Here’s the thing about Disney and Disney fans – they spend almost as much time thinking about and dissecting Disney as they do loving it. There’s so much to consider, so many layers to what might seem, at first, to be simple, and yeah, so many people to discuss with on the internet.
We talked about the first 9 of Justin McElroy’s 18 types of Disney songs – here are the last (and less prevalent) 9 types that appear in many, if not most, classic Disney films.
First, the tweet that started it all…
And now… the thrilling conclusion!
It’s Dancing Time!
Just Disney doing what Disney does best.
It’s Dancing Time! (11 entries):
– Sort of self-explanatory
– The protagonist never instigates the dancing, and if they’re in the scene, the dancing sort of happens around them
– generally serves as an intermission for the movie pic.twitter.com/njjEWruyaa— Justin McElroy (@j_mcelroy) May 18, 2020
Montage.
He has strong feelings about this type.
Montage (13 entries):
– It’s a montage. You know what a montage is.
– There are no great montage songs, only acceptable ones
– There were no montages before Hercules
– Half the songs Phil Collins wrote for Tarzan and Brother Bear were montages, and that was a poor choice pic.twitter.com/DNyyIZ7akx— Justin McElroy (@j_mcelroy) May 18, 2020
Package Movie Shorts.
There’s a reason you don’t remember any of these.
Package Movie Shorts (13 entries):
– Hey, remember Melody Time and Make Mine Music?
– No? Well they were Disney movies that were just a bunch of shorts jammed together
– Lots of those shorts had songs
– Nobody cares about those songs
– But we’re including EVERY SONG, so pic.twitter.com/K1ehLsra6E— Justin McElroy (@j_mcelroy) May 18, 2020
We Won!
Because every big win deserves a song.
We Won! (8 entries):
– Is about celebrating that something good has just happened, or is about to happen
– Typically happens at the end of the movie
– Is never sung by the main character, but they’re often around
– Three Winnie the Pooh songs! pic.twitter.com/241uccwtGa— Justin McElroy (@j_mcelroy) May 18, 2020
It’s Nature Time.
These happen more in the earlier movies.
It’s Nature Time (8 entries):
– Is a song where the focus is on the place or the weather
– Is never about a person
– Is often a short song setting up a scene
– You’re right, none of this sounds interesting! pic.twitter.com/qqWDzcrwtU— Justin McElroy (@j_mcelroy) May 18, 2020
Here’s A One-Note Character.
Maybe they have something to say, though.
Here’s A One Note Character (7 entries)
– Is sung by or a minor character who usually only appears once (exception: the harp in Fun and Fancy Free)
– Is essentially a short “I Want” or “Here’s My Deal” song by someone you don’t care about
– Three Alice in Wonderland songs! pic.twitter.com/PkUFSHoxLT— Justin McElroy (@j_mcelroy) May 18, 2020
The Drug Song.
You wouldn’t think there would be as many of these as there are, to be honest.
The Drug Song (7 entries)
– Trippy as heck, maybe nightmare inducing?
– More an excuse for animators to be creative than advance the plot
– Supernatural powers displayed by characters in song are never explained
– One could argue every Alice In Wonderland song should be here pic.twitter.com/YlqITumGEO— Justin McElroy (@j_mcelroy) May 18, 2020
Life Lesson Time.
Because who doesn’t love that?
Life Lesson Time! (6 entries)
– Advice on how to live one’s best life is given
– It is always directed to the main character (exception: Scales and Arpeggios)
– I’ll Make A Man Out Of You is here
– Which is weird, because that’s a great song! And great songs don’t live here pic.twitter.com/jJOPQL2hpk— Justin McElroy (@j_mcelroy) May 18, 2020
Problematic.
This should be self explanatory.
Problematic (6 entries)
– The only category filled with songs that used to be part of other categories
– Has not aged well!
– No, I will not be explaining this further, for what I hope are obvious reasons pic.twitter.com/wtWOSkjHiP— Justin McElroy (@j_mcelroy) May 18, 2020
I’m nodding along, because this thesis is well-supported!
What do you think of this discourse? Have you ever thought about it before now?
Making you think – that’s what the internet is for!
