Top 5 Disney Villain songs and what they reveal about humanity
While the Disney princesses are sing about wishing, hoping and dreaming of the day that they can be part of some prince’s world, the Disney villains are coming up with emotion-laden showtoppers about the darkest parts of humanity. The villains may be dark, twisted and out for blood, but they also have some of the best understanding of people this side of Freud. Here are the top 5 villain songs and the truths that they reveal about human-not-so-kind.
5. “Mine, Mine, Mine” (Pocahontas) – Governor Ratcliffe plays up the greed of human nature in his showstopper, where he uses mine in both to exhort his men to dig and to say that it all belongs to him. Singing a song that would make the gulls in Finding Nemo proud, Ratcliffe recounts all of the things that he can buy, including favors from the king and jealousy from his rivals, but perhaps the best part of the song comes right at the beginning when he says what every corporation wants from its employees. “Dig till you drop.”
4. "Be Prepared” (The Lion King) – Even when they are not technically humans, the Disney Villain often has the best song in the movie. Scar’s showstopping “Be Prepared” features a cavalcade of imagery straight from Nutziland while evoking emotions of pride in militarism. Using “pride” to make a pun, Scar sings about his unbridled ambition while revving up the hyenas, while simultaneously insulting them, to go to war with the lions. By promising the hyenas rewards, most notably food, for their participation in his system, Scar reveals his plan to become king.
3. “Pour, Unfortunate Souls” (The Little Mermaid) – Ursula might be the most frightening villain to come out of the Disney Animation studio since Maleficent. Everything for Ursula comes down to the price and beauty. “You have your looks\ your pretty face\ and don’t understimate the importance of body language.” Prince Eric fell in love with Ariel’s voice, but Ursula sells Ariel on the looks, which she sets up with her story about the guy who wants to get the girl and the girl who wants to be thin. The best thing is that Ursula never outright lies; there is a good possibility that she has repented and that she believes that she is doing what is best for everyone involved, including herself. Looks do matter.
2. “Hellfire” (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) – Claude Frollo takes pride in his piety and righteousness. When he is tempted by Esmeralda, he cannot resist her, even when she has done nothing to entice him. He blames her for his desires and seeks to punish her for his indiscretion. Esmeralda has the choice, be with him or burn. Frollo is an excellent example of the idea that men cannot control their urges and that women must pay the price for the thoughts and desires of men. Frollo absolves himself of all wrong doing, blaming God and Esmeralda for his fall.
1. “Kill the Beast/Mob Song” (Beauty and the Beast) – Gaston fires up the crowd, so that they grab pitchforks and torches to go and kill the beats. Mob mentality rules as Gaston seeks to assuage his damaged pride and get revenge on Belle for what he sees as her infidelity. “If you’re not with us, you are against us” – a classic ploy to quell those who might have a different point of view.
However, the fact that this song points out even better is that people fear the unknown. “We don’t like what we don’t understand. In fact, it scares us, and this monster is mysterious at least.” The unknown, the different, the mysterious are reason enough to destroy something. People do not like what they cannot explain or understand. Take the poll below.
5. “Mine, Mine, Mine” (Pocahontas) – Governor Ratcliffe plays up the greed of human nature in his showstopper, where he uses mine in both to exhort his men to dig and to say that it all belongs to him. Singing a song that would make the gulls in Finding Nemo proud, Ratcliffe recounts all of the things that he can buy, including favors from the king and jealousy from his rivals, but perhaps the best part of the song comes right at the beginning when he says what every corporation wants from its employees. “Dig till you drop.”
4. "Be Prepared” (The Lion King) – Even when they are not technically humans, the Disney Villain often has the best song in the movie. Scar’s showstopping “Be Prepared” features a cavalcade of imagery straight from Nutziland while evoking emotions of pride in militarism. Using “pride” to make a pun, Scar sings about his unbridled ambition while revving up the hyenas, while simultaneously insulting them, to go to war with the lions. By promising the hyenas rewards, most notably food, for their participation in his system, Scar reveals his plan to become king.
3. “Pour, Unfortunate Souls” (The Little Mermaid) – Ursula might be the most frightening villain to come out of the Disney Animation studio since Maleficent. Everything for Ursula comes down to the price and beauty. “You have your looks\ your pretty face\ and don’t understimate the importance of body language.” Prince Eric fell in love with Ariel’s voice, but Ursula sells Ariel on the looks, which she sets up with her story about the guy who wants to get the girl and the girl who wants to be thin. The best thing is that Ursula never outright lies; there is a good possibility that she has repented and that she believes that she is doing what is best for everyone involved, including herself. Looks do matter.
2. “Hellfire” (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) – Claude Frollo takes pride in his piety and righteousness. When he is tempted by Esmeralda, he cannot resist her, even when she has done nothing to entice him. He blames her for his desires and seeks to punish her for his indiscretion. Esmeralda has the choice, be with him or burn. Frollo is an excellent example of the idea that men cannot control their urges and that women must pay the price for the thoughts and desires of men. Frollo absolves himself of all wrong doing, blaming God and Esmeralda for his fall.
1. “Kill the Beast/Mob Song” (Beauty and the Beast) – Gaston fires up the crowd, so that they grab pitchforks and torches to go and kill the beats. Mob mentality rules as Gaston seeks to assuage his damaged pride and get revenge on Belle for what he sees as her infidelity. “If you’re not with us, you are against us” – a classic ploy to quell those who might have a different point of view.
However, the fact that this song points out even better is that people fear the unknown. “We don’t like what we don’t understand. In fact, it scares us, and this monster is mysterious at least.” The unknown, the different, the mysterious are reason enough to destroy something. People do not like what they cannot explain or understand. Take the poll below.