Deep Dive Disney: Wes's Top 20 Disney Villain Songs (10-1)

Welcome back everyone, I hope you all enjoyed the first half of the list, but now, we’re in the Top 10 and we’re done messing around. It’s time to count down my Top 10 Greatest Disney Villains Songs of All Time. Everyone sing along as we plunge ahead. And we start with a tribute to a truly sinister trio who maybe have a little too much fun with their jobs.

10. Kidnap the Sandy Claws (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

This entry is actually fairly significant. Lock, Shock and Barrel earn the distinction of the only villain henchmen to get their own song on this list. Also, as you’ve probably already guessed, this also means that The Nightmare Before Christmas is the only film that gets two songs on the list since I’d be insane to let this list go by without mentioning you know who. We’ll get to bug boy a bit later, but right now, let’s talk about this delightfully demented number. Honestly, I don’t even know what I’m expected to say here, it’s a three minute song about kidnapping and torturing Santa Claus and all the horrible and vivid details involved in doing so. Seriously, these lyrics are amazing. They mention boiling Jolly Old St. Nick alive, locking him in a box for ninety years and even blowing him up with a cannon. Jesus Christ! I’d hate to hear what they have in store for the reindeer. But it doesn’t matter who gets hurt, as long as Lock, Shock and Barrel can have their twisted fun. Even creepier than the lyrics and imagery is the eerie chorus. There’s a good reason that when Nightmare Before Christmas takes over The Haunted Mansion, it’s this song you hear throughout. Something about three sociopathic children singing in harmony just sends a cold chill down your spine. They may only be minions to a much greater evil, but Lock, Shock and Barrel are all horrifying nightmares in their own right. Howevery, enough with the henchmen, let’s hear from one of the world’s greatest evil masterminds.

9. The World's Greatest Criminal Mind (The Great Mouse Detective)

What can I say about Ratigan? He may very well be my favorite Disney Villain of all time. He is at once gleefully flamboyant and bursting with uncontrollable rage all at once. Perfectly sinister and perfectly hilarious all at once. And of course, one can’t talk about Ratigan without talking about his equally legendary voice actor, Vincent Price. Vincent Price is such a fun actor and you can tell he brought his A-Game to the role of Ratigan. At the beginning of the film, Ratigan is described as a criminal mastermind, a genius capable of outwitting the brilliant Basil at every turn and a man so mind-bendingly evil that his portrait flashes a sinister smile every time his name is mentioned. How does one introduce such a villain? In song form of course! After the professor spells out his sinister plan to kidnap the Queen, Ratigan and his henchman belt out this creepy little number and it is delightful. Ratigan sings a jaunty tune about how he has drowned innocent widows and orphans and how that makes him awesome. Yes, this psychotic sewer rat brags about the murder of innocents in a happy-go-lucky musical number. Now that’s evil. But it’s not just innocents that have to fear Ratigan’s wrath. His own minions aren’t safe either. When Bartholomew, one of Ratigan’s drunk goons mistakenly calls him a rat, he stops, mid-song, to feed the poor little guy to his cat, much to the horror of his other henchmen. Ratigan is one of the greatest villains in Disney history and this number is a major part of that. So, I have to warn you guys, our next entry will contain spoilers for Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure. So, if you are currently watching the show or have plans to do so, skip the next entry and move on to number seven. As for everyone else…

8. Crossing the Line (Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure)

So, let me give you some context here. Cassandra is a character who was introduced specifically for Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure. She works as Rapunzel’s top handmaiden, but has aspirations of becoming Captain of the Guard like her adoptive father. She thinks of Rapunzel as her best friend, but can’t help that the princess is unknowingly stealing her thunder most of the time, able to easily pick up things that she has had to struggle with. It seems like while Rapunzel’s star is on the rise, she’s always waiting in the wings. Season two is all about the search for the Moonstone, a sort of Yang to the Sun Drop Flower’s Yin. A prophet says that one of Rapunzel’s companions will betray her. We’re lead to believe it will be Eugene, but PLOT TWIST, the season ends with Cassandra taking the Moonstone and taking its power for herself. Turns out, Cassandra is actually the biological daughter of Mother Gothel (see, I told you another villain progeny would be on the list), one more thing Rapunzel stole from her. Cassandra is done being second to an airhead Princess, she’s taking charge and grabbing power for herself. What’s unique about this song is that it’s the only one on the list that shows the process of someone becoming a villain within the song itself. Rapunzel pleads with Cassandra to stand down before it’s too late and at times, she almost gets through to her, but Cassandra still doesn’t listen. What’s crazy is, this song is basically a Disney Princess self-affirmation song like Let it Go or What Else Can I Do, just for a villain. Cassandra finally feels free and unrestrained with her new alignment and is delighted as she cute loose with her new powers, it’s awesome. But anyway, we talked about his minions earlier, let’s talk about the man himself.

7. Oogie Boogie's Song (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

Well, well, well, what have we hear, me making this joke again, ooh, I’m really scared. But being scared is definitely the appropriate response when you come face to face with Mr. Oogie Boogie. See, I told you we’d be talking about The Nightmare Before Christmas twice on the list. Mr. Oogie Boogie is, quite literally, a bag full of nightmares and will subject anyone unlucky enough to find himself trapped in his lair. This song is the first time we see the boogeyman in the flesh… or… in the burlap? In the bugs, we see him in the bugs. Anywho, before this point, we’ve only seen Oogie as a shadow, but we’re told that he’s a seriously bad dude that even the master of fright himself, Jack Skellington, is weary of him. Once we see him for the first time, we know that the nightmare is real especially as he spends the majority of his screen time torturing Jolly Old St. Nick, gleefully dancing around a verbally deriding the man in red the whole time. I especially love how Oogie’s lair is all in blacklight during this segment and we see for the first time that it’s equal parts torture chamber and casino, that’s a pretty cool aesthetic. I’ve mentioned in the past that this is my favorite song in The Nightmare Before Christmas. Here’s the thing, the film has a solid soundtrack, but a lot of the songs, even the ones I like have this, for lack of a better term, samey, Tim Burtony feel to them. Not the case here. This is a fun, swinging jazz number that you just can’t help tap your toes to. However, what really ties the song together in the best possible way is the immortal vocal performance of the great Ken Page. His baritone is great for Oogie’s sadistic brand of evil. This song is delightful and one of the most fun songs, or moments in this Halloween classic. Speaking of Halloween classics, join me in our next entry for a villain song you may not have been expecting.

6. Come Little Children (Hocus Pocus)

Before we get into this song, I feel I should give a brief mention of I’ll put a Spell on You, the Sanderson Sisters' other song. It’s fun, energetic and has practical function in the film since it’s actually a spell to pacify the parents of Salem, but it’s ultimately a bit too goofy to be taken seriously. When I wrote my Hocus Pocus article this past Halloween (which you can all read by subscribing to my Patreon) I said that Sarah Jessica Parker made the movie for me, and while typing that sentence still makes my fingers feel weird, I still stand by it because Sarah Sanderson is awesome! Every second she’s on screen, she oozes evil insanity like Harley Quinn and Eda Clawthorne’s evil love child. (There’s a ship for you) You can tell that every moment she’s on screen, she’s having the time of her life, and that applies in equal measure for both the actress and the character. The Sanderson Sisters are a lot of things. Evil, comedic, threatening, dumb in Mary’s case, ruthless in Winnie’s case and even psychotic and sexy in Sarah’s case, but there’s only one point in the movie where the three evil witches ever come across as truly scary, and it’s this one. Not even cracking the minute mark this song is the shortest on the list, but what it lacks in length, it makes up for in menace. The Sisters finally enact their plan to drain the children of Salem and to lure then to their cottage, Sarah sings this eerie siren song that sends cold shivers down my spine every time I hear it. I’m not sure if that’s actually Sarah Jessica Parker or a voice double, but either way, the voice is hauntingly beautiful as it lures children to their doom with promises of being taken to an enchanted garden of magic. This is easily my favorite part of an already incredible movie and one of the creepiest moments in any Disney movie ever made. But now we’ve reached the top five. Gotta say guys, I’m not sure if I can do this alone. I might need a little help from my friends on the other side.

5. Friends on the Other Side (The Princess & The Frog)

Don’t You Disrespect Me Little Man! Don’t You Derogate or Deride! This is My List Now, Not Your List, And I Like Friends on the Other Side (he likes friends on the other side). But frankly, that’s not surprising because this seems to be one of the most universally beloved villain songs in the Disney canon. Since I wrote that particular article this past August, I have gained a newfound appreciation for The Princess & The Frog. Not that I ever disliked the film, but actually sitting down and analyzing it, I’ve grown to love it all the more. Its characters are extremely fun and likable, the New Orleans aesthetic and it has one of the top tier soundtracks in Disney’s entire Library, up there with The Lion King, Moana and Encanto. However, I stand by what I’ve said about the movie since I first saw it. Far and away the best thing about the film is it’s villain, Dr. Facilier, otherwise known as The Shadow Man. This character steals every second he’s on screen and even a few moments when he isn’t, he’s just that awesome. He’s intimidating, sinister, fun, and ambitious, the perfect Disney villain in my book. And best of all, he’s voiced by one of my favorite actors Keith David. We see Facilier a couple of times before this song, seeing that he’s got some serious magical mojo but isn’t able to use it for much other than to scrape by conning unsuspecting tourists. That all changes when Prince Naveen comes to town and Facilier formulates a plan to rule all of New Orleans and give the souls of its people to his Friends on the Other Side. This song is how he lures Naveen into his trap and it is awesome. Keith David has a hell of a singing voice perfect for a fun little jazzy number like this. It’s easily the best song in an already kickass soundtrack. If I had one minor complaint, it’s that the middle part is a bit slow, but it’s more than made up for with the bombastic and visually stunning finale. This song is an incredible showcase of one of my favorite villains, so let’s look at another one.

4. Gaston (Beauty & The Beast)

This is going to sound strange, but I think over the course of the past year, Gaston has slowly become one of my absolute favorite Disney characters. This may come as a surprise given that the character is so utterly loathsome. It’s true, Gaston is a bully, an entitled egomaniac, a muscle-headed chauvinist and a poster-child for toxic masculinity, basically everything I can’t stand in another human being, but hear me out. Gaston may be all those horrible things, but those toxic traits are dialed up to such a ridiculous extreme that he kind of becomes this over-the-top and oddly endearing parody of toxic masculinity. It’s kind of the same reason I’m loving DC’s new Peacemaker show, the character is a terrible person, but so oblivious to how awful he is that it’s kind of hilarious. However, just because he’s a fun character doesn’t mean he’s not incredibly sinister. Gaston isn’t really like other Disney Villains, unlike a Maleficent or a Jafar, Gaston isn’t a threat because of the power he wields or the authority he unjustly commands, it’s all from how he’s been able to fool the townsfolk, and to an extent, himself, into thinking he’s a hero. This song is where that mentality is on full display. Gaston is seething because Belle, the only person in town smart enough to see him for what he is, turned him down. So to get him out of his funk, LeFou, ever the faithful hype-man, sings this ridiculous song to boost his spirits and more importantly inflate his ego which at this point is already roughly the size of Canada. This song is amazing. It’s basically just Gaston bragging about the thing he loves most, himself, for two straight minutes. Fun fact, Howard Ashman originally wrote some of these lyrics as a joke but Disney liked them so much they made it into the finished product, which is why we have ridiculous lines about eggs and thick necks and the like. Though I must say, the “every last inch of me’s covered in hair bit probably isn’t the flex Gaston thinks it is considering his competition. Either way, I love this song and it almost made the top three. Speaking of, I hope you’re, Prepared, for our next entry.

3. Be Prepard (The Lion King)

You all knew this had to show up eventually. It’s probably the first song someone thinks of when they are told to name a Disney villain song. Honestly, I don’t really know what I can even say about it that hasn’t already been said. I know that I haven’t exactly been kind to Scar during this retrospective. He placed shockingly low in my ranking of Disney’s franchise villains and I’ve compared him multiple times to a certain former President of the United States. You know, the orange one with the bad rug. But I’ll give him this, he knows how to deliver a showstopping musical number that sticks with you. The green smoke sets the tone really nicely for the first half, and when it switches to red and the song gets more intense it really works. The orchestration is also really awesome. The drumming and chanting in the background give the song a lot of energies and complement Jeremy Irons’ vocals really well. Speaking of, this is common knowledge at this point but it’s always worth mentioning that Irons actually damaged his voice during the “You Won’t Get a Sniff Without Me” bit, forcing voice acting veteran Jim Cummings to step up and fill in and unless you’re really listening for it closely, you’d never know. And yeah, we may as well talk about the thing everyone remembers. That being, the ARMY OF NAZI HYENAS! Like, WHAT!? Why are the Hyenas Nazis!? Who in the animation team decided, “Hey, what if the Hyenas were Nazis!” Seriously, I don’t want to go off on too much of a tangent but let’s just say the more I learn about actual Hyenas, the less and less sense it makes for them to be Nazis, trust me. Freaking goosestepping Hyenas man, it’s fucking weird. Whatever, this song rocks and it’s one of the truly great villain songs, Disney or otherwise. However, we’re getting close to the end, so why don’t we look at the last truly great villain song in a Disney film.

2. Shiny (Moana)

I can honestly say I wasn’t expecting Shiny to rank this high, but what can I say, it’s a great song. I mean, a villain song written by Lin-Manuel Miranda? Well, I was a huge fan of You’ll Be Back from Hamilton, so sign me the hell up. Tamatoa isn’t the main villain of Moana. Hell, in the grand scheme of things, he’s actually relatively inconsequential to the overall story, but man does he leave a lasting impression, just by giving us something we haven’t had in the six years since Tangled, and honest to goodness villain song, and a damn good one at that. The big crab isn’t out to conquer the world or gain any kind of ultimate power. All he really wants is to be shiny and beautiful. See, Tama never really bought into the whole “everyone is beautiful on the inside” crap. What’s the point of being beautiful on the inside if no one can see it. Nah, he’d rather be shiny and to that end he hordes every shiny thing he can get his massive claws on so he can add it to his shell and become the shiniest crustacean in the entire realm of monsters. Much like Gaston, Tamatoa is all about his ego, which is why it’s easy for Moana to distract him by getting him to talk about himself, IN SONG FORM! This tune, performed by Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Concords fame, is incredibly catchy and a ton of fun. Tamatoa is pretty hilarious and the rhymes he comes up with for his boasts are pretty clever, just as I’ve come to expect from Lin-Manuel Miranda. However, once Maui enters the fray, Tamatoa proves that he’s also a pretty serious threat, easily able to toss a powerful Demi-God like Maui around like a ragdoll, verbally owning him the entire time. I especially love the bridge where things get all black lit and Tama basically breaks Maui’s spirits by saying “Haha, Your Parents Never Loved You.” What an asshole. This song is iconic, so much so that Youtuber Schrafillas has made Tamatoa his logo. While I hope it isn’t the last Disney villain song, it would at least be a great note to go out on if it is. However, before we go out, let’s discuss a few honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

Night on Bald Mountain(Fantasia): The song is definitely iconic, but since it has no lyrics, I didn't really feel right about including it so I had to leave it off the list

Trust In Me (The Jungle Book): Kaa the Snake is a Creepy Customer, and this song is indeed iconic, it just wasn't quite enough to make the final cut.

The Phony King of England (Robin Hood): While it is a great song and fits the lists criteria since it's sung about a villain, it's ultimately too comedic and lighthearted and never makes Prince John feel like any sort of threat.

Prince Ali Reprise (Aladdin): Jafar technically cheats by using someone else's song, even if I do like the idea of taking the hero's song and throwing it back at them in a mocking way.

Snuff Out the Light (The Emperor's New Groove): In early production, The Emperor's New Groove was a very different movie, and this song is one of the last remnants of the film that could have been. It's on the soundtrack, but since it's not part of the finished product, it doesn't qualify.

Davy Jones' Theme (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest): See Night on Bald Mountain

Ready as I'll Ever Be (Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure): I actually like this song more than I like Crossing The Line, but while Varian sings a significant part of it, it's more of an ensemble piece than a full blown villain song.

Rotten to the Core/Ways to be Wicked (Descendants 1 & 2): Mal and the gang are not villains, but these songs definitely are in the spirit of a classic villain song.

GlomTales (DuckTales 2017): Glomgold's parody of the Ducktales theme is hilarious and I will hear no word that contradicts this.

The Imperial March (Star Wars): Star Wars is owned by Disney, but wasn't at the time this was written, so it doesn't count.

You'll Be Back (Hamilton): My favorite villain song of all time. Not a Disney song, but available for streaming on Disney+, so I gave it an honorable mention.

Professional Pirate (Muppet Treasure Island): We'll save this for my One Year Anniversary Special coming next month Agatha All Along (WandaVision): I had to give a shoutout to the most engaging MCU Villain in years, especially since she gets an absolutely amazing villain song.

King for a While (Kermit Prince of Denmark): This movie was never produced, but the songs were written and a friend of mine sent me this number, which was apparently meant to be sung by Jason Alexander

David Xanatos's Nonexistent Villain Song (Gargoyles): David Xanatos does not sing a song in Gargoyles, but you all know that if he did, it probably would have made the list.

But now, we've reached number one, and by process of elimination, you've probably already figured out what it is. I should say, I hate being predictable, and when I do these list, I revel in opportunities to express opinions that may not necessarily line up with the popular consensus. However, boring though it may sometimes be, even I acknowledge that sometimes, the obvious choice is the correct choice, so, without further ado, let's end the countdown with a bang, as we discuss the worst Disney Villain of them all.

1. Hellfire (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

It always comes back to Frollo with lists like this, doesn’t it. While it isn’t for lack of trying on the part of his contemporaries, no villain in the history of the Walt Disney Company has been able to come close to being quite as despicable, loathsome and downright evil to the core as Judge Claude Frollo. Here’s why I think that is. Frollo is not a supernatural being, he is not a fairy tale wizard, he is not an over-the-top cartoon character. Frollo wields no supernatural power and has no comedic sidekicks. To summarize, Frollo, despite being in an animated film, is not a cartoon character. The brand of evil that this man represents is dark, twisted, horrifying, and very, very real. Frollo is little more than an ordinary human but is still a more terrifying monster than any other character we’ve discussed on this list. Effectively, Frollo is an R-rated character in a G-rated movie Even though Frollo commits unspeakable acts of wickedness throughout the film, he has convinced himself and others that he is carrying out the will of the lord. Even as he commits acts of genocide and torture, Frollo appears to have no remorse, but after he finds himself lusting after Esmerelda, for the first time, we see Frollo begin to second guess himself and we get some insight into his twisted psyche with a song appropriately entitled, Hellfire. This is not a gleeful declaration of evil intent or a ode to ones own ego as we’ve seen with other songs on this list. This is a truly wicked man, confronting his inner demons and desperately trying to justify his actions both to himself and the God he claims to serve. He claims to be a righteous man, purer than the common vulgar weak licentious crowd. But his twisted lust for Esmerelda still consumes his thoughts and he is tortured by it. Instead of owning his twisted desires, he instead doubles down, claiming that Esmerelda has bewitched him. How could he, a pious servant of God ever be so tempting, this Gypsy heathen must be in league with the devil and has used her black magic to put these dark thoughts in my head. In Frollo’s twisted mind, there are only two solutions. Either he must claim Esmerelda as his own, something he no doubt believes will save her allegedly wicked soul, or Esmerelda must be destroyed so her power of temptation will no longer poison his mind. Jesus! This song has everything. Some of the most haunting imagery Disney has ever produced, plenty of religious symbolism, multiple uses of the word Hell (in a G-rated film no less) and the piece de resistance, Tony Jay’s incredible singing voice. Seriously, Jay nails this song, just as he does with the rest of his performance as Frollo. It is twisted, it is horrifying, it shows just how truly evil but also how delusional Frollo really is. It is everything a villain song should be and so much more. For that, how could any other song lay claim to its rightful place as the number one villain song in Disney history.

And that will do it for Wes's Top 20 Disney Villain Songs. I hope you enjoyed. If you feel so inclined, let me know what some of your favorite villain songs. Eventually we will be doing a list for the Non-Villain songs, but we'll get there when we get there. Next time, we'll be getting back to Ducktales, but sometime after that, as a favor to a friend, I'll be covering a Dreamworks movie, but one that may have an unexpected connection to a franchise we've covered extensively here on Deep Dive Disney. See you next time.