If I’m being honest when I got the idea to do these song ranking posts this was the movie/soundtrack that inspired it. Not sure why but it was this movie that prompted me to start this series. However other movies’ soundtrack got in the way due to holidays or it just seemed like good timing and it made me delay this one but no more I say.
Today I shall realize my previous ambition, such as it is, and rank the song offerings from the 1994 animated Princess movie based on a ballet, “The Swan Princess.”
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The songs were written by Lex de Azevedo and David Zippel. They also provide the singing voices for Rothbart and Jean-Bob receptively.
Also there are two singers in this soundtrack who have played The Phantom from The Webber version, Howard McGillian (Derek) and Davis Gaines (Chamberlain). Also also, Gaines has performed in Les Mis as Javert* and McGillian provided extra voices in Disney’s Hunchback.
I actually did review The Swan Princess about a thousand years ago (or in 2014) and while I was in my played-out “angry cynical critic” era, I do more or less agree with my stance on the songs “As far as the songs go, they are okay at best. Most are meh.” I will add that having listened to these songs a few times, tmusically and lyrically the songs are all good. There are some very clever lyrics, word plays and puns in the songs. But some of the songs seemed stymied by adding visual humor at the expense of the song’s flow and pacing.
So which song from The Swan Princess is most “meh?” And which is the most “Okay”
There are 6 songs in total so let’s get in to it…
6. “No More Mr. Nice Guy”
Prior to villain song “No More Mr.Nice Guy” Rothbart did have some malice however whatever villain points he earned with his weird plot is undermined by this songs. The song is in a sense Rothbart saying he done being nice and now he’s going to bad but it’s tantamount to immature pranks. I had read that the production did another version of Rothbart’s villain song with Jack Palance (Rothbart’s speaking voice) doing the singing and it was “too evil sounding.” It’s sad when villains can’t be too evil. Anyway so Rothbart is now going to revel in “eat their lunches,” you office co-worker fiend!
Then again he committed regicide and he’s acting like it was nothing and thinks he been playing nice this whole time. Maybe the King was just collateral damage when kidnaping and cursing Odette all to coerce her into marriage. I guess his uptempo musical number is made darker with its cognitive dissonance by this aspect of the story.
Though maybe, just maybe, Rothbart’s perceived “Mr.Nice” persona comes from him actually being honest with Odette by telling her how to break the spell. What nice guy, telling the Princess that he wants to coerce into marriage so he can be King another method for breaking the spell that doesn’t involve the outcome he wants hence the reason for casting the spell on her in the first place. Maybe he is a nice guy after all.
While there are clever lyrics and it’s upbeat and fun song personally I just don’t want to re-listen to this particular song. All that being said I do concede that this is NOT the worst villain song in an animated movie but it is an odd choice given Rothbarts’ weird characterization throughout the movie he’s evil but not evil enough that he can’t sing and dance.
5. “Practice, Practice, Practice”
This was very close to swapping places with “No More Mr.Guy” as it’s less of a song and more a training scene with two song concepts smashed together. However there is more that I like about this “song” than “No More Mr.Guy.”
I enjoy the animals puns, wish there was more, and I like melody. But this song has two distinct themes the training part from the band members being forced to dress as animals for Derek’s target practice. Some of these lyrics you can barely understand those being “He’s not happy ’til he has attacked us” and “If we had refused he would have sacked us, So we face a life of target.” The other part of the song is commentary from the Queen and her court singing three lines on repeat thus the phrase “Practice Practice Practice” will get stuck in your head.
It’s an upbeat silly song but it’s a “meh” for me.
4. “No Fear”
Yet another upbeat songs propped up with visual humor. Much like “Practice, Practice, Practice,” ”No Fear” is intercut with slap-stick but it’s a little more focused. It features the side-kicks and Odette doing a heist, which a refreshing change of pace for a princess movie. Their target is a map so Odette can get her bearings of where she is in relation for Derek’s Kingdom.
Again it has clever lyrics that are also cute and upbeat but the slap-stick just interrupts the flow as the pond pals try to get the map away from Bridgette, good thing Rothbart peaces during the day. Honestly I had originally thought this song was going to place third but the slap-stick just thinned the song out too much for me.
Side note – Why doesn’t Puffin get a name? Speed is a nickname is he has full name it’s Lorenzo Trudgealong, great name. And then there is Jean-Bob which is also something but Puffin who is a Puffin is named Puffin. If he hadn’t been a Puffin it would have been one thing but no. I just wish he had a name that was more than his species. Oh well. Also Puffin is the MVP of the Pond Pals, No Question.
3. “Princesses on Parade”
While “Princesses on Parade” is very ridiculous and sexist, I just can’t bring myself to dislike it. It’s very theatrical and over-the-top made even better by Gaines’ vocals.
It’s also very odd that in the 12 Swan Princess movies (as of writing this post there are 12) none of the princesses mentioned in this song get a cameo or her own spin-off movie. I just want to know about these Princesses plus it would have opened up the world. The people demand more Princess Brunhilda!
I just enjoy the theatricals and it’s never too bogged down by the getting the “sillies” into the visuals.
I wish this song would be recontextualized for like dogs or cat or just beloved pampered pets in general. Just remove all references to Derek finding a wife and have edits of cute pets with this song.
2. “Far Longer than Forever”
Oddly “Far Longer than Forever” is the only song in the movie that is neither upbeat nor silly. It’s a love song and it takes on a different angle from a lot of animated love songs, it’s a duet where to the two lovers are separated and yearning for each other. Sure it has some generic romantic imagery to the lyrics but it’s solid.
The song would work slightly better if Odette and Derek’s romance wasn’t so thin and that is despite them hanging out together every summer since they were kids. Derek put his foot way up his mouth and Odette broke off the engagement until he could say something deeper other “you’re really good-looking and what else is there.” To credit he’s not poet and it did give us the best line in the movie from Rogers “You should write a book: How to Offend Women in Five Syllables.”
And the yet “Far Longer than Forever” makes us believe that they have this deep abiding love with “an unshakable bond” that is “destined to last a life time and beyond.” The movie really hadn’t depicted it other deep love for each other aside Odette being a little more amenable to hanging out with Derek and Derek getting jealous of her flirting with castle guards. Maybe they had time to reflect and their presence circumstances of Odette being cursed and Derek left with no knowledge of what happened to her has given them perspective. Or maybe it’s a simple case of absence making the heart grow fonder. Then again maybe I’m the one over thinking it. Still a great love song despite their romantic stumblings, more so on Derek’s part than Odette’s, at least he knew it was dumb and messed up.
If one forgets their relationship up til this point and listen to the song on its own about two lovers separated from one other, yearning one another it’s great. As part of this movie’s narrative it’s pretty good.
1. “This is My Idea”
The Swan Princess opens with some preamble before getting down to business to introduce the characters and their interpersonal dynamics.
Essentially Odette’s father, King William and Derek’s mother, Queen Uberta have a scheme to unite their kingdoms together through the marriage of their children. However since this a children romantic fantasy movie they can’t just arrange a marriage, they need the kiddos to fall in love organically. To that end William and Odette spend each summer at Derek’s kingdom of Chamberg.
“This is My Idea” covers Odette and Derek’s rocky relationship as put-upon kids who are forced into hanging out with each other. It’s a different approach to starting off a romance in children’s animated movie. Not exactly enemies or rivals to lovers but they didn’t really like each till their teen-age/adult years. These interactions showcase a lot personality for the characters like Odette is really good at playing cards, too bad Derek couldn’t say that when pressed about Odette’s beauty being all that mattered, he did get there in the end so at least there was an arc to his character.
Considering the timeline that this song covers musically it has a large scope offering a lot variety with bigger movements and some more imitate parts which creates a compelling soundscape.
In addition to that the lyrics are great with a lot wit and even some pathos, it’s the total package.
It’s a great song that makes for a very strong engaging opening.
Songs one and two are an apples to oranges situation as both songs are great and fit the movie but it came down to mood, my mood but own subjective mood and I decided to give the song that more intricate to the plot. But if I had to choose only one song to listen from movie it would actually be “Far Longer than Forever.” Still this “This is my Idea” is the better song though, at least for the moment.
*If Davis Gaines ever was cast as Frollo he would complete the Obsessive French Man Musical Trio of roles. To my knowledge this has only happened once, kinda. The performer played the roles just in other lesser known productions, one of which he was an understudy, so it’s a technicality but still counts. There’re however a lot performers who have played both the Phantom and Javert.
