Songful September 2020 Exercise Challenge

[PollyannaMom]

+ 30

395/500

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

345 minutes - horses, walking, yard work

1800/2000

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

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:

I haven't seen Hunchback, either, but after seeing these two clips, I need to see it asap. I think I'll love the music, though I admit to being a bit creeped out by Hellfire.

 

[sophy1996]

Congratulations to PollyannaMom and the TEAM for turning Part of Your World Pink and to Twilight Sparkle for turning Reflection Red!

Hercules incorporates a gospel/Motown girl band vibe, intended to be a modern equivalent to the Greek muses. A great example is the Muses' song "Zero to Hero," sung by Cheryl Freeman, Lillias White, Vaneese Y. Thomas, LaChanze, and Roz Ryan.

Another example is "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)," performed in the film by Susan Egan as the voice of Megara (Meg), with background vocals by the Muses. Belinda Carlisle recorded two versions of this song and a music video. While the English version ultimately did not use Carlisle's version, it reportedly appears in the end credits of several foreign versions. "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" replaced a ballad that Alan Menken had originally composed, after the supervising animator and writers objected that a ballad would not be in character for tough Meg.

Here's a COVID-era Susan Egan performance of "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)":

And here's an interesting mash-up cover:

 

[sophy1996]

I haven't seen Hunchback, either, but after seeing these two clips, I need to see it asap. I think I'll love the music, though I admit to being a bit creeped out by Hellfire.

My browsing around indicates that theatre people love Hunchback's music!

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

I don't know if I've ever seen Hunchback, but I am familiar with Out There, and it's not on my top 10 Disney Song list. But I want to watch the movie now to hear Hellfire. Sounds intense!

Now Hercules... I LOVE the music from Hercules. Go the Distance is my FAVORITE disney song and I Won't Say I'm in Love is such a great love song. So relatable. And the Gospel/Motown vibe of the muses really appeals to me.

I put in 40 minutes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

620/800

 

[piglet1979]

Both days I went for a walk on lunch and then walked on the treadmill in the afternoon

Tuesday -- 111
Wednesday -- 84

Total -- 1404/1800

 

[sophy1996]

+15

725/1000

 

[sophy1996]

Congratulations to piglet1979 for turning Part of Your World Pink!

Moving on, next up is Mulan (1998). This film started as another Stephen Schwartz project, but he was removed because he committed to work for DreamWorks' The Prince of Egypt. Disney selected Matthew Wilder to replace Schwartz, and David Zippel became the lyricist.

Question: Why might Matthew Wilder sound at all familiar?

Spoiler: Why???

Wilder sang the 1983 hit "Break My Stride."

One of the film's biggest songs is "Reflection," the namesake of Red this month. "Reflection" was performed in the film by Lea Salonga, the singing voice of Mulan (and who we previously heard, of course, as the singing voice of Jasmine). Here's a short video of her recording "Reflection":

"Reflection" kick-started then 17-year-old Christina Aguilera's recording career. It was her debut single and led to her getting a recording contract from RCA. She revisited "Reflection" for the recent live-action Mulan.

Here's a mash-up of her singing "Reflection" in 1998 and in 2020:

 

[PollyannaMom]

15 minutes each for yesterday and today

425/500

Another big fan of the songs from Hercules! - though I'm not sure I've ever actually watched the movie all at once, just caught bits at different times.

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

I didnt know that Christina Aguilera got her start with Reflections... interesting.

I skipped yesterday as I was soooo tired, for no reason really. Then today I was still exhausted, even after sleeping in and taking a nap, but I decided to just suck it up anyway and I managed 40 minutes.

660/800

 

[ljcrochet]

9/22 60
9/23 50
9/24 64
9/25 42
9/26 67
9/27 78

1815

 

[sophy1996]

+240 - went hiking to see fall colors!

965/1000

 

[sophy1996]

Congratulations to Elizabeth Smith for turning Part of Your World Pink and to me for hiking to Reflection Red.

Another popular song from Mulan is "I'll Make a Man Out of You," performed in the film by Donny Osmond as the singing voice of Captain Li Shang (with a few lines from other characters as well). Li Shang is hit in the stomach while singing, and reportedly, to add to the realism of his performance, Osmond punched himself in the stomach several times while recording.

Jackie Chan was the voice of Li Shang and sang "I'll Make a Man Out of You" in the Mandarin and Cantonese versions of the film. The special edition DVD release of Mulan features a music video of Chan, including his martial arts moves.

Here's a mash-up of Osmond and Chan:

Finally, the movie's closing credits featured "True to Your Heart" by 98 Degrees and Stevie Wonder:

 

[sophy1996]

We're nearing the end of September. Is there a volunteer to host the October thread? Pretty please?

 

[PollyannaMom]

We're nearing the end of September. Is there a volunteer to host the October thread? Pretty please?

i can do October.

 

[sophy1996]

i can do October.

 

[piglet1979]

Lots of walks outside and on the treadmill.

Thursday -- 56
Friday -- 0 ( I was lazy this day)
Saturday -- 56
Sunday -- 80

Total -- 1596/1800

 

[sophy1996]

+50 - Pilates and a walk

1015/1000

 

[sophy1996]

Congratulations to the TEAM for turning Reflection Red and to me for reaching goal and turning Go the Distance Green!

The last movie of the "Disney Renaissance" era, capping off a decade of hits, was Tarzan (1999). Famous 80s rocker Phil Collins composed the songs, and Mark Mancina the instrumental score. The soundtrack album won a Grammy Award for best soundtrack album. Most of the songs are sung by Collins himself, and in an unusual move, in addition to the English version of the film, he recorded the Italian, German, Spanish, and French versions as well.

Probably the best-known song is "You'll Be in My Heart," which won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Original Song. His daughter Lily (who apparently is well-known in her own right) has said that Collins wrote the song as a lullaby for her.

Here's Phil Collins' video of "You'll Be in My Heart":