Deep Dive Disney: Wes's Top 20 Disney Villain Songs (20-11)

Welcome everyone to a very special Top 20 list. I should preface this article by saying that I’d originally planned on just doing a Top 20 Disney songs list, full stop, and we will get there all in good time, but I decided that villain songs deserve a list of their own since they are a very different animal from the more traditional stuff. A villain song is a villain’s mission statement. A way for the viewer to see what they’re all about and what exactly is their particular flavor of evil. For many, myself included, the villain song is one of the most fun parts of any musical because it's where the bad guy truly gets to cut loose. Just look at songs like You'll Be Back from Hamilton or Master of the House from Les Miserables, they're a blast. And naturally, Disney has given us some of the greatest villain songs in the entire genre, and today, I’m going to give you what I consider to be the Top 20 Greatest Disney Villain songs of all time. For this list, the only qualifications are, the song must be sung by, or about a villain or antagonist. Since some villains get multiple songs, I'm also implementing a one song per villain rule. Unlike our upcoming Top 20 Disney Songs article, TV Shows will be eligible for inclusion. And above all, remember, this is ultimately my opinion and not any kind of definitive list. Your list will likely look very different from this one, and that’s okay, as long as we don’t try to shit on each other because of a difference of opinion. Without further ado, let’s hear some of the best songs from the worst villains as we count down Wes’s Top 20 Disney Villain Songs.

20. Mother Knows Best (Tangled)

Originally, I wasn’t actually planning on putting this song on the list at all. Melodically, it’s one of the weakest songs in tangled, even despite Donna Murphy giving it her all. What puts this song on the list is how it perfectly encapsulates Mother Gothel’s brand of villainy. As we’ve previously discussed, Gothel is a consummate manipulator. Every word out of her mouth, a lie or half-truth in order to keep Rapunzel in her control. This song comes right after Rapunzel reveals her deepest desire, to leave the tower and see the floating lights. Gothel lays the manipulation on extra thick for this one. Notice that she closes all the windows and turns off all the lights, leaving Rapunzel both literally and figuratively in the dark. Listen closely to every word in this song. Not only does she frame the world outside the tower as a nightmare, but also takes every opportunity to undermine Rapunzel and make her question herself. This entire song is Gaslighting 101 and it’s a great showcase of why Gothel is one of the most loathsome creatures in Disney history. Gothel is certainly a monstrous villain, but what if the villain of your movie is hatred itself?

19. Savages (Pocahontas)

The more I think about Ratcliffe, the more I realize that he was never really the villain of Pocahontas, not really. He’s just a scumbag who uses the true villain of the movie, that being hatred and prejudice itself, to his advantage. And that brings us to this number. As the tension between the natives and the Jamestown settlers reaches a feaver pitch following the death of Kocoum and the impending execution of John Smith, the two sides sing this song, each denouncing the other as mindless savages that need to be wiped out. As such, they sound the drums of war and sound their battle cry, with only Pocahontas able to stop the fighting. This song is awesome. As much as I don’t care for Pocahontas, I have to admit the music is great and this song showcases some of the best animation in the movie. This is also Ratcliffe at his most dastardly, using Smith’s capture as an excuse to wipe out the Powhatan tribe and steal the gold he’s convinced they’re hiding. It’s the only time he feels like a real threat as opposed to a pathetic social climber. Though speaking of pathetic, let’s look at another villain who could be thought of as such, but is still way more likable than Ratcliffe.

18. The Elegant Captain Hook (Peter Pan)

What am I ever going to do with Peter Pan. The movie is largely considered to be a Disney classic, and yet for me, it was an utterly unpleasant experience. However, amid the sexist douchebag protagonist and the Native American stereotypes that make the Cleveland Indians Logo look like tasteful representation by comparison, the movie does boast one saving grace, Captian Hook and his pirates. Captain Hook, played here by the great Hans Conried, was an absolute delight throughout the film, almost to the point where I was hoping he would win, but never to the point where I forgot that he was indeed a bad man. And as an added bonus, he gets my favorite song in the film, a nice bouncy number he shares with his pirates that attempts to entice the lost boys into joining his crew, even offering free tattoos as a signing bonus. Sounds cool right? Well, that’s before Hook reminds you that those who don’t sign up will be forced to walk the plank, making this a literal do or die situation. Still, despite the dark implication, the song is fun and energetic and really makes you feel like tapping your toes. Also, Hook hitting Smee, that’s always good for a laugh. Captain Hook is indeed a highly entertaining ne’er do well, but let’s now shift gears to a villain who’s far more serious and far more sinister.

17. My Lullaby (Lion King 2: Simba's Pride)

Whether you feel that Lion King II: Simba’s Pride is a worthy follow up to one of Disney’s greatest films or belongs in the bargain bin with the rest of the Disney’s direct to video trash will depend entirely on personal preference. However, I think at the very least, we should all reevaluate the sound track as it’s probably the most underrated in Disney’s library. Sure it’s overshadowed by its predecessor, but there’s no shame in getting beat by the best. In any case, the villain of the piece, Zira, has a pretty disturbing villain song called My Lullaby. While Scar is still more iconic, in many ways, Zira is far worse and this song shows us why. The whole song is about how she hates Simba so much that imagining his horrible agonizing death is the only way she can sleep. She also lays out her evil plan to usurp Simba’s kingdom, using her own son as a tool. The song shows us what a monster Zira really is, but Susan Pleshette puts so much into this song that you can’t help but love it. The song is something of a spiritual successor to be prepared (we’ll get there eventually) and feels like a worthy continuation. Zira is effectively the last remnant of the hatred Scar could never let get go of, showing that even though he’s long dead, his influence continues to plague the pride lands. Pretty serious stuff right? Let’s move on to something a bit more silly and fun.

16. Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo (Home On the Range)

Okay, I have to be honest, the next two entries on this list are just here for me. Home on the Range is a movie with a less than stellar reputation. In fact, some claim that it’s responsible for the eventual downfall of 2D animation. Naturally, I was terrified of having to write the article, but if I’m being honest, I actually ended up having fun with it. I wouldn’t call it a good movie by any means, just not as bad as some would have you believe. One of the things that I genuinely enjoyed was the villain, Alameda Slim. Best way I could describe Slim is to say he’s like a smarter and more threatening version of Yosemite Sam. To his credit, his plan to rustle cattle, sell them for profit and buy up all the property when the rancher’s foreclose is pretty well thought out. And he has one fun method of cattle rustling. Apparently, Slim’s yodeling has a hypnotic effect on cattle, which he demonstrates in this trippy musical number. Seriously, this is the most surreal a Disney musical number has gotten since Pink Elephants on Parade. Slim is a man who takes his yodeling seriously, and I’ll be honest, he’s actually pretty good at it as he yodels out this catchy tune. I like how the song starts out all intimidating like a traditional villain song and then, out of nowhere, takes a hard left turn into crazy town. Also, the bit where Slim Yodels the William Tell Overture is a lot of fun. Overall, this movie may not have been all that, but this song certainly left an impression.

15. I Wanna Be Like You (The Jungle Book 2016)

You may be asking, why this version and not the version from the original film? Well, it’s a simple matter of character presentation. The King Louie of the 2016 remake just feels like more of a villainous character. This guy has this intimidating mafia boss like aura to him, to the point where you sense that he’s probably an even bigger threat than Shere Khan. This guy actually feels like he’s earned the title of king, unlike his animated counterpart who, at best, comes across like some weird beatnik who hangs out in jungle ruins with his buddies getting high. The fact that the 2016 version is voiced by Christopher Walken certainly helps his case. What I find especially interesting about this song is that up until the point Mowgli meets King Louie, the film has not been a musical. Yeah, at one point they sing Bare Necessities, but that’s not a musical number, it’s just a song that Baloo teaches to Mowgli. This though, just comes right the fuck out of nowhere and it’s kind of hilarious. As for the song itself, I’ve always loved both versions. It’s a fun swinging jazz number that you can’t help but sing along with. It also shows off Louie’s ambition. He wants to become the most powerful being in the jungle, and sees emulating humanity as his ticket to domination, especially if he can get his hands on some of man’s fire. For someone who already has the sort of power Louie has, that’s some seriously bad news. Speaking of bad news, let’s discuss one of the most iconic villain songs in Disney’s library.

14. Poor Unfortunate Souls (The Little Mermaid)

I’m going to catch so much heat for leaving one of the most iconic villain songs of all time out of the top ten. Believe me, I think this song is a banger, I just think the other thirteen are just a little bit better. That said, Ursula is still one of the greatest villains in Disney history. There’s something about her that’s unsettling whenever she’s on screen. My guess is that it’s the tentacles. This song shows us exactly what Ursula is all about. She’s a lucifer figure, a dealer in temptations and false promises, and often, her deals come with a steep price. Usually, the deals are rigged to the point where no matter how things go, Ursula always gets what she wants in the end. This song is Ursula’s sales pitch, painting herself as someone who just likes helping people but there’s still this sinister undertone throughout. Something I really like about the song is how it starts off as a slow Waltz but gets wilder and faster as time goes on, showcasing the growing danger that Ariel is too dumb to realize she’s in. Seriously, Ariel doesn’t even here Ursula very loudly say to her minions “We’ve Got Her Now.” Another sinister thing about the song is how Ursula reinforces the “importance” of Ariel’s silence, filling her head with this “women should be seen and not heard” garbage in order to make it easier for her to give up her voice. Ursula knows exactly what buttons to press in order to get her victims to give into temptation. That, more than anything else makes her a serious threat. But now, let’s talk about a threat that you can’t even see.

13. The Headless Horseman (The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad)

Ah, unlucky number thirteen, the perfect entry for this spooky number. This our first song on the list that isn’t actually sung by the villain, unless of course you subscribe to the theory that The Headless Horseman is actually Brom Bones in disguise which I personally do not. This number is effectively a ghost story told in song form and it’s a great one at that. Sung by the velvety pipes of Bing Crosby, this song sounds nice and smooth, but also just the right amount of sinister. This starts the buildup to the nightmare that is the Headless Horseman. The song alludes to the fact that even other spooks, ghosts and demons are so terrified of the Horseman that they run for it when they hear his distant hoof beats. Every Halloween night he rides, relentlessly pursuing any poor soul foolish enough to wander into the haunted woods. He can’t be reasoned with and he cannot be defeated. Your only hope is to make it to the bridge, and even then you only delay the inevitable. The headless horseman will get you and he will take your head. I love Ichabod listening to the song and slowly getting more and more scared, which provides a nice lead in to the awesome chase sequence to follow. I’d also recommend checking out the Thurle Ravenscroft version, it’s even more sinister. This is probably the oldest song on the entire list, but let’s move on to something a little more contemporary.

12. What's My Name (Descendants 2)

Well, isn’t this interesting. Ursula’s daughter ranks higher on this list than she does. Spoilers, but she’s not the only villain offspring who ranks higher than their progenitor, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Say what you will about the Descendants movies, lord knows that there’s plenty that can be said, but generally speaking, the music was pretty awesome, and in my opinion this song is the best of the bunch. Helping that is the incredible music of China Anne McClain as Uma. This song rocks and really makes you want to get up and do a wild pirate dance, but there’s more to it than that. This song really ties into what I see as Uma’s true motivations. Uma’s mother and the other villains were once big deals, but now Ursula is a nobody, trapped on the isle of the lost running a fish and chips restaurant. She, and all the other villains, are losers. Uma wants to be more than that. She wants the entire world, both Auradon and the Isle of the lost to know her name, and she’s willing to do some dirty, underhanded things to get it, and maybe get some revenge on Mal while she’s at it. And when she’s done, everyone will know the name Uma. I especially like Harry’s rap breakdown. I don’t know, something about an unhinged Scottish pirate rapping just makes me laugh. There’s a reason that Uma, Harry and Gil are the only villains in the descendants movies that actually have any sort of dignity. But their brand of evil pales in comparison to the one whose coming next.

11. Cruella De Vil (101 Dalmatians)

This song actually has a lot in common with the Headless Horseman Song, in that it’s sung before we even see the villain. I think we’ve long since established that Cruella is one of the most truly evil beings that Disney has every produced, and the best part is she’s not even a ghost, a tentacle monster or a witch, she’s just an ordinary human, the worst monster of all! Let’s the scene shall we? Roger is struggling to write his next song when Cruella’s car is seen pulling up, something that terrifies Perdita to her core. Roger sees this and is immediately struck by inspiration and conjures this perfectly wicked number on the spot, describing Cruella as a terrifying spider-like evil thing. Bare in mind, at this point, we haven’t even seen Cruella yet, so the audience is left to wonder, what kind of a monster is this Cruella that Roger is able to come up with such disturbing imagery right off the top of his head like that. It provides a nice buildup to the monster so even before we see her, we’re horrified, and when we finally do see her, even more so. I mean, what do you expect with a woman who’s willing to slaughter innocent puppies in order to make a fashion sense. The song itself is a lot of fun too, a nice slow jazz number that gets stuck in your head. Trust me I know, I was singing this in the shower for weeks. It’s truly one of the great Disney villain songs of all time, and it’s a good stopping point for this half of the list.

That’s it for the first half of our countdown. Join me next time for the top ten, where things really get wicked. Until next time.