Tuesdays with Tom: The Top 10 Disney Songs of All-Time
The definitive ranking of the best Disney songs; plus thoughts on Chicago sports new TV home, a Rock and Roll HOF update, Conan O'Brien Must Go and Steve Martin
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing a Dr. Tom karaoke performance, there’s a strong chance you’ve seen me sing a Disney song. There’s a twofold reason why I’ve done this many times. Aside from crushing the vocals, I am well aware of the hilarious juxtaposition of watching a sweaty, hairy adult man belt out an emotional song from a children’s movie. I’ve been doing this my entire life. Ask anyone in my family about the days of watching Aladdin until the VHS tape wore out or when I would recite Lion King monologues from memory unprompted. Disney music was a huge part of our lives and it’s been a staple of American pop culture for much longer than that.
These days I am not a Disney adult, but I’m still fond of that time in my life. When I ranked the best Pixar films a few years ago, I knew the day would come where I’d have to do this: pick the best Disney songs ever made. This was not easy. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of worthy candidates over the years of Disney animation. That’s what I’m focusing on here. I know it won’t take long to hear from people which ones they agree or disagree with. But mostly, I’m just glad I got to take another trip down memory lane. And who knows? You may get to witness my Disney karaoke abilities live one day.
10. “You’ll Be In My Heart” - Tarzan
There’s a great meme about the epic Phil Collins soundtrack from Tarzan that does a better job explaining this than I ever could. I don’t think I’ve revisited Tarzan since it came out in 1999. But I think about Phil Collins far more regularly and his music for Tarzan has long outlasted the actual movie itself. I couldn’t pick more than one song, but consider this an endorsement for tracks like “Strangers Like Me”, “Two Worlds” and “Trashin’ the Camp”. But the signature track is “You’ll Be In My Heart” in Tarzan. The song was originally written about Phil’s daughter Lily Collins (who is now a well-known actress), but later adapted for the movie. It’s a sentimental ballad about familial love that really resonated with everyone. It ended up being one of the biggest songs of his legendary career. “You’ll Be In My Heart” peaked at No. 21 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and he won an Oscar for Best Original Song. This song made the movie and it continues to live on in hearts all around the world.
9. “Remember Me”- Coco
This song is so important to Coco that it is basically played throughout the entire movie in different iterations. Coco was another winning Pixar movie, despite its morbid premise, and “Remember Me” is the beating heart of the film. It’s pretty hard to not tear up listening to some of these versions, particularly when the most dramatic twist of the movie is revealed. But you can’t deny that it’s a beautiful song that made the movie metaphorically and literally sing. We all want to be remembered by our loved ones and “Remember Me” does an excellent job showcasing the depths of the human condition in that regard.
8. “Zero to Hero” - Hercules
Disney’s animated nod to the Rocky training montage doubles as one of the most soulful songs they’ve written to date. This is another movie where the soundtrack has sort of outlived the film (“Go The Distance” got strong consideration for this slot, too.) Hercules is a solid Disney movie, but the songs are what you remember decades later. “Zero to Hero” is the answer to the hypothetical question “what if The Supremes were in ancient Greece recapping the trials of Hercules?” Admit it. We were all thinking about it! Who put the glad in gladiator! If you have a TikTok-sized attention span, you can sub out the song for this scene from The Nutty Professor, which has similar vibes. Side note: did anyone else have the Hercules McDonald’s Happy Meal plates? You’d be shocked at how long those lasted in the Doherty household.
7. “Hakuna Matata”- The Lion King
The Disney equivalent of “guys being dudes” comes to life in this insanely memorable song. When Timon and Pumbaa take a young Simba into their lives, they know he’s feeling blue about the death of his father. I’m not totally sure that saying “no worries” in Swahili is the greatest advice in that situation, but it beats the alternative of being horribly depressed. It’s also just great fun watching the three of them goof around as Simba becomes an adult. The song was composed by Elton John, one of many he wrote for the movie. It is easily the most fun part of the movie and perfectly encapsulates the characters of Timon and Pumbaa. They’re the comic foils of this Shakespearean remake and give Simba the energetic confidence he needs. Maybe it’s not bad advice after all.
6. “I2I” & “Stand Out” - A Goofy Movie
If this list were up to a handful of men who used to live in Logan Square apartments together, these songs would be No. 1 and 2 on the list. Instead, I’m cheating to include both as a combined No. 7 and you’ll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands. A Goofy Movie breezes through at a 78-minute pace and its unexpectedly catchy soundtrack has stood the tests of time. When I was a kid, I thought that Michael Jackson sang the two stand-out tracks from A Goofy Movie. But it’s Tevin Campbell who sings these songs as the character Powerline, who is basically the Michael Jackson in Goofy and Max’s world. “Stand Out” is about Max’s desire to be seen at his school and win over his classmate, Roxanne. Later, he gets roped into a forced father-son bonding trip with his dad that does not go according to plan. A Goofy Movie tells a surprisingly tender story about widowers and the challenges of solo parenting. But eventually, Goofy and Max begin to see eye to eye about many things and both are rewarded by performing on stage with Powerline. I don’t care what anyone says. These songs fucking RULE.
5. “You’ve Got a Friend In Me”- Toy Story
Randy Newman’s magic touch was never stronger than in this song from Toy Story. The best Disney songs double as neat summaries of the film’s themes. From that perspective, “You’ve Got a Friend In Me” is among the very best in this category. What could possibly be better than hanging with your pals? Whether they be real or imaginary, friendship is one of the greatest parts of being alive. The song has been featured in all four Toy Story films and it takes on deeper meaning with every single one. Andy may have outgrown his love for his toys, but they will never stop caring for him and other kids. Talk about a heartwarming message!
4. “Friend Like Me” - Aladdin
The late Robin Williams put his quick twitch talking skills to the test with “Friend Like Me”, his shining introduction as the Genie in Aladdin. After rubbing a mysterious lamp, The Genie is awoken by Aladdin. He immediately explains how lucky he’s become via the song “Friend Like Me” and, I have to say, he makes a strong argument. How many of your friends can grant you three magical wishes? There’s a separate discussion to be had about how you’d use these three wishes. Aladdin uses the first one on becoming a prince. His second one is used to save himself and he generously uses his last wish to free the Genie from his service. What a guy! I probably would have used them differently, but that’s why I’m not Aladdin. “Friend Like Me” is a jolly good time and a great use of Robin Williams’s once-in-a-lifetime talents.
3. “Under the Sea” - The Little Mermaid
As you can see, I’m prioritizing the most fun songs from these Disney films over the swooning romance of something like “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid. But how can you top a singing, inexplicably Jamaican-accented crab wonderfully expounding on the joys of underwater living? What a beautiful and catchy deception. “Under the Sea” is a calypso, reggae jam with a coterie of aquatic creatures singing about their love of the ocean. It’s so charming that you forget that the ocean is one of the most dangerous places you can be. What a beautiful and catchy deception! “Under the Sea” won Best Original Song at the 1990 Oscars and it was an instant classic in The Little Mermaid. I love this song so much that I covered it in my COVID-19 themed Christmas album foye years ago. Sebastian is an all-time Disney icon and “Under the Sea” is one of those Disney songs you never forget.
2. “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” - Mulan
The most belatedly progressive song in Disney history and one that I’m confident Vito Corelone would endorse if he were alive to hear it. Mulan didn’t have to provide a step-by-step guide on manhood, but they did it anyway. To be a man, you must be swift as a coursing river, with the force of a great typhoon and the strength of a raging fire. And you better be mysterious, preferably as much as the dark side of the moon. Can you handle that? If so, you are ready to defeat the Huns. Mulan is ultimately a story about defying expectations and Mulan’s desire to fight for her country is as honorable as any pursuit. And yes, this is a Dr. Tom staple. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve riveted a karaoke audience with “I’ll Make a Man Out of You”, but by the end of my performance, the crowd is always riled up. They all want to be a man and in 2024, you can read that in a multitude of valuable ways.
1. “Circle of Life” - The Lion King
We saw The Lion King Broadway musical in Chicago with my siblings and our cousins. The Dortuondos were enraptured by the musical. We blasted the soundtrack on the car ride on the way home from the show. After a quick dinner, all of the kids gathered into the Ford Excursion to wait for one of our parents to drive us home. Unfortunately, all of our parents went in a different car and didn’t realize that they had stranded us in the restaurant parking lot until they got home. While they were in a state of panic, we were busy belting out songs from the musical and were blissfully unaware of this mistake. It was one of the best car experiences of my life.
“Circle of Life” is about as epic and memorable as it gets in the Disney canon. It succinctly and brilliantly describes the entire experience of being alive and the story that unfolds over the course of The Lion King. It is arguably the greatest Disney film ever and this is clearly the best song in a movie that is full of stone cold classics. The fact that this became one of the most successful Broadway musicals in history says it all. And you better believe I’ve slayed this track at karaoke bars around the country. I couldn’t do it without my trusty sidekick Kevin, who handles the background chanting with aplomb. But no matter who you sing this with, you are locked into a feeling that is nearly indescribable. I hope you find your place on the path unwinding in this circle of life we’re living in.
Tom’s Thoughts of the Week
In the last two episodes of Friday Night Beers, Vince and I drank Squeezy Rider and Stallion. We take our second trip to Oregon with Squeezy Rider and talk about my admiration for the state and Vince’s confusing dislike of the Pacific Northwest. If you are passionate about the Rocky franchise or Italians, you will not want to miss the Stallion episode. Please subscribe, rate and review our podcast here and follow our Instagram page for relevant updates!
The White Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks are planning to leave their TV home of NBC Sports Chicago and join Stadium Sports once their contracts expire in October 2024. Last year, I wrote about the death of regional sports networks and explained why it’s become such a challenging business. NBC seems keen to get out of it as they are down to just six remaining RSNs within their company. Meanwhile, Stadium Sports is majority owned by Silver Chalice, a Jerry Reinsdorf company that took over controlling interest in Stadium from Sinclair in May 2023. One year later, Reinsdorf is bringing his two Chicago franchises over to Stadium’s free, ad-supporting streaming service. This shift will disrupt older viewers' TV habits, but if it remains free, this will only benefit fans of the Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks. I suspect that there will be a price tag added to this service down the road, but at least viewers will get access to nearly year-round sports coverage for three teams (unlike the Chicago Cubs-owned Marquee Sports Network). Either way, it’s a big change and continues the slow march towards the end of RSNs around the country.
I doubt that I’ll do another deep dive on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But since I just did it and they have announced the latest class, here’s that update. The 2024 class will include Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & The Gang, Ozzy Osbourne and A Tribe Called Quest. It also includes Jimmy Buffett, MC5, Dionne Warwick and Norman Whitfield, who were selected as the recipients for the Musical Excellence Award. The latter is a separate category that isn’t voted on by the committee. It appears that the Hall got sentimental about Buffett, who passed away in September 2023. Buffett had never been nominated, but now he’s taking the fast pass into the institution. Five out of the eight performers made it on their first ballot (Osbourne, Cher, Frampton, Foreigner and Kool & the Gang). That’s a new record. The most fascinating one to me is Cher. Recently, she went on Kelly Clarkson’s talk show and said she wouldn’t attend a Rock and Roll Hall ceremony “if they gave me $1 million” and an apology. As we know, they won’t be giving her one cent, but will her pride prevent her from reversing on this defiant statement? I have a guess! I think I’ve said all I can on this topic, but just know that this is how it’s going to be for years to come.
If you’re looking for a hilarious time waster, Conan O’Brien Must Go is one of the funniest miniseries I’ve seen in awhile. Over four episodes in four different countries, the former late night TV host takes his unique brand of deliriously committed comedy all over the globe to engage with locals and ineptly insert himself into their cultures. O’Brien is mocking the concept of travel shows while also still being a travel show. I cracked up laughing multiple times during every episode and that’s not easy for any comedy to achieve, let alone one a reality travel series. I have nothing profound to say about this series, which is probably how Conan prefers it. It’s just a very funny thing to watch on the Max app.
I’ve mostly heard about Steve Martin’s incredible comedy career rather than experienced it for myself. My dad showed me The Jerk when I was a kid, but I’ve seldom seen his stand-up routines or his movies beyond new-ish stuff like Cheaper By The Dozen. I’m very glad that changed when I fired up the Apple TV+ documentary, Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces. This documentary is a crash course on nearly 60 years of Steve Martin’s revolutionary work as an avant-garde stand-up comic, musician, magician, sketch comedian, filmmaker, playwright and fine art collector. I was riveted over the two-part, three-plus hour film and amazed at quite a few things I learned. For example, Steve Martin essentially invented anti-humor, which was something my friends and I obsessed over in college. We thought we were on the cutting edge of new comedy. Nope! He was doing it 35 years before we were born. Steve Martin was the epitome of a late bloomer. He worked on his stand-up routine for 15 years before it finally found an audience at 30 years old. But when it did he was arguably the biggest stand-up comedian in U.S. history. I won’t reveal everything that is shown in the documentary, but it is chock full of fascinating stories and moments. Martin’s never-ending quest for improvement and re-invention led him down a comedy path that is utterly unique and unparalleled. He was way ahead of his time and in his own words feels like he’s lived his life backwards. I won’t blame younger people for being largely ignorant of his achievements. But I implore anyone who loves comedy to give this documentary a shot. You’ll be entertained and moved by Martin’s penchant for poignant commentary and hilarious innovation.