Besides the stunning animation and the magical plotline, the epic musical score is another irreplaceable aspect of Disney Movies that fans always look forward to whenever there’s a new title released. There is at least one enchanting song from every House of Mouse title that always makes us get on our feet and dance to the beat for hours.
When you think about the most iconic Disney songs, classics such as "A Whole New World" and "Let It Go" often come to mind immediately, however, the Disney world’s also full of often-overlooked gems that sometimes fly under the radar compared to the others. Sometimes, these songs, while underrated, can pack an equally emotional atmosphere to the audience just like the more popular ones.
Therefore, today we’ll browse through these 10 most underrated Disney songs that have been hidden in plain sight and absolutely deserve the spotlight among the all-time greats. Get your headphones and speaker ready, as we’re heading into the musical world of Disney once again to relive our childhood.
#1. Prince Ali (Aladdin)
Source: Walt Disney Studios
When you think of Aladdin, the romantic “A Whole New World” would be the first musical score that comes to mind, however, Prince Ali is as equally impressive. Robin Williams rarely sings on screen, but when he does, he sings the most elaborate song ever, with a musical score dedicated only to Prince Ali (Aladdin) to impress Princess Jasmine.
The traditional dancers, the mesmerizing beats, and Genie’s trademark magic display, all contribute to the most extravagant song in Disney history.
#2. Love is An Open Door (Frozen)
Source: Walt Disney Studios
Frozen has two of the most popular Disney scores ever in Let It Go and Do You Wanna Build A Snowman, but in terms of quality, Love is An Open Door is right up there as well. Hans may be a despicable villain, but he can sure sing, and with Anna’s angelic voice they create one hell of a duet song in the movie.
Hans’s surprising talent for singing almost makes us forget about his attempt to take over Arendelle for himself. Almost.
#3. Hellfire (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)
Source: Walt Disney Studios
Frollo is one of the most creepy and detestable bad guys in the House of Mouse history, and his own solo Hellfire showcases his pervert side the best. The dark song tells about Frollo’s internal conflict between his belief of his religion, and his personal physical lust over the Gypsy dancer Esmeralda.
The painful expression on the villain's face, and the part when he swears to burn Esmeralda on a stake if she doesn’t love him back never fails to send shivers down our spine.
#4. I Just Can’t Wait To Be King (The Lion King)
Source: Walt Disney Studios
The best song in The Lion King is widely considered to be Can You Feel The Love Tonight by Elton John, however this little solo song by young Simba deserves an honorable mention as well. The upbeat overall theme of the song is enough to make us dance along, and it shows Simba’s youth and ambitious nature to be the king of the land, however, it just hits differently after Mufasa’s death.
Nevertheless, I Just Can’t Wait To Be King is a great song overall, and easily the second-best score in the movie.
#5. Mother Knows Best (Tangled)
Source: Walt Disney Studios
Mother Gothel is one of the more complex villains in Tangled, as while she kidnaps Rapunzel to retain her youth, there are glimpses in the movie that show she maybe does care about her abducted daughter. The song Mother Knows Best, in the beginning, shows a more playful side of Gothel, however it’s also full of words that belittle Rapunzel and tell her what to do.
The way that Mother Gothel seamlessly transforms from a loving mother p to an intimidating evil witch throughout the movie makes her one of the best characters in the movie. And the way Gothel sings the song in the latter half of the movie is spine-chilling and sounds much more hostile, showing that the character has shown her true nature.
#6. How Far I’ll Go (Moana)
Source: Walt Disney Studios
Though receives over 1 billion views on YouTube, sometimes it feels like How Far I’ll Go isn’t talked about enough like Let It Go or some other classics. The song fully captivates Moana’s strong will, ambition, and vocal prowess, before starting her magical voyage to return to the heart of Te Fiti. It’s the perfect song to start your playlist whenever you’re on a long trip or on a vacation.
#7. Almost There (The Princess and the Frog)
Source: Walt Disney Studios
Tiana may not be a full-fledged princess, but she doesn’t lack the quality of one. Tiana’s strong, beautiful, and ambitious, and would overcome any hardship to fulfill her dream to open a nice restaurant in the heart of St. Louis. The song Almost There, with the classic Jazz theme to it, fully showcases the girl’s ambition, and is nominated for the Best Original Song in the 2nd Academy Awards.
#8. Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat (The Aristocrat)
Source: Walt Disney Studios
The Aristocrat is quite an underrated Disney title, so only the most hardcore Disney fans would know about its main song Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat. Played by the Scat Cat and his street cat band, the song is chaotic and funky, and can surely awaken everyone’s inner feline and make them dance like crazy to the beat.
#9. There Is No Home Like The One You've Got (Bolt)
Source: Walt Disney Studios
Like The Aristocrat, Bolt is one of the lesser-known animal-themed Disney movies, and it also features a banger of the song that captures our hearts. To see our Bolt slowly but steadily transition from an oblivious celebrity canine who knows nothing of the real world to a normal dog when this song comes on is an incredibly powerful scene, which even makes some of us shed a tear or two.
There Is No Home Like The One You've Got was also nominated for the 2008 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, which further emphasizes how great the song is.
#10. I Won’t Say I’m In Love (Hercules)
Source: Walt Disney Studios
As she stated herself, Megara is far from your typical damsel in distress female p, and throughout the movie, despite having sold her soul to Hades, she has shown her strong will, resilience, and wit, and even saves the demigod’s life near the end. Therefore, to see her mellow down a bit and gradually falls in love with Hercules is what fans want to see.
However, our stubborn Megara didn’t admit it at first, hence the song I Won’t Say I’m In Love. With Susan Egan’s beautiful voice blending with the Muses’ angelic vocal harmony, the song is easily one of the best musical scores in the movie, and believe me, Hercules has plenty of them.
Which do you think is the most underrated song in Disney history? Let us know in the comment.