Animated movies have shaped the lives of many people throughout the world, most notoriously children. Kids movies target audience are obviously… kids but many people love the plot, the animation but most importantly, THE SONGS!
Songs throughout children’s movies can range from songwriting masterpieces to a catchy beat with some fun lyrics to songs you hope you never hear again. As an older sister of two nine-year-olds, I have seen most of what the children’s movie industry has to offer, which is why in this article, I will be rating my top children’s movie songs from Disney to Dreamwork based on lyrics, overall flow and song beat.
“Into Yesterday” by Sugar Ray- Surfs Up
Surfs Up is a story of a teen penguin named Cody who has a dream of surfing. The only problem is he isn’t quite good and wants to win the Big Z Memorial Surf Off. Through the movie, the soundtrack follows Cody’s growth and learning curve as he makes new friends and learns new skills. “Into Yesterday” is a fun summer song that perfectly capsules the mood of the movie and the scene in which it is used, making it the main reason it claims the first-place spot for my ranking of animated movie songs.
“Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts- Cars
“Life is a Highway” in itself was a hit song during the release of Cars in 2006. The entire album had many popular artists such as Sheryl Crow, Chuck Barry and more. In Cars, racer Lighting McQueen goes on a journey of self-discovery as he is derailed by losing his tour bus which brings him to a podunk town called Radiator Springs, in which he discovers there is more to life than just winning. The song captures the fast-paced nature of the movie and racing life in general, part of the reason it claims second place in my ranking.
“Born to Die” by Kelly Clarkson- Trolls World Tour
As a very big country fan, “Born to Die” was bound to make my list due to its use of Kelly Clarkson’s expansive vocal range and its context in the movie, Trolls World Tour. In the movie, main characters, Branch and Poppy, are on a mission to unite all the music Trolls, including Country Trolls. Clarkson voices the leader, Delta Dawn and begins to sing as the main characters enter Lonesome Flatts, where the Country Trolls reside. The song itself is an impressive feature on the soundtrack, earning itself the third-place spot in my ranking.
“Upside Down” by Jack Johnson- Curious George
The song “Upside Down” follows the good little monkey, George, who is awfully curious. So curious that he actually follows a man in a yellow hat all the way to the Big Apple, New York City itself. The song, just like George, is whimsical and fun, one that I would highly recommend adding to one’s summer playlist.
“The Gospel Truth” by the Hercules Cast- Hercules
“Hercules” follows the story of well… Hercules. This song starts out the beginning of the movie with a bang. In this animated musical, the audience follows Hercules’ deeds and challenges in hope for immortality to live with his parents, Zeus and Hera. Throughout the movie, many songs are featured but this is my personal favorite.
“I’ll Make a Man Out of You” by the Cast of Mulan– Mulan
In the movie Mulan, the story follows Mulan, a girl who takes her father’s place in China’s war against the Huns, terrorists who want to kidnap the emperor. The musical has songs throughout the plot, but this one is considered the turning point for the protagonist, as she begins to become better at army training. This song is personally my favorite featured throughout the musical, which is why it earned its sixth-place spot.
“The Other Side” by SZA and Justin Timberlake- Trolls World Tour
“The Other Side” features pop sensation, SZA, and Justin Timberlake, who plays one of the main characters in the franchise, Branch. The song was featured as the closing theme as the credits rolled. The movie was released during COVID lockdown, but the song became a sensation very quickly through TikTok. It personally is one of my favorites from the movie which is why I added it onto my favorites.
