Songful September 2020 Exercise Challenge

Next up is Pocahontas (1995). Alan Menken returned as the composer, this time joined by Stephen Schwartz as the lyricist.

The first song that the duo wrote together was the film's best-known song, "Colors of the Wind." They wrote it at the beginning stages of story development, so it helped influence the direction of the film. Sung by Judy Kuhn in the film and by Vanessa Williams in an adult contemporary single, the song went on to win Best Original Song at both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes, as well as a Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media.

Here's Vanessa Williams' video:


And here's Melissa McCarthy's comic "Lip Sync Battle" version:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/t...rthy-performs-Color-Wind-Lip-Sync-Battle.html
 




Congratulations to PollyannaMom and piglet1979 for turning Prince Ali Purple, and to ljcrochet for being the first team member to hit Reflection Red! We'll look at "Reflection" when we reach Mulan.

A second popular song from Pocahontas is "Just Around the Riverbend," also sung by Judy Kuhn in the film. Apparently some people would argue that "Just Around the Riverbend" tops "Colors of the Wind." Here's an article offering nine reasons in support of that proposition.

Have a great weekend, everyone.
 
Congratulations to Elizabeth Smith for turning Prince Ali Purple!

Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz followed Pocahontas with The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996).

It's Hunchback that provides the namesake for Orange this month -- "Out There."

"Out There" and "Stay in Here" are the two parts of a duet between Quasimodo and the film's villain, Frollo, where Quasi expresses his desire to leave Notre Dame and Frollo tries to scare him by warning him of the dangers. They were sung by Tom Hulce (Quasi) and Tony Jay (Frollo) in the film.

Here's a cover of "Out There":


And here's a different version, from the Barbershop Harmony Society:

 
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I have to confess, I've never seen Hunchback! So I don't know too much about the songs.

But I found a ranking by someone who obviously loves the movie and knows the songs. (And from browsing around the Internet, it looks like "Hellfire," sung by Tony Jay as Frollo, has quite a following.)

Here's "Hellfire":



Also, here's a ranking of the the opening songs of the Disney Renaissance movies that puts "Bells of Notre Dame" up there at number one. "Bells of Notre Dame" is sung by Paul Kandel as Clopin.

Here's that opening scene:

 
Congratulations to ljcrochet for being the first team member to reach goal and turn Go the Distance Green. And perfect timing, because today we reach Hercules (1997).

Once again, the composer was Alan Menken, but this time the lyricist was David Zippel.

"Go the Distance" was Hercules' prayer to the gods to help him find his way. It was performed in the film by Roger Bart as the singing voice of Hercules, and in the end credits by Michael Bolton. In the Spanish version of the film, however, Ricky Martin sang both versions.

"Go the Distance" was nominated for Best Original Song at both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes, but lost to "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic. Michael Bolton's version went to number one on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.

Here's Roger Bart singing in concert:


And here are some of Disney's Broadway stars performing "Go the Distance":

 

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