each other as Gaga champions every misfit and loser in the world. It's gloriously corny in the best way possible.

Born This Way is also the perfect middle ground of pop-savvy Gaga and gonzo Gaga. It doesn't go quite as hard as ARTPOP, but the hooks are stronger. And the oddball moments are tons of fun, from the sci-fi biker anthem "Highway Unicorn" to the goofy presidential-sex banger "Government Hooker" ("Put your hands on me/John F. Kennedy" might be the greatest line in pop history).

Born This Way will always be my favorite Gaga album. It's armed with nuclear-grade hooks, slamming beats, and soaring anthems. Although it's not as untouchably pristine as the Mt. Rushmore of '10s pop classics (for the record, that's 1989, EMOTION, Lemonade and, of course, Melodrama), Gaga isn't best served by meticulousness. She's proudly tacky and histrionic, and so that's what makes Born This Way an utter joy.

BEST SONGS: "The Edge of Glory," "You and I," "Marry The Night"

WORST SONG: "Bloody Mary"

[saeyoungs-sunflower]

music shuffle game tag!

Thank you for the tag, @truth-be-told-im-lying !! I love tag games!💞

Easy rules! Just put your music library on shuffle and list the first 10 songs, giving a few lines on each if you want to!

1. The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkel: Haha a good start! I adore these guys, and folk is my favourite genre. Genius song with a focus on narrative, and those harmonies mmmm GORGEOUS.

2. Theme of King J.J. - Yuri!!! on Ice: HAHAHA well I have been exposed. This is my favourite anime, and say what you want about JJ but you gotta admit this song is such a banger I’m sorry. It’s in my ‘confidence’ playlist HAHAHA

3. Whispers - Passenger: GUYS. Probably one of my favourite songs of all time. I have sobbed to this song so many times. If you wanna know more about me, listen to this song. The lyrics just...ughhh such a good song.

4. Haven’t Met You Yet - Michael Buble: No, I am not a middle-aged woman. Yes, I love Michael Buble, and not just his Christmas album. Just a great feel good song, ya know? Usually have it playing when I’m getting ready in the morning lol

5. I’m Not Here - Me + T: Bit of a random one (obvs it’s a shuffle challenge Sunny duh). From a movie of the same name, starring Sebastian Stan (LOVE that man). Fun fact, I had to go to counselling after watching that movie so there’s that haha, watch with precaution.

6. Down in New Orleans - Dr John: Of course Disney was gonna come at some point, right? From ‘The Princess and the Frog’, which I think is very underrated. Out of all the Disney princess movies, it’s got the best soundtrack in my opinion. Love a bit of jazz.

7. Castle Street - Lewis Watson: Very pretty, I really like Lewis’ music. He writes really genuine lyrics and beautiful melodies. Another folk artist who I love, very underrated so I recommend giving him a listen! ‘Windows’ is another song of his that I adore.

8. Don’t Let the Sun Go Down - Oleta Adams: This is the best version of this song, in my opinion. Powerful, emotional, AMAZING. I do love Elton John and George Michael, but Oleta wins this one for me. One of my dad’s favourite songs, so maybe that’s why I love it so much.

9. Anthem - Chess in Concert: Oh Lord here comes my theatre side. Very powerful, and pretty topical actually. From the musical ‘Chess’, I’ve never seen the show but my brother showed me this song and I fell in love with it. This isn’t my favourite version, because that one isn’t on spotify. I’ve linked my fav one though :)

10. It Will Come Back - Hozier: Would it really be my music library if Hozier didn’t pop up at least once? He’s in my top ten favourite artists probably. This song makes me feel like a sorcerous who has seduced the heir to the throne and he can’t resist my mystical forest aesthetic and if that ain’t a vibe then I don’t know what is.

Well, wasn’t that a real mix hahaha

This has been so much fun! I live for talking about music.

You know the drill by now haha, anyone who I would have tagged has already been tagged so if you see this and want to give it a go then go for it!💛

[stylecouncil]

11, 23, 24!!

11. three favourite songs from movie or TV series soundtrack

pure shores - all saints (I don’t even rate the beach as that good of a movie I just think this song is early 2000s pop perfection)

maybe it’s time - bradley cooper (I love 2018 a star is born, I love the soundtrack and I love every iteration of a star is born, I could go on about it for days...bradley cooper honorary pop girl etc but also all the lady gaga pop songs are absolute bangers, why did you do that? particularly)

9 to 5 - dolly parton (this one is essential, iconic, the movie is one of my favorites of all time go watch it if you haven’t)

bonus: misunderstood - robbie williams (I love both bridget jones and robbie obviously so I can’t not add this one)

23. three songs that never fail to get you pumped up

saturday nights alright (for fighting) - elton john

man! I feel like a woman - shania twain

goodbye earl - the chicks

and like so many more I just tried to think about what songs my friends and I would go wild if they played when we were out (remember going out?) toxic by britney is an obvious contender as well as any poppy dolly song. rock dj by robbie williams and every dance-y track on progress by take that are songs I lose my mind to alone in my room but have never had the pleasure of hearing in an out and about context.

24. three favourite old songs

how old are we talking? I’m just gonna go with pre-mid 60s

he’s a rebel - the crystals

mad about the boy - noel coward

fever - peggy lee

there’s also obviously so many more but these are coming to mind rn

[rockettransman]

MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT ROCKETMAN

I HAVE SO MANY! HERE WE GO!

prelude: i went into this movie pretty jaded and not thinking i was gonna like it. in my head, i got john lennon and elton john confused. i was thinking it was about john lennon. “oh god, they made a movie about that prick?” further, i was already dreading it because they play EJ’s hits on the radio at work all the time, and frankly i was fucking sick of tiny dancer and im still standing. when i watched the trailer i was like “aw geez, elton john sings these? damn, i was hoping i could tolerate him at all.” so. not many high hopes for this movie.

that was until i was on a six hour flight from boston to portland, oregon, and i was delirious with pain and boredom. i was sat in the middle of a father and daughter, and so i really didn’t wanna pull out my laptop and get in their space. reading the subtitles from the office off the airplane tv made me sick. the lights were off and it was 2 am, so no reading. i. was. BORED. and then, i saw someone watching something in the row in front of me. where i was sitting i got a whole view of their screen. oh, they were watching that elton john movie. they didn’t have subtitles on, so i could only take from visual and context clues what was happening. it looked flashy, and oh-- that man just stared lovingly, tenderly into another man’s eyes. oh shit. oh yeah. elton is gay. 

now i’m hooked. if i’m anything, i’m a trans man in a desperate search for a complex queer romance movie. i wanted something that would pull on my heartstrings, that would wreck me emotionally with a high reward. suddenly elton is staring at himself in full garb, putting on and taking off his glasses. smiling then frowning. glasses on. smile. glasses off. scowl. oh he’s in distress. oh, is he snorting coke? okay, cool, tight.

from here on out, i watch the movie with (no audio) the predisposition that elton is in severe distress, dealing with drugs and self-sabotage all because his feelings and attraction towards men are confusing and frustrating and he doesn’t know how to cope with them. is he in denial? does he hate himself for it? does he try to make himself attracted to women? obviously, i was incorrect. elton was pretty secure in the fact that he was gay in his personal life. 

i think about rocketman for days until my flight back to sarasota. i decide to watch rocketman on the plane back instead of renting it. but for some reason, my goblin brain told me to rent it, and i did. but i ended up just watching it on the plane anyway.

i was disappointed. really, kinda bummed about it. every article and review said it was R for a reason. there was plenty sexual content and drugs to do elton’s real life comparison justice. in the movie i watched, i saw none of it. there was some drinking of alcohol, he took pills, it was implied he snorted coke. i saw no kissing, no intimacy, not even a tender hand on a cheek or embrace between elton and another man. this movie was praised for being so groundbreaking! for representing so much of what elton’s life was really like, with drugs and sex and all that. and now that i thought about it, i heard not one curse word. “bloody” was tossed around a lot, but that is used as an inflection. and during the pool scene before he throws himself in, when he meets john at the deck, he spits something about “his secretary shagging him in front of the pool boys.” that had me in utter confusion. there... was no one there with john? he was just sitting there? must’ve been something i missed.

SO IT TURNS OUT THE AIRPLANE’S VERSION OF THE MOVIE WAS HEAVILY CENSORED. i watched the real thing when i got home yesterday and was FLOORED by the differences in the same movie i had just watched. in the scene where elton remarks he’d like to change his name, they completely edited out the character behind him peeing into a glass bottle. they also cut out the scene where elton is staring at the performer, being yelled at to close the door, and the kiss where he’s pinned against the wall. holy fuck. i realized when i saw that, i had missed something MAJOR. this meant i was missing some MORE major explicit, probably important-to-the-plot-and-character-development stuff. oh, now i was excited. 

(we could talk all day about the fact that a single kiss between two men was cut because it was deemed “too explicit”, and in a movie about elton john being the ultimate irony)

the sex scene AND take me to the pilot were completely missing in the airplane version. i had no idea this song existed! oh my god, it was a banger! i cried tears of happiness during the song. holy shit. the tense energy between he and john, standing there silhouetted by the window, and then all of a sudden they’re all over each other, fingers tangled in hair, moaning into each other’s mouths, squirming, trying to get as close to each other as possible. this is what i wanted. this is what i was looking for. not because i was looking for something “hot” or “dirty.”’ i wanted an intense sex scene because then i knew it was real. i wanted the desperation, the nerves, the tender way they cradled each other, and how they went to town on each other. it was elton’s first time being intimate with a man, and it was such a nerve-wracking, intense, lustful, desperate moment. taron and richard absolutely nailed it. The swaying and the leaning into each other, the grabbing and nuzzling and all of a sudden they’re all over each other... it honest to god moved me. not to sound too “grew-up-baptist”, but sex, especially the first time you have it is so special and intimate and personal and important (imo). i know all the times i’ve had sex, it was a very, very special moment to me, and i wholly and completely trusted my partner then. i was so happy elton could find security and love and a heckin good time in bed with another man. it must’ve felt so freeing.

This was between two men! In the smack dab of the AIDS crisis in like 1975 or some shit! If being queer is this fucking tough in 2019, imagine what it was like in 1975!! MILLIONS of people were left to die by eat-shit Raegan who say by and said “aw that’s cute.” MILLIONS of people died for loving who they love!! That’s fucked man!! Seeing a triumphant moment like this in the middle of what was happening and what it could mean for Elton and his career just rly got me ya know

my entire perspective of the movie changed from then on. i was excited to see what else i had missed. in fact, some of the songs weren’t bad. maybe i’d like some of elton’s stuff after all?

i missed the scene in the closet. on the airplane, he followed john into the closet and shut the door. the scene cut. but in the real version, suddenly john pinned him against the wall, mirroring the scene of the first kiss i missed, and elton lamely stutters he wants dinner with him, not a sexual act john was certainly looking for, and in the next moment he was hungrily snapping at his finger. i missed exactly how much coke elton snorted. i missed entire scenes and nuances that provided so much to the story. man, i was angry i missed all this. i was cheated.

when i finished the real version, my perspective on the movie, and elton, and his music, had spun an entire 180. i dug it. i listened to rocket man on repeat during the entirety of my forty minute run. i fell asleep listening to the soundtrack. i woke up today listening to it, and have been through the whole day. i have not been able to get this movie off my mind. im watching it for the third time right now.

WELCOME TO THE THIRD POINT OF THIS POST!

if you made it this far, thank you. what i wrote feels so important to me. someone needed to hear it. I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE ENTIRE ROCKETMAN SCENE. I have PTSD with psychotic features. This means that under the right triggers, i hallucinate, visually or auditorily (is that a word), things that aren’t there. sometimes they’re scary, connected to my past trauma, but sometimes, they’re hazy outlines of good people who i think i know. i also deal with all the lovely things that come along with ptsd, including dissociation. pretty much any and everything can trigger me in a specific way. the pool scene was incredibly difficult to watch. seeing a little boy playing piano underwater, him sinking and hovering and singing along, and people slowly descending, dancing in the water until they retrieve him. the vision snaps apart and holy fuck elton is in trouble. (as an aside, that’s one of my favorite affects of film: the protag is under the influence of something, whether it be a hallucination, drugs, in a deep fantasy, or just otherwise a storytelling device, and he is in imminent danger. the audience is aware he is in imminent danger. the protag, however, is cool and chillin and hanging out, not aware or bothered, and maybe this is where a major character arc beat hits. in an instant, they’re pulled out of it, and we--the audience and the characters--are hit with how dire the circumstances really are.)

Suicide is a super sensitive subject to me. when he mumbled “i’m going to fucking kill myself” and plunged into the depths, my throat constricted. it was a difficult few minutes, but i held my breath, gritted my teeth, and paced myself through it. despite the sheer terror and panic that was racing through my brain, the entirety of it was so beautiful. the bright blues, whites, and blacks of the pool lighting and bubbles decorating him, the flow of his--forgive him, i don’t know if there’s a cultural name--outer garment, how curious and confused he looked as he watched his younger self do something he did now, and the people twirling through the water, reaching out, and eventually snatching him up until we’re suddenly in the present--dude, the cinematography of the entire first verse is so, so breathtaking. the scene in the ambulance and getting his stomach pumped was a bit too graphic for me (i could feel a flashback/hallucination creeping on; sometimes i can’t tell them apart.) but it was all done so smoothly. when they lifted him up, spun him around, undressed and dressed him all in one fluid motion, i lost my fuckin mind. i rewound it several times to just watch that sequence. the pain, reluctance, and exhaustion in his face right before he was handed his bat and exuberantly entered the stage was so intense it was palpable. my heart ached for him deeply. it’s allll about putting on a mask of being truly happy and well, when just before that, he had tried to fucking kill himself. how fucking heavy is that shit?

the downward spiral kept me on the edge of my seat. honky cat was funky as hell, and i loved the little tiny moments and gestures towards each other. maybe john and elton truly cared for each other for mere heartbeats before it all went south. he was hurting so bad and ruining everything and in such denial i wanted to throttle him by the shoulders to scream “LOOK WHAT YOU’RE DOING! YOU BIG FUCKING IDIOT!” he was constantly suffering, doing more coke and drugs than i thought a person could keep in his system. the suicide attempt, the fantastic Dodgers show, the night and day between his outward appearance and his actions, all of it was so gripping. the group therapy medium through which the story was told was insanely cool, too. i thought at first it was a bit cheesy, but it worked. i loved that he confronted everyone who had hurt him, and who he had hurt, and reconciled. i loved that as the major plot beats went on, his clothes eventually toned down in loudness, mirroring how the story was going along in real time. he went from having an explosive outburst, to levelly confronting his parents, and firmly insisting they not treat him like that anymore. they didn’t have the right. we could see how he’d grown through several different literary elements. the fact that it was laid out so plainly really helped me, someone who is dumb as fuck and constantly misses nuances like that.

it’s so disheartening to see elton’s first love was someone who was aggressive, non-interested, and who refused to listen to him.

(im at the pinball wizard scene, and holy shit this tune fucks)

at the end of the day, when i had thought the movie fell through so many expectations, i watched the real, authentic version and was so, so happy with how it turned out. it was much more honest than what i had thought it was. when the credits rolled, and it said he and his husband David Furnish had been happily married for 25 years, the tears really started coming. Elton did it. He survived through all the shit he put his body through, all the heartache and loneliness and terrible isolation and suffering, and he won. He got what he always wanted. A man who loved him deeply, purely, passionately, and properly. 

i haven’t shut up about elton john for days. i’m kinda baffled how something gripped me so intensely, when i had written it off as stupid just a day before this. thank you for reading. i’m sure i forgot a lot of things i wanted to express, but hopefully i got something across. let me know if you read this, please. if you made it all the way down here, i owe you like $5. drop me your venmo.

thank you for reading. this movie touched me in a way i didn’t think was possible. thank god for elton john. thank god for his perseverance. thank god for his story, giving me and millions of others hope that happiness will come. recovery is possible. healing is possible. you just need to reach out first. thank you and goodnight.

[justthewayitbe]

My dear Little Boats! How sweet of you :)

I know it doesn't matter and people won't really read this but I still want to analyze my choices anyway because I tried to pick songs that have had lots of meaning to me for a long time.

J - Jonathan Low by Vampire Weekend

Ok, I admit that I feel in love with song because of the Twilight soundtrack but you can not tell me that soundtrack doesn't have some of the BEST bops on it! Anyway Vampire Weekend are great artists and this song is a master piece. I firmly believe that if my life was a TV show this would be the intro song. That part with the violin part thooooooo!

U - Unwell by Matchbox 20

Matchbox 20 raised me so it HAD to be on this list, they were the first concert I went to, their albums are played out loud in my house all the time, and despite getting their start in post-grunge 90's music they still release bangers! Anyway this song was part of my middle school emo phase so...

S - September by Earth, Wind, and Fire

I have a ~core memory~ of my dad singing and dancing to this at a wedding when I was very little. I used to wish that one of my high school proms would have been 70s or 80s themed so that I could dance to this song. Also my boyfriend love this song and played it constantly in September of 2021.

T - The Trail We Blaze (From Road of El Dorado Soundtrack) by Elton John

When I could I added songs from movies I loved growing up and this is one of those. The Road to El Dorado is one of my favorite movies of all time I used to have guinea pigs named after Miguel and Tulio (I think there are pictures on this blog if you scroll back a few years). My family quotes things from this movie all the time. It's a main comfort movie for me when I'm feeling down because it's a awesome story about lifelong friends working through difference in life dreams and honestly you just need that sometimes. And that's not even mentioning Elton John! He's incredible of course, but he went OFF on this children's movie soundtrack, so many bops!

T - Tainted Love by Soft Cell

Ok this is super random but I KNOW there was a Backyardigans songs that was either a direct cover of this or very close because the first time I heard Tainted Love I said something to my mom about it being a song from the Backyardigans, at this point I'm gonna go back and watch every episode just to figure out why they light up the same part of my brain. Anyway, loved Backyardigans growing up and this song brings me back to them for some goddamn reason.

H - Here's to Never Growing Up by Avril Lavigne

Ok, I'm bored. I'm going to post this and I might come back to it later.

E - Every Breaking Wave by U2

W - Weight Of It All by Handsome Ghost

A - An American Symphony (Mr. Holland's Opus Soundtrack) by Michael Kamen and The Seattle Symphony Orchestra

Y - You'll Be in My Heart (Tarzan Soundtrack) by Glenn Close and Phil Collins

I - If Only by Ships Have Sailed

T - Tiptoe by Imagine Dragons

B - Broken by lovelytheband

E - Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears

Tagging my mutals:

@omenofastorm @kandulce @losersclubisms @thescottfather @poppyseedsandlavendulaleaves

Song Tag 📻

Big thank you to the wonderful @dumdumsun for the tag! 😌🤲💝

Rules: spell out your URL with song titles. Then tag as many people as there are letters in your URL**

Y ��� You Only Want Me When You're Lonely by Jim Boyd

U ━ Under The Milky Way by The Church

R ━ Right Back Where We Started From by Maxine Nightingale

T ━ The End of the World by Skeeter Davis

L ━ Look On The Bright Side Of Life by Monty Python

E ━ Eve of Destruction by Barry McGuire

T ━ The Bitch Is Back by Elton John

H ━ Harold Jenkins by Igtoluh

E ━ Earth by Sleeping at Last

T ━ Time Warp by Little Nell, Patricia Quinn, Richard O'Brian from The Rocky Horror Picture Show

U ━ Unwind Yourself by Marva Whitney

R ━ Reconsider Baby by Elvis Presley

T ━ This Year's Love by David Gray

L ━ Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney, Wings

E ━ Eight by Sleeping at Last

H ━ Hello Walls by Willie Nelson

E ━ Everybody (Backstreet's Back) by Backstreet Boys

N ━ Night's In White Satin by The Moody Blues

D ━ Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest

E ━ End Of The Line by Traveling Wilburys

R ━ Reflecting Light by Sam Phillips

S ━ Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by Eurythmics

O ━ Only You (And You Alone) by The Platters

N ━ Never Tear Us Apart by Paloma Faith

♡ no pressure, no specific order tag ♡: @emo-space-tea @witch-of-all-things-soft @ongaku-ato-kakikomi @night-yoarrbe @shawkneecaps @terrazaurio @ohmyitsfaith @ba-responds @bex-stranger-things @omni-idiot-fanfics @little-boats-on-a-lake @a-girl-who-loves-disney @whatawonderfulusername @vicassa @white-wolf-buckaroo @guineverebeckilicious @alpacataco @okimreadynow @onlyroad @popacherryvisitalibrary @disaster-magician @lonerstolovers ━ this basically ended up being the taglist since i sadly dont have that many mutuals 💀 feel free to ignore if you want, loves!

**I added my own little challenge for my own sake cause I wanted to narrow things down—these are from my growing playlist for a WIP of mine, [hence some of the weird choices] TSU! But of course that was just me, anyone is free to do the tag game normally or however they want

[tune-collective]

Every Song From the Disney Renaissance (1989-'99), Ranked: Critics' Take

Every Song From the Disney Renaissance (1989-'99), Ranked: Critics' Take

It’s 2017, and generations young and old will get to relive a slice of the glory days of the late-20th-century Disney Renaissance, with live-action remakes of ’90s classics Aladdin and The Lion King reportedly in the works, and even a non-Disney reboot of The Little Mermaid in the pipeline. But first up is the highly anticipated Beauty and the Beast revival hitting theaters Friday (March 17).

If you’re not familiar with the Disney Renaissance, it’s the wondrous period from 1989 to 1999 during which the studio created 10 iconic animated films — in chronological order, The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Mulan and Tarzan — thus resulting in some of the most classic Disney songs ever made.

We mostly have the composer and lyricist team of musical masterminds Alan Menken and Howard Ashman to thank for that, with additional contributions to the canon coming from composer/producer Hans Zimmer, as well as legendary musicians Elton John and Phil Collins. Not including the films’ scores, there are 45 songs in total from the Renaissance (not counting the super-slight “Court of Miracles” from Hunchback or “Listen With Your Heart” from Pocahontas), though none come from Rescuers, which featured no original songs. In honor of the new Beauty and the Beast coming, we felt it was only right to rank all of these classics.

Take a look at where each song ranks on this list, and listen to our playlist below to really get you in the zone. Let the Disney debates begin.

45. “A Girl Worth Fighting For,” Mulan

Disney wasn’t exactly known for it’s politically correct content at the time of its Renaissance, but this one is likely the one to most trigger the feminist viewers. Although the suitor song sounds cute in melody, its lyrics mention men’s expectation of women fawning over their strength and preparing meals for them. And when Mulan tries to sneak in a line about women with brains that like to speak their mind, their response is even more frustrating: “Nah.” – TAYLOR WEATHERBY

44/43. “Savages,” Pocahontas / “The Mob Song,” Beauty and the Beast

Despite having very different storylines, Pocahontas and Beauty and the Beast happened to feature extremely similar scenes of angry crowds gathering and chanting about the subjects whom they were ready to attack. Both were led by the movies’ antagonists — Governor Ratcliffe in Pocahontas and Gaston in Beauty — but neither song really added a spark to their respective films that made them worthy of singing along to. In fact, both songs inflict enough fear that the little kids watching probably never want to hear the songs (or witness the fiery scenes) again. – T.W.

42. “God Help the Outcasts,” The Hunchback of Notre Dame

It’s arguable that the storyline and songs in Hunchback focus a little too much on protagonist Quasimodo’s deformities, so hearing the gorgeous gypsy Esmeralda sing a song about the less fortunate – and seeing Quasi’s touched reaction to her prayer – is endearing. The only thing is, amidst the other classic Disney songs of the time, the somber vibe of this one makes it a fall a little flat. – T.W.

41. “Heaven’s Light/Hellfire,” The Hunchback of Notre Dame

A duet of sorts from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, sung by Tony Jay and Tom Hulce, the song juxtaposes Quasimodo’s innocent longing for Esmerelda and Frollo’s contempt for the gypsy girl who has bewitched him with impure thoughts. But in a mostly overlooked film, it’s one of the least memorable tunes. — DENISE WARNER

40. “Honor to Us All,” Mulan

The obligatory Everyone’s Excited About Something Except the Protagonist song from Mulan, “Honor to Us All” is a little too expository to be all that catchy, and the traditional Eastern musical influence feels well-intentioned but clumsy. The musical round the second verse is presented in is a nice touch, though. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

39. “Mine, Mine, Mine,” Pocahontas

Disney has a way of making its villains super unlikable, but some of the bad guys do get their moment in the spotlight with epically catchy tunes, like Ursula’s “Poor Unfortunate Souls” in The Little Mermaid or Scar’s “Be Prepared” in The Lion King (both featured later in our list). When it came time for Governor Ratcliffe’s big moment in Pocahontas, his greed overpowered his evil, and frankly his voice is too much like an opera singer rather than a mean spirit. Unfortunately for the governor, he failed to even compare to his villainous peers. – T.W.

38. “A Guy Like You,” The Hunchback of Notre Dame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0UlAZT09IE

The three lively gargoyles of Notre Dame (Victor, Hugo and Laverne) offered some positivity in Quasimodo’s otherwise rather depressing tale, and really did so with this ego-booster of a tune. Sure, they made a little mockery of his unique stature, but Quasi’s trio of pals meant well in reassuring him that he’s a catch — especially in Esmeralda’s eyes. – T.W.

37. “The Bells of Notre Dame,” The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Setting the scene of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is no easy feat, but the musical’s opening number fares quite well, employing Latin choruses for tone and effect. Compared to the highest heights of the Disney canon, however, the song lacks a certain je ne sais quoi — to use the language of Victor Hugo’s original novel. — D.W.

36. “One Last Hope,” Hercules

When Danny DeVito voices a little goat man in an animated Disney movie, obviously something pretty silly is going to come of it. His role as tritaognist (and in this song, Hercules’ advisor) Phil is comparable to Robin Williams’ Genie in Aladdin, adding hilarity and hopeful motivation to the film’s eventual hero. While this song does have a jazzy, bounce-along beat — and DeVito deserves some kudos for trying his hand at singing — his voice and hype doesn’t quite measure up to Williams’ in “Friend Like Me.” – T.W.

35. “Two Worlds,” Tarzan

Disney doesn’t do movie openings without an epic number, and the dynamic drums (and vocals courtesy of Phil Collins) deliver just that for the final movie of the Renaissance. “Two Worlds” provides the perfect summary soundtrack to the intro montage shown of Tarzan’s family and his soon-to-be gorilla family, but as a song, Collins pretty clearly managed to outdo himself with other tunes throughout the film. – T.W.

34. “Topsy Turvy,” Hunchback of Notre Dame

When Paris gets turned upside down, Quasimodo becomes a king. That’s what happens on Topsy Turvy day (also known as the Festival of Fools), as narrated in song by jovial gypsy Clopin Trouillefou, making for a lively and colorful scene in the movie – perhaps the best and most Disney-like of the entire Hunchback film and soundtrack. – T.W.

33. “Something There,” Beauty and the Beast

For a song that accompanies such a climactic cinematic moment — falling in love — this song has little spark, especially in comparison to the film’s grandiose ballroom scene. As both Belle and the Beast sing their internal monologues while realizing their true feelings for one another, the arrangement falls short; particularly when compared to the film’s more obvious fan-favorites. – LYNDSEY HAVENS

32. “Arabian Nights,” Aladdin

“It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home.” Aladdin’s intro song might not be the karaoke classic that some later jams rightly became — and the lyrical broad-stroking was culturally insensitive enough that they had to alter some of the lyrics for future versions – but it sets a tone like few others. – A.U.

31. “Son of Man,” Tarzan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WcHPFUwd6U

Not the undeniable smash that “You’ll Be in My Heart” was, but arguably more reminiscent of peak Phil Collins – a multi-drum-track banger of self-discovery with a propulsive synth hook that gets you swinging from vine to vine. Given what we know of Phil’s own absentee relationship with daughter Lily, though, lyrics like “There’s no one there to guide you/ No one to take your hand” take on a slightly more bitter irony than he likely intended. – A.U.

30. “Out There,” The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Perhaps the only good thing to come from living life in a cathedral with dancing gargoyles was Quasimodo’s “Out There,” an emotional, people-watching number that expressed his longing to join society. Loners, this one’s for you. – ADELLE PLATON

29. “Prince Ali,” Aladdin

Menken proved to be a master of memorable songwriting, incorporating the catchiest of inflections and melodies that also happen to seamlessly fit the theme of whatever movie the tune was part of. “Prince Ali” is a prime example, serving as the extremely sing-along worthy soundtrack to Aladdin’s Prince parade. – T.W.

28. Poor Unfortunate Souls, The Little Mermaid

Beyond voice-snatching, Ursula had a knack for whipping up supervillain anthems. Enter “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” a wicked diss track to merfolk that nonetheless isn’t quite as lethal as Scar’s bad-guy theme in The Lion King. – A.P.

27. “Just Around the Riverbend,” Pocahontas

You can almost feel the chilling wind on your neck and splash of water on your face as Pocahontas sings this song while paddling down the river. What starts off as a rousing and rallying song about dreaming big takes a turn towards the end, as the tempo slows and the lyrics become far less assured. – L.H.

26. “Trashin’ the Camp,” Tarzan

Phil Collins’ joyful romp from Tarzan owes its visuals to “Under the Sea,” with an array of animals playing instruments found in the jungle camp. You can’t help but sing along when Rosie O’Donnell breaks out into all those “doo bop she doo”s. (And the version with *NSYNC is just as fun.) — D.W.

25. “Zero to Hero,” Hercules

This sonic narration of Hercules’ rise to hero status soundtracks a pivotal point in the movie. With catchy and clever wordplay (“Who put the glad in gladiator?” the muses sing), and a tempo shift midway through, this song has plenty to offer. – L.H.

24. “One Jump Ahead,” Aladdin

An impressively jaunty, enjoyably frisky ode to street-ratdom that had six-year-olds across the country asking their parents what the hell a “nom de plume” was. “I steal only what I can’t afford / That’s everything!” The stuff of Republican nightmares.  – A.U.

23. “Strangers Like Me,” Tarzan

Although this wasn’t the award-winning track from Phil Collins’ impressive Tarzan catalog (we’ll get to that soon enough), it has the same vigorous drums of the opening “Two Worlds” and bonafide jam “Son of Man,” combined with the heart and of the film’s most revered hit. The curious lyrics are in tune with the discoveries Tarzan makes as the song plays, making for an almost dreamlike experience, even just watching it in VHS quality. – T.W.

22. “True to Your Heart,” Mulan

Stevie Wonder and 98 Degrees together in one song is a pretty promising combination, and they certainly lived up to the hype with this playful, harmonica-flavored boy band jam that closes out Mulan. — T.W.

21. “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love),” Hercules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl0DMTlwLw4

There are plenty of clichéd love stories in the Disney filmography, and Hercules’ damsel Megara (“Meg” for short) certainly didn’t want to fall under the same spell as her predecessors. But as she hopelessly trots around the Grecian grounds soulfully belting out her little love ditty – accompanied by The Muses, who try telling her she’s in denial – she finally comes to a conclusion to which many a girl (or guy) can relate: “At least out loud, I won’t say I’m in love.” – T.W.

20. “Gaston,” Beauty and the Beast

The title theme for Beauty and the Beast’s chest-puffed antagonist punctures male entitlement and satirizes bro absurdity with such acuity you’ll end up looking for Kathleen Hanna’s name in the writing credits. “When I was a lad I ate four dozen eggs/ Every morning to help me get large,” Gaston boasts in the song’s deal-sealing bridge. “Now that I’m grown I eat five dozen eggs/ So I’m roughly the size of a barge!” A couple centuries later, he’d be bragging about his new haircut and showering in Jagerbombs.  – A.U.

19. “Reflection,” Mulan

A lot of times when a Disney princess takes the screen for a solo, she’s singing about a male suitor, or one she longs for. But in Mulan’s case, her breakout spot was an expressive, insightful lyric that — while a bit heartbreaking — serves as a realization of what her next steps should be, even if her family won’t approve. It’s a monumental moment for the heroine, as it’s the first glimpse of what Fa Mulan really looks like underneath her required makeup. And after it received a pop makeover a la Christina Aguilera, the song became monumental for Mulan’s fans, too. – T.W.

18. “A Star is Born,” Hercules

This infectious feel-good song about an outcast-turned-hero finally being embraced by his community — as a star, no less — serves as a perfect closing track to this mythologically inspired film. “I finally know where I belong,” Hercules tells his parents, as a lush orchestra begins to play and the ever-present muses have the gospel-infused final word. – L.H.

17. “Circle of Life,” The Lion King

When you think of epic Disney openings, it really doesn’t get much more grand than this. Actually, forget that – Disney or not, there is no denying that “Circle of Life” is one of the most dynamic beginnings to any movie, period. As if the majestic images of the Pride Lands wildlife aren’t enough to get your adrenaline pumping, the bold drums and building chants combine for one of the most iconic scenes in Disney history. Even without the visuals, the roaring anthem is enough to bring you right back to Pride Rock, and that oh-so-unforgettable sunrise. – T.W.

16. “Belle,” Beauty and the Beast

We’re introduced to our heroine Belle in Beauty and the Beast in familiar-enough Disney Princess fashion, but once her lilting prologue wraps, all of a sudden we’ve entered a French operetta. The buoyant opening number (and title theme for the film’s protagonist) expertly layers vocals from various villagers to create a complex musical and lyrical tapestry that wouldn’t be out of place in Les Misérables — you know, aside from the lack of death and despair in this little town. Belle might not be too thrilled with this “provincial life,” but it doesn’t look so bad from here. – T.W.

15. “Be Prepared,” The Lion King

Scar’s plan for fascist domination didn’t end well, but don’t get it twisted — his anthem is the quintessential Disney villain song. Tim Rice and Elton John’s sinister, thunderous tune revs up Jeremy Irons’ baritone. And with just enough xylophone and hyena giggle (courtesy of Whoppi Goldberg, Cheech Marin and Jim Cummings), “Be Prepared” roars as a towering, multi-faceted monstrosity. – CHRIS PAYNE

14. Friend Like Me, Aladdin

The Genie was easily one of Robin Williams’ best roles during his legendary career, bringing his kooky personality to life in an eccentric blue-bodied cartoon character. While his resume hadn’t included singing until Aladdin, Williams absolutely nailed “Friend Like Me” almost effortlessly — as Menken confirmed during a recent visit to Billboard —  which resulted in a wildly fun, jazzy and extremely memorable number. – T.W.

13. “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” The Lion King

Simba’s anthem of youthful invincibility translates to pop banger more convincingly than just about anything else on our list. Those jubilant, piping whistles, the rubbery bass line, the subtle guitar groove — this one got compared to Billy Joel’s “The River of Dreams” in its time, but in 2017 terms, Vampire Weekend writing for Top 40 radio suits it just fine. – C.P.

12. “You’ll Be in My Heart,” Tarzan

While there is no denying that Menken, Rice and Zimmer had Disney songs on lock, Collins came in for the finale of the Renaissance and did the composers proud. Compositionally, “You’ll Be In My Heart” isn’t the biggest earworm, and it doesn’t have the most iconic hook. But what it does have is that pull at the heartstrings that all the Disney classics do, giving it the aww-inspiring musical and lyrical qualities that landed it both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for best original song in 1999. – T.W.

11. “Kiss the Girl,” The Little Mermaid

In which Sebastian the Crab – who, with apologies to Robin Wililams’ Genie, you really never had a friend like – sets the mood for the title character’s contractually mandated kiss of true love with an addictive, calypso-tinged ballad that alternately lures and demeans her intended into action. No less a pop luminary than Brian Wilson covered it, and it was an inspired choice – “Kiss the Girl” echoed the confused, constantly battling sides of a young lover’s subconscious better than just about any song since “Good Vibrations.” – A.U.

10. “Go the Distance,” Hercules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgnHF2CwrPs

Similar to Mulan’s struggle in “Reflection,” Hercules has a moment of “I don’t belong” realization before heading on his self-discovery journey – which results in the movie’s most vibrant number. Despite its relatively short running time, the triumphant, trumpet-laced tune can serve as an anthem for anyone who needs a little motivation and feel like every mile is worth their while. – T.W.

9. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” The Lion King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25QyCxVkXwQ

“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” is rightly remembered as one of the great love songs of the Disney canon; with its towering chorus and climactic key change, the ballad earns its place as the soundtrack to a scene of greater animal intimacy than most pre-teens watching were prepared to process. But the song’s true brilliance, excised by the unavoidable Elton John version, is that originally, “Tonight” was bookended with laments from Simba’s buddy Timon, who understands that his friend’s new romantic union will undoubtedly weaken their own platonic bond. It gets at the sad truth a less-nuanced song wouldn’t have the guts to express: Every great young love story is also the story of one or multiple sideline casualties. – A.U.

8. “Part of Your World,” The Little Mermaid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXKlJuO07eM

When you’re a mermaid, apparently you don’t get too far just flippin’ your fins. But when you’re singing a song fantasizing over living a life you can’t, it makes for a moment that everyone can relate to. And when the song has impeccable rhymes, backed by a dramatic violins, it becomes one that no one can resist singing along to. Besides, what other songs can successfully incorporate the word “thingamabobs” and make you want to integrate it into your personal vocabulary? – T.W.

7. “Beauty and the Beast,” Beauty and the Beast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ0ODCMC6xs

A romance between a massive, wolf-like creature and a dainty brunette villager is one that’s really only imagined in a Disney movie, but when it’s soundtracked by a whimsically beautiful song as old as rhyme, it becomes a tale as old as time. Enough with the lyric play – “Beauty and the Beast” was an instantly dazzling tune from the moment that flute kicked off the romantic ballad. No matter if it’s Angela Lansbury’s Mrs. Potts, Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, or Ariana Grande and John Legend narrating the classic ballroom scene, the combination of the piano, full orchestra and sweet narrative is one that every generation can swoon over. – T.W.

6. “Colors of the Wind,” Pocahontas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk33dTVHreQ

Pocahontas and John Smith’s complicated love story reached a turning point in Pocahontas with the Native American princess’ wistful number “Colors of the Wind.” While Smith and his fellow settlers were on the hunt for land and riches, Pocahontas put her frustrating romance aside to whip up this artistic PSA to and instead respect nature and wildlife, embracing the diversity around you. – A.P.

5. “I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” Mulan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVcLIfSC4OE

After The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King dominated the Disney music scene for the first half of the Renaissance, Donny Osmond’s kick-ass training song and Mulan’s badass main character made for an unstoppable combination that landed it amongst the greats. If those watching weren’t convinced that Mulan wasn’t capable of being in the army when she set out, this scene provides all the proof necessary that she can keep up with her most masculine of militia mates. And with Osmond offering up intensely fierce vocals on lyrics like “With all the strength of a raging fire / Mysterious as the dark side of the moon” — especially on the epic power-note finish — Mulan (and anyone watching, for that matter) surely feels empowered enough to defeat the Huns. – T.W.

4. “Be Our Guest,” Beauty and the Beast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afzmwAKUppU

A good Disney love song is tough to beat, but when a singing candelabra is involved, it’s hard to not put this fun dinnertime tune up against the greatest of romance records. Lumière’s charming French accent sets the scene for the stunning song, crafting a perfect set-up for the vibrant melody and brilliant verses that are the heart and soul of “Be Our Guest.” Relax, pull up a chair and be the guest of Beauty and the Beast’s most thrilling musical number. Can you really contest choreographed routines by a chorus of spoons, honey pots, plates and feather dusters? The answer is… absolutely not, especially when the finale involves champagne showers and a sparking (dancing spoon-lined) chandelier. – T.W.

3. “Hakuna Matata,” The Lion King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB5ceAruYrI

Sure, When Harry Met Sally was a thing before The Lion King was, but there may be no better character introduction in recent film history than when Simba meets Timon and Pumba. As a young lion cub that finds himself completely lost in his own family’s kingdom, Simba needed some reassurance that everything was going to be okay. So, a meerkat and a warthog provide that guarantee, with perhaps the most relatable fake phrase ever created. If you first experienced the beloved movie moment as a kid, you probably didn’t notice the same jokes within the lyrics that you would as an adult (“He could clear the savannah after every meal” is likely more relatable as an elder…) – but perhaps that’s what makes this bouncy tune so lovable across all generations. Even after just one take, you’ll be singing this wonderful phrase all the way home, implementing the motto in your life anytime you need to tell yourself “no worries.” Oh, and that transformational log scene during the bridge? Yeah, there’s no way anyone is contesting “Hakuna Matata” as the best Lion King moment. – T.W.

2. “A Whole New World,” Aladdin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kl4hJ4j48s

The only song from the Disney Renaissance to top the Billboard Hot 100, “A Whole New World” goes for the gusto like few love ballads songs in history, having the distinct advantage of being able to offer a magic carpet ride that isn’t even metaphorical. “Don’t you dare close your eyes/ Hold your breath, it gets better,” Aladdin promises in aside, and the music backs him up, a sweeping, gorgeous, up-up-up arrangement of strings and harmonies that reaches the clouds and just keeps soaring. Like any number of Phil Spector songs did for young pop fans of the ‘60s, “A Whole New World” gave ‘90s babies impossibly high expectations for love’s (literal) otherworldliness — but for then, we were happy just to fly along with Jasmine and Aladdin and dream of our own future journeys to that “wondrous place.” – A.U.

1. “Under the Sea,” The Little Mermaid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC_mV1IpjWA

This bubbly ditty sung by a spunky, red crustacean made underwater life the wave. While the aforementioned Aladdin duet is the G.O.A.T. of romantic Disney ballads, Sebastian’s epic ocean orchestra for The Little Mermaid flooded the ears of fin-less fans and warned that life by land is the ultimate snoozefest. Who’s to argue when the splashy performance not only scored an Oscar for best original song in 1990, but a pair of Grammys in ’91, including best song written specifically for a motion picture or for television. “Darling it’s better, down where it’s wetter,” assures Sebastian, whose underwater jam session has kept kids and kidults both swimming and dancing for decades. – A.P.  

This article originally appeared on: Billboard

http://tunecollective.com/2017/03/17/every-song-disney-renaissance-1989-99-ranked-critics-take/