EDisneyAs it turns 100 next year, it's important to highlight the impressive number of musical films the studio has released in its centuries of existence. The animated musical or animated hybrid is virtually synonymous with the company itself, with nearly every film featuring at least one iconic song.
However, not all movie musicals have the same number of songs. In this case, a musical number is one that someone, whether an omniscient character or singer, sings in the film. Some of the Disney movies with the most songs have scattered musical numbers, while others only have a handful.
Updated Nov 30, 2022 by Stacie Rook:Music from Disney's animated films remains one of the most recognizable aspects of their work, and these songs have been used to promote new live-action adaptations, as in the case of 2023's The Little Mermaid (viaYoutube) showing their influence and cultural heritage.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) - 9
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfsis Disney's first animated film and also includes several songs. This movie favors smooth, playful melodies over the bombastic musical numbers that Disney later became known for, but that doesn't make its songs any less iconic.
Sung by the dwarfs, "Heigh-Ho" is an absolutely catchy tune, but Snow White herself delivers some good numbers, like "Someday My Prince Will Come." Snow White's unique speaking style helps her stand out from the list of Disney princesses thus far.
The Little Mermaid (1989) - 9
Alan Menken is considered one of Disney's greatest songwriters, and this was boosted by his work onThe Little Mermaid. In the film, Menken introduced the idea of having the characters speak to the music before singing, which made the numbers seem more organic once the singing started.
Because of this, the songs are unforgettable and "Part of Your World" is perhaps Disney's most iconic "I Want" song, explaining Ariel's desires and personality to the audience. With the film's live-action adaptation set to release in 2023, fans can look forward to the potentialOriginal songs in Disney-Remake.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) - 10
DieWinnie PuuhThe theme music is familiar to generations of kids, and that's thanks to the 1977 film. This film about the titular bear offers a number of musical moments that are both whimsical and understated that fit the film's overall laid-back tone.
The exception, of course, is the iconic song "Heffalumps and Woozles," which mixes spooky psychedelic animation with bombastic instrumentals, creating one of the most surreal moments in any Disney film. In this song, as in others, the singing comes from the film's narrator rather than the characters themselves, adding to the film's storybook feel.
Beauty and the Beast (1991) - 10
Menken is also the composer behind it.Beauty and the BeastIt's a fantastic song. The songs are great for introducing the characters, which is emphasized because many of the numbers are named after them, like the songs "Belle" and "Gaston".
The film is known for presenting one of the bestDisney love songs not sung by the protagonists, the song "Beauty and the Beast" sung by Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts. The film's soundtrack also includes "Human Again", once erased but later restored, in which the castle's enchanted objects sing happily as Beauty and the Beast grow closer.
Pete's Dragon (1977) - 11
peter's dragonis an excellent mix of live action and animation and offers a surprisingly mature story about an orphaned boy and his magic dragon on the run from the children's abusive foster parents. In addition to this hard-hitting narrative, the film also has great music to offer.
The music is upbeat and childlike to match the film's whimsical tone, but it also manages to be heartfelt and emotional. It perfectly captures the rustic vibes of the film's fishing village setting, and the music was critically acclaimed, with the song "Candle on the Water" even earning an Academy Award nomination.
Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) - 12
the nightmare before christmasnot just one ofDisney's Best Halloween Movies, but also one of the studio's best Christmas movies, and it has the perfect musical numbers for both holidays.
Since there are many characters in the film, there are also many songs, as almost every character has their own number. The opening number, "This is Halloween", is probably the film's most iconic song, but many are just as memorable, like "What's This", which Jack sings when he arrives in Christmas Town, and the deliciously funny villain song. by Oogie Boogie.
Vaiana (2016) - 12
EVaianais an American film based on Polynesian culture. The film features songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa'i with lyrics in English, Samoan, Tokelauan and Tuvaluan. The use of multiple Polynesian languages and instruments adds to the richness of Moana's world throughout the story.
Songs are effective in establishing the world of the film, moving the plot forward, and developing the characters. Moana gets an iconic song from "I Want", "How Far I'll Go", but the movie also features one of those.disney friends best songsfeaturing the playful Maui number "You're Welcome". Furthermore, "I Am Moana" is arguably the most emotional number, serving as a major plot turning point.
The Three Horsemen (1944)-14
The Three Caballeros is one of Disney's longest-running animated films, and as such unfortunately contains some harmful racial stereotypes that Disney has addressed (viaDie Walt Disney Company) and added a note to the beginning of the movie on Disney+. The story follows Donald Duck and his friends on an adventure through Latin America and was made to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Donald Duck character.
The lyrics are a mixture of English, Spanish and Portuguese, and musical influences come from all over Latin America, including the spectacular voice of Brazilian singer Aurora Miranda.
Mary Poppins (1964) - 16
Mary PoppinsIt's not considered a classic for nothing. He was innovative in using a hybrid of live action and animation, and his music is great too. Julie Andrews' voice and acting skills are incredible, so it's no surprise that she won an Oscar for the film.
"A Spoonful of Sugar", "Chim Chim Che-ree" and "Let's Go Fly a Kite" are songs that stand out for being catchy, and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" is also iconic. The fact that the film has a sequel in 2018 speaks to its lasting cultural impact, thanks in part to its memorable soundtrack.
Alice in Wonderland (1951) - 19
Alice in Wonderland, the story of a young girl who falls into a meaningless world, you might remember her crazy and amazing visuals more than her songs, but that doesn't mean the music isn't amazing too. But the movie and songs are pretty short but still manage to make an impact.
"Painting the Roses Red" is probably the film's most iconic number, but each character has their own fun and memorable melody. Overall, Disney managed to take Lewis Carroll's wonderful, nonsensical words and put them to music.
NEXT:10 Disney characters who became famous because of a song